#financial-reporting
Create accurate financial reports and statements for better insights
How small businesses record foreign exchange gains and losses under US GAAP (ASC 830) and IRC Section 988, with sample journal entries, realized vs. unrealized treatment, period-end revaluation, and a practical monthly close workflow.
ASC 350-40 governs which software development costs SaaS companies expense and which they capitalize as intangible assets. ASU 2025-06 retires the three-stage model in favor of a probable-to-complete threshold, with the FASB signaling more costs will be expensed. This guide covers what qualifies, the EBITDA and balance-sheet impact, and how to set up an audit-defensible process.
A side-by-side comparison of the Percentage of Completion (PCM) and Completed Contract (CCM) methods for construction revenue recognition, with worked examples, ASC 606 over-time criteria, the IRC Section 460 small contractor exception (~$31M for 2026), WIP schedule mechanics, and the overbilling/underbilling traps that wreck contractor cash flow.
A driver-based cash flow scoreboard replaces month-end reports with a one-page view of three to five cash drivers, color-coded thresholds, and a one-driver-per-month improvement discipline. Includes DSO, AR aging, invoice-to-cash time, DPO, and 13-week forecast variance benchmarks.
An AR aging report organizes every unpaid invoice by how long it has been outstanding, grouped into a current bucket plus 1-30, 31-60, 61-90, and 90+ days past due. This guide covers 2026 benchmarks (80%+ of AR should be current), industry DSO norms, collection probability by age, and how to turn the report into a tiered collection system that protects cash flow.
IRS Form 8300 requires businesses to report cash payments over $10,000 within 15 days of receipt. Learn who must file, how to complete each section, civil and criminal penalties for non-compliance, and how to track related transactions to avoid structuring violations.
Your income statement reveals whether your business model actually works—not just whether the bank balance is positive. Learn every line item from revenue to net income, how to calculate all three profit margins, and how to spot cost trends before they compound.
Learn to set up Excel bookkeeping for small business: chart of accounts, SUMIF formulas, pivot tables, and monthly reconciliation.
Learn what a profit and loss statement is, how to read and create one for your small business, understand the difference between single-step and multi-step formats, calculate key profitability ratios, and avoid common P&L mistakes that could be costing you money.
Learn what a statement of retained earnings is, how to prepare one step by step, understand the retained earnings formula, calculate the retention ratio, avoid common mistakes like confusing retained earnings with cash, and know what negative retained earnings mean for your business.
Understand the key differences between a balance sheet and an income statement, how they connect, essential ratios like ROA and ROE that bridge both, common mistakes to avoid, and when to use each statement for smarter business decisions.
Learn what a balance sheet is, how to read and analyze one, the accounting equation (Assets = Liabilities + Equity), four essential ratios, common mistakes to avoid, and step-by-step instructions to create your own.
