Whether they coach chess players or sell organic puppy food online, every small business owner shares a common driving force: a passion for growing their business. Increasing sales and gaining new customers is one part of the equation. Consistent bookkeeping provides the financial insight needed to strategize for long-term success. With so many obligations resting on the business owner’s shoulders, it can feel like there are not enough hours in the day to accomplish every task, and eventually the books may fall behind.
Even if the books are only behind a few weeks, up-to-date records are crucial for the financial well-being of every business. Catch up bookkeeping accelerates business growth by increasing financial visibility, which enables business owners to make decisions based on accurate information and remain tax-compliant throughout the year! In this blog post, we are exploring the top 5 benefits of catch up bookkeeping!
Reliability in Your Opening Balance
The Opening Balance is the amount of money in your bank account at the beginning of a new financial period, such as the start of the month. Be aware that your bank account does not necessarily reflect the exact amount of cash that is available to spend. For example, if your Opening Balance states that you have $50,000, but $20,000 worth of checks have not cleared yet, the actual balance is $30,000. The best practice is to consult your updated accounting software or financial statements, which provide insight into your true financial position.
The financial statements report revenue, expenses, and profitability, all of which contribute to the Opening Balance. They also guide decision-making and reveal opportunities for business growth. The more up-to-date your books are, the more reliable your financial statements (and Opening Balance) will be!
If your bookkeeping is behind, there will be little to no financial data for that time period, which means you will not know your true Opening Balance for today. For example, if your account was reconciled in January, but February was skipped, the Opening Balance would be incorrect for March. This could skew your numbers going forward, and costly choices could be made based on inaccurate data. This could also affect future bank account reconciliation, as well as the balances in your revenue, costs, and expenses. It is a vicious cycle.
Catch up bookkeeping corrects these issues and provides clarity and accuracy in your financials. Once your books are caught up, keeping them up-to-date becomes second nature.
Financial Accuracy Through Bank Account Reconciliation
A bank account reconciliation is performed to confirm that your accounting records match the information in your bank account. It is an opportunity to identify and correct any bookkeeping errors before the financial statements are finalized, as well as detect and prevent fraudulent activity in your bank account. Bank account reconciliation also ensures that you are accurately reporting your income to the IRS. The best practice is to reconcile your bank account once a month.
Proper bank account reconciliation can only be accomplished when the books are up-to-date. By getting your books caught up, you can ensure the reliability and accuracy of your financials each month.
Cash Flow Management
Catch up bookkeeping can have a significant impact on cash flow. When your books are caught up, you can pinpoint how and when cash enters and leaves your business each month. This delivers a deeper understanding of your cash needs, so you can create a plan for cash flow management.
For example, as your books are caught up, you may uncover past due invoices, or find that you are sending out vendor payments before you receive the cash needed to cover them.
With this insight, you can monitor your Accounts Receivable to ensure you are paid in a timely manner going forward, and find solutions for the timing of your own payments. You can also forecast future cash needs to be confident you have what you need for continued operations.
Click here to learn more about cash flow.
Insight into Net Income
Keeping your books up-to-date plays a vital role in calculating your bottom line, or Net Income, which is the profit that remains after all costs and expenses are subtracted from revenue. In order to know your true Net Income, all business expenses must be accounted for through accurate and timely bookkeeping. This understanding of your Net Income provides the opportunity to increase your bottom line.
Getting your books caught up is also essential when applying for loans. Creditors and investors examine Net Income when deciding to invest in a business, as it highlights the business’s ability to pay back loans efficiently. Catch up bookkeeping determines your bottom line, so you can understand and increase the profitability of your business, meet loan requirements, and secure funding for your next venture!
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Tax Compliance
As tax season draws closer, a concern that many business owners have is under or over reporting their earnings, and missing out on deductions. They may also experience a back and forth with their Tax CPA over missing documents and gaps in their financials. Breathe a sigh of relief – catch up bookkeeping takes the headache out of tax season!
By getting (and keeping) your books caught up, you can identify the deductions you qualify for, maximize your tax return, and stay compliant all year long!
Get Your Books Caught Up with xendoo
Behind on your bookkeeping? You are not alone! 25% of business owners are behind on their books. Get a fresh start with catch up bookkeeping services from xendoo, so you can take your time back and focus on the future of your business.
Let’s chat! We would love to get to know you and your business. Click here to schedule a free consultation.
