What to look for on your balance sheet — and how to strengthen it

The balance sheet shows your company’s financial condition — its assets vs. liabilities — at a specific point in time. However, the balance sheet is more than a static report. It can also serve as a diagnostic tool for managers and other stakeholders to analyze historical performance and plan for future growth. Taking your balance […]

How auditors evaluate key person risks

From technical know-how to charisma and innovation, the skills and personal attributes of a company’s leaders are often critical to its success. But those same traits can become a source of risk if the business relies too heavily on its founder or another top manager. If a so-called “key person” becomes incapacitated, retires or unexpectedly […]

Business owners: You don’t need a crystal ball to see the future, just your CPA

Financial statements report historical financial performance. But sometimes management or external stakeholders want to evaluate how a business will perform in the future. Forward-looking estimates are critical when evaluating strategic decisions, such as debt and equity financing, capital improvement projects, shareholder buyouts, mergers, and reorganization plans. While company insiders may see the business through rose-colored […]

What’s the right inventory accounting method for your business?

Inventory is one of the most significant assets on a balance sheet for many businesses. If your business owns inventory, you have some flexibility in how it’s tracked and expensed under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). The method you use to report inventory can have a dramatic impact on your bottom line, tax obligations […]

3 tips to streamline your accounting processes

Whether you operate a for-profit business or a not-for-profit organization, strong accounting practices are essential for maintaining financial health and making informed decisions. These include creating budgets, monitoring results, preparing accurate financial statements, and complying with tax and payroll requirements. Over time, even efficient systems can become outdated or inconsistent. Here are three simple ways […]

How often should your business issue financial statements?

For decades, quarterly financial reporting has provided the cornerstone for fair, efficient and well-functioning markets. However, President Trump recently posted on social media that public companies should move to semiannual financial reporting. He believes changing the frequency would lower compliance costs and allow management to focus less on meeting short-term earnings targets and more on […]

FASB updates the guidance for reporting development costs for internal-use software

On September 18, 2025, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) published updated guidance on how companies must account for the costs of developing software for internal applications. The changes are expected to reduce compliance costs and improve financial reporting transparency. Here are the details. Targeted improvements When the FASB first issued its existing “internal-use software” […]

FAQs about creating and optimizing customer profiles in QuickBooks

Small business owners might be tempted to rush through setting up customer profiles in QuickBooks® just to get invoices out quickly. But the extra data fields aren’t just busy work. Complete, accurate customer records help you generate more insightful reports, communicate with customers more effectively and save time on bookkeeping tasks later. Here are answers […]

Delisting decisions: The complex road to going private

U.S. public companies may decide to delist — or “go private” — for various strategic and financial reasons. For example, chain retailer Walgreens recently finalized a private equity deal worth approximately $10 billion, after trading on the New York Stock Exchange for nearly a century. The company has endured years of regulatory and operational struggles, and […]

Evaluating business decisions using breakeven analysis

You shouldn’t rely on gut instinct when making major business decisions, such as launching a new product line, investing in new equipment or changing your pricing structure. Projecting the financial implications of your decision (or among competing alternatives) can help you determine the right course of action — and potentially persuade investors or lenders to […]