Author: SmarterFinancialUSA

Keep Personal and Business Accounts Seperate

Posted on by SmarterFinancialUSA

Keep Personal and Business Accounts Separate

Mixing your personal and business cash might not seem like a huge problem at first. However, every business should have a separate business bank account independent of any personal bank accounts. In many cases, a separate business bank account is compulsory, depending on your business structure. 

This separate account will make it easier for you and your bookkeeper to sort through the purchases and sales relevant to your business and save you a lot of time, effort and headaches. 

“separate account will make it easier for you and your bookkeeper to sort through the purchases and sales relevant to your business”

 

Tips for Small Business Bookkeeping for 2021

Posted on by SmarterFinancialUSA

“Making good judgments when one has complete data, facts, and knowledge is not leadership – it’s bookkeeping.” Dee Hock

Tips for small business bookkeeping for 2021

Maybe you are considering hiring a bookkeeping service in the future, but aren’t quite there yet — and that is okay. That is why in today’s blog, we want to provide you with 10 tips for better handling your small business bookkeeping.

01

SEPARATE YOUR BUSINESS AND PERSONAL FINANCES

This is a common mistake in small business bookkeeping, and will only cause a huge headache for your business in the future. It is suggested to open up a business bank account as soon as you decide to go through with your start-up and be sure to get a separate business credit card. This will not only separate your accounts, but it will also help your business build its own credit rating.

02

SELECT THE RIGHT BOOKKEEPING SOFTWARE

The specific type of bookkeeping software you need will depend on what you and your business need out of it. An excellent and affordable option is  Intuit QuickBooks Online, which allows you to keep track of many different aspects of your business’s finances, such as project profitability, cash flow, income and expenses, bill management, invoicing and payments, and more. There are also a variety of different plan options to choose from, which makes it easy for you to find exactly what you need.

03

AUTOMATE

Be sure to do this whenever you can. Utilize bookkeeping software such as QuickBooks and do your business banking online. This way, you can sync up your bookkeeping software with your business bank account so that you will always have accurate records. Plus, with QuickBooks, your critical financial information is backed up safely.

04

CONSULT WITH A PROFESSIONAL

It is never a bad idea to talk with a  trusted accountant to figure out if you can use off-the-shelf accounting software or if you would benefit from customizing it. An experienced accountant will be able to both offer you advice and help you with setting it up and teaching you how to properly use it.

05

PERFORM FINANCIAL CHECK-UPS

When business owners put off bookkeeping for too long, they often end up with bounced checks, overdue invoices, or figures that don’t add up. This is why it is so important to go over your books weekly in order to make sure everything is in good shape.

06

PERFORM A QUARTERLY REVIEW

Be sure to take an in-depth look at your bookkeeping and accounting records at the end of each quarter with a quarterly review. Keep an eye out for trends like growing or declining sales, year-over-year revenues, increases in late-paying customers, and so forth. This will help you to be much better prepared for future capital needs, like if you need to move into a bigger space or purchase new equipment to run your business.

07

KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE

Your business’s cash flow can dry up fast when customers don’t pay on time, which is why it is so important to keep a close eye on when your receivables are due and contact late-paying customers right away in order to give them a friendly reminder and help them along. For customers who are struggling with their finances, you may be able to set up a payment plan to at last get a portion of what you are owed.

08

STAY ON TOP OF TAX DEADLINES

Be sure to plan ahead and set aside money for any anticipated tax bills so that you don’t get caught short, and pay on time so that you don’t face any fines.

09

BE SURE TO CORRECT ANY ERRORS AS SOON AS YOU FIND THEM

If you come across any discrepancy when you are looking over your books, be sure to resolve it as soon as possible — no matter how small of an error it might be — by finding the source and correcting it. If you allow it to carry over into the following months, it will only become bigger and more difficult to correct. Ensuring that your books are accurate and up-to-date from the start will help set your business up for success in the long run.

10

DON’T BE AFRAID TO OUTSOURCE IF IT BECOMES TOO MUCH TO HANDLE

 When you work with an experienced bookkeeper, you will come to find that bookkeeping is much more cost-effective and accurate. Sometimes taking the step of hiring a professional is exactly what you and your business need to get off the ground running —  give us a call today  to learn more about what we can do for you and your small business.