A Look Ahead: Improving Your Books for Next Year's Bookkeeping & Reporting

As a new year approaches, take a few simple steps to ensure your business' bookkeeping practices are up to par.

Analyzing Your Financial Position

Objectively evaluating the financial position of your small business requires mastering several related skills, including gathering and organizing the necessary financial information about the business. Learn how you can put your analysis to work.

Business Decisions and Your Finances: Cost/Volume/Profit Analysis

A good entrepreneur has time-tested instincts, but a great entrepreneur knows analysis and instinct are the keys to smart business decisions. Discover which analyses can help you take your financial data to a new level of informed decision-making.

Business Ratios

When it comes to assessing your business, focusing on the right ratios is key. Learn which reports can reveal where business is doing great, and where there's room for improvement.

Creating and Using Balance Sheets and Income Statements

Periodically prepared balance sheets are the primary financial tool for assessing the relative wealth or financial condition at a given point in time. Learn what to monitor and track to ensure your business is growing.

Efficiency Ratios

Referencing ratios, particularly efficiency ratios, among various types of financial data can help you determine if your business is operating efficiently. Learn how to create and learn from these ratios in record time.

Inflation and Accounting Procedures Can Reduce the Accuracy of Financial Analysis

Preparing financial statements and using financial ratios to assess business performance are key business management tools, but be aware that factors, including inflation and the impact of varying accounting decisions, can render them less than perfect tools.

Measuring Profitability Through the Use of Various Performance Ratios

To gauge how your business is doing, pay attention to these key performance ratios.

Solvency Ratios Measure Financial Risk

Solvency ratios are designed to help you measure the degree of financial risk that your business faces by considering debt to equity, debt to assets, the treatment of fixed charges and other costs, and interest expense. Learn how to best apply these ratios to your business.

Taking the Temperature of Your Small Business's Financial Health

The moment your year is more than half over, it's time for a business check-up. Follow these five guidelines to see how your business’ finances check out—and how you can improve them.

Basic Accounting

Articles on basic accounting methods for businesses and best practices.

Managing Cash Flow

Articles on cash flow management for businesses and best practices.

Personal Finance

Articles on building wealth as well as retirement and estate planning.

Business Funding

Articles on acquiring financing for a business.

Business Start-Up Financing

Articles on financing resources and considerations when launching a business.