Returning Value Blog

A chart of accounts is the foundation of accurate financial reporting, so it needs to be set up correctly. A disorganized chart or one that lumps transactions into broad, undefined “buckets” of data can make it difficult for management to evaluate financial performance and identify unmet customer needs — or open the door to accounting errors and fraud. Here’s some guidance on how to create a robust chart that’s right for your situation.

Running a closely held business is challenging. Owners usually prioritize core business operations — such as managing employees, serving customers, and bringing in new sales — over tedious bookkeeping tasks. Plus, the accounting rules can be overwhelming.

C-level executives today face crucial accounting and finance challenges, including the ongoing shortage of accounting professionals, the struggle to keep up with technology (including AI), and the generally inflationary cost environment. While it may be tempting to view the finance and accounting (F&A) function as an overhead expense to be managed, this approach severely underestimates the F&A function’s strategic impact on business operations. Outsourcing can play a critical role in optimizing the performance and cost of the F&A function, especially when its use is tailored to the company’s specific needs.

There are currently more than 33 million small businesses in the United States, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.To succeed in today’s competitive markets, it’s essential for your business organization to have accurate books and records. 

When it comes to expense reporting, having rigorous financial controls is critical to operating a profitable business. You should monitor expenditures incurred by employees on behalf of the company. This enables your organization to track spending, control costs and maintain accurate financial records.

Any recordkeeping system that suits you and your company and clearly shows your income and expenses is OK with the IRS. It's the business you're in that affects the type of records you need to keep for federal tax purposes.

Whether hiring contractors, buying equipment, or paying vendors, many businesses struggle with the procurement process. Here are some tips for streamlining your company’s purchase order (PO) approval process.

Accurate bookkeeping is essential to operating a successful small business. The problems created by inadequate bookkeeping practices can have significant, long-lasting consequences. Here are four common pitfalls — and how to avoid them with the right knowledge and tools.

Have you completed your company’s year-end financial statements yet? Most calendar-year entities issue their year-end financials by March of the following year. Lenders and investors may think the worst if a company’s financial reports aren’t submitted in a timely manner. Here are three assumptions your stakeholders could make when your financial statements are late.

Financial reporting plays a key role when a business needs funds for continued operations and strategic investment opportunities. Lenders and investors will generally want to review your company’s financial statements before they give it money. Timely, reliable reports can increase the odds that a bank will approve your company’s loan application and equity investors will provide capital.