Accounting does not end with recording transactions. The owner or the management needs useful information about whether the business made a profit or loss or how the financial position at the end of the accounting year compares with that at the start.
From the trial balance all the income and expense items are transferred to the income statement. Further, certain other items are also adjusted before transferring the balances. Consider rent. Now, rent becomes payable at the end of a month. Therefore, following the accrual principle the accountant posts the rent as payable outstanding and adds this amount to the rent expense. The rent payable appears as current liability in the balance sheet and squared off when the actual payment is made.
Similarly, insurance payments are made annually. But, they would not match the accounting year. On the date of the preparation of final statement, there could be some months of insurance remaining prepaid. This amount is deducted from the expense and shown as current asset in the balance sheet. It becomes expense for the next accounting period.
The excess of income over expenses represents profit while the reverse scenario would mean loss. Profit adds to the equity or owners' capital while loss erodes the same. In effect, profit means the assets have increased while liabilities have decreased. Loss means assets have decreased and liabilities have mounted.
To find out the exact position of assets and liabilities, the accountant prepares the balance sheet. Although one would know whether the business made profit or loss or the value of assets and liabilities have increased or decreased, there is a need for a statement that gives complete information about how the financial position was achieved. The Cash Flow statement serves this purpose.
The basic rationale behind the cash flow statement is that all operations of the business are connected with receiving and paying cash. This is also called the cash-to-cash cycle. The firm buys inventories, sells them, incurs expenses and pays off the dues. So, there is always a parallel run between the firm's debtors and creditors. There are also transactions like fresh infusion of capital, paying off loans and making investments.
Therefore, to get the correct picture about how the firm's operations and other non-operative items contributed to the changes in financial position, the cash flow statement is useful.
The starting point for the cash flow statement is the balance of cash at the start of the year. There are three segments in the cash flow statement: Operating, Investing and Financing. For the first segment, we knock off non-cash charges like depreciation and loss on sale of assets to derive the operative profit in cash terms. We also adjust the net increase or decrease in all current assets and liabilities except cash. In the second segment, we include the investments in fixed assets or financial instruments. In the third segment, we show the dividend or withdrawal of capital. The net effect of all the three segments is adjusted with the opening cash balance to get the closing cash balance.
Sabtu, 16 Februari 2008
Investment Club Accounting Software: 3 Popular Titles Reviewed
One of the most important positions in an investment club is relegated to the one controlling the money; the treasurer. To this end, the proper tools are needed to ensure that every facet of the financial structure of the investment club is covered. The way in which to properly handle this role is to use investment club accounting software. Let's start by taking a look at three of these software products and their functions.
Club Accounting is the leading investment software available today. Currently priced at $219.00 for non members; and $189.99 for members; this software allows the treasurer to provide assistance with club accounting software issues, as well as regular updates to the software necessary to keep current with tax laws. Helping investment clubs track their finances, this user-friendly software helps to understand your club's finances, print reports, share graphs of club performance with other club members, and prepare club taxes. Utilizing their wizard, this software is one of the most popular in its use and effectiveness.
Club Accounting Online offers full partnership accounting features, plus features designed to make being part of an investment club easy and fun. Data interchange with Club Accounting 3 for Windows is designed to be seamless. It is recognized as a robust and secure online suite of investment club tools. Its features include a private, personalized club website.
It also handles full investment club accounting which is editable only by authorized officers; fourteen detailed performance reports that are viewable by any registered club member and is protected by industry-standard Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption for security.
Along with multiple levels of access, end-of-day and historical stock quotes, a 20 Mb file storage area and more, the one year subscription is a popular option. Priced at under $70.00 it includes unlimited telephone and online customer support.
Yet another popular and well known software used for investment clubs is Quicken. Reasonably priced from around $72.00, Quicken is probably the most famous kind of financing software available. Financing software allows the treasurer or secretary to keep track of expenses and income for the group as a whole and for individual members. Such investment club software is a useful way to make sure that each and every person involved is actually participating by contribution and attendance.
A third option is provided by Association Manager. They provide a full online solution for the administration of front and back office tasks for investment clubs. Back-office tasks include enrollments, renewals, event registration, badge printing, payment collection and database management. They also provide real-time reports on membership, event registrations, attendance, collections, and other facets of an association's day-to-day operations. Check their service online to determine cost and membership fee.
Most investment club accounting software products are available online. Now that you now what to expect, continue to compare and ask questions so you can choose the most user-friendly software; one that is designed especially for your investment club's needs.
Club Accounting is the leading investment software available today. Currently priced at $219.00 for non members; and $189.99 for members; this software allows the treasurer to provide assistance with club accounting software issues, as well as regular updates to the software necessary to keep current with tax laws. Helping investment clubs track their finances, this user-friendly software helps to understand your club's finances, print reports, share graphs of club performance with other club members, and prepare club taxes. Utilizing their wizard, this software is one of the most popular in its use and effectiveness.
Club Accounting Online offers full partnership accounting features, plus features designed to make being part of an investment club easy and fun. Data interchange with Club Accounting 3 for Windows is designed to be seamless. It is recognized as a robust and secure online suite of investment club tools. Its features include a private, personalized club website.
It also handles full investment club accounting which is editable only by authorized officers; fourteen detailed performance reports that are viewable by any registered club member and is protected by industry-standard Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption for security.
Along with multiple levels of access, end-of-day and historical stock quotes, a 20 Mb file storage area and more, the one year subscription is a popular option. Priced at under $70.00 it includes unlimited telephone and online customer support.
Yet another popular and well known software used for investment clubs is Quicken. Reasonably priced from around $72.00, Quicken is probably the most famous kind of financing software available. Financing software allows the treasurer or secretary to keep track of expenses and income for the group as a whole and for individual members. Such investment club software is a useful way to make sure that each and every person involved is actually participating by contribution and attendance.
A third option is provided by Association Manager. They provide a full online solution for the administration of front and back office tasks for investment clubs. Back-office tasks include enrollments, renewals, event registration, badge printing, payment collection and database management. They also provide real-time reports on membership, event registrations, attendance, collections, and other facets of an association's day-to-day operations. Check their service online to determine cost and membership fee.
Most investment club accounting software products are available online. Now that you now what to expect, continue to compare and ask questions so you can choose the most user-friendly software; one that is designed especially for your investment club's needs.
The Accounting Profession
All of us need to grapple with accounting whether we like or not. From managing your personal finance to running a corporation, there is no escaping accounting. It might seem very complex and overwhelm a novice. The complexity is only with respect to practices and presentation. The principles are fairly simple and guided by common sense.
The purpose of all accounting is to ascertain whether the business made a profit or loss or whether its assets have increased or not. This is possible only when accurate information about the revenues and expenses are recorded, classified and compiled. Thus, accounting is concerned with tracking inflows and outflows.
The most common perception of accounting stems from the financial statements of businesses. These statements are only a culmination of the accounting processes. Accounting plays a much larger role that of assisting in managerial decision-making.
There are several elements of accounting in a business. The basic step is of course, book keeping. This is concerned with recording the transactions and preparing the periodic books and journals. Another aspect of accounting is the preparation of final statements or "financials". These financial statements disclose information about the performance of the business. These figures are audited and tax returns are prepared.
Besides the management and the taxman, there are others too that need accurate financial statements about the business enterprise. In the case of corporations, the stockholders, sometimes thousands of them, are the owners who gauge the efficiency of the board of directors only through the financial statements. Lenders or creditors are also interested in learning about the earnings of an enterprise and its ability to meet regular payments before advancing a loan or line of credit.
Accounting records form the basis for several internal statements used in Management Information Systems. That is why, all managers need to have adequate knowledge of accounting principles. The GAAP or Generally Accepted Accounting Principles represent the codified wisdom that seeks to make accounting statements comparable and standardized. Because accounting is concerned primarily with monetary values, accounting principles closely follow the elements of consistency, accuracy, historical cost measurement and appropriate classification of capital and revenue items. Accountants spend much of their time in ensuring that the accounting processes comply with the GAAP.
Accounting offers a challenging and satisfying career avenue. Educational requirements of the profession range from a graduate degree to qualifying as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Society looks up to CPAs as the custodians of high ethical standards of reporting and accounting disclosures. They are independent professionals and are popularly called auditors. CPAs are mandated by law to conduct audits of certain types of business enterprises notably joint stock corporations, not-for-profit entities and so on.
If you choose to work as an accountant you could rise up to become the Chief Financial Officer with a number of controllers reporting to you. The main areas of focus for controllers are cash or treasury management, capital budgeting and taxation. With organizations going global, working in industry is surely a high-adrenalin situation.
Teaching and research is also a viable alternative and you could be a forerunner for developing the theoretical basis of accounting to keep pace with changing economic scenario. The domain expertise of the accountant is essential for developing advanced software for accounting, enterprise resource planning (ERP) and so on.
The purpose of all accounting is to ascertain whether the business made a profit or loss or whether its assets have increased or not. This is possible only when accurate information about the revenues and expenses are recorded, classified and compiled. Thus, accounting is concerned with tracking inflows and outflows.
The most common perception of accounting stems from the financial statements of businesses. These statements are only a culmination of the accounting processes. Accounting plays a much larger role that of assisting in managerial decision-making.
There are several elements of accounting in a business. The basic step is of course, book keeping. This is concerned with recording the transactions and preparing the periodic books and journals. Another aspect of accounting is the preparation of final statements or "financials". These financial statements disclose information about the performance of the business. These figures are audited and tax returns are prepared.
Besides the management and the taxman, there are others too that need accurate financial statements about the business enterprise. In the case of corporations, the stockholders, sometimes thousands of them, are the owners who gauge the efficiency of the board of directors only through the financial statements. Lenders or creditors are also interested in learning about the earnings of an enterprise and its ability to meet regular payments before advancing a loan or line of credit.
Accounting records form the basis for several internal statements used in Management Information Systems. That is why, all managers need to have adequate knowledge of accounting principles. The GAAP or Generally Accepted Accounting Principles represent the codified wisdom that seeks to make accounting statements comparable and standardized. Because accounting is concerned primarily with monetary values, accounting principles closely follow the elements of consistency, accuracy, historical cost measurement and appropriate classification of capital and revenue items. Accountants spend much of their time in ensuring that the accounting processes comply with the GAAP.
Accounting offers a challenging and satisfying career avenue. Educational requirements of the profession range from a graduate degree to qualifying as a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Society looks up to CPAs as the custodians of high ethical standards of reporting and accounting disclosures. They are independent professionals and are popularly called auditors. CPAs are mandated by law to conduct audits of certain types of business enterprises notably joint stock corporations, not-for-profit entities and so on.
If you choose to work as an accountant you could rise up to become the Chief Financial Officer with a number of controllers reporting to you. The main areas of focus for controllers are cash or treasury management, capital budgeting and taxation. With organizations going global, working in industry is surely a high-adrenalin situation.
Teaching and research is also a viable alternative and you could be a forerunner for developing the theoretical basis of accounting to keep pace with changing economic scenario. The domain expertise of the accountant is essential for developing advanced software for accounting, enterprise resource planning (ERP) and so on.
Accounting - Sunk Costs and Loss Aversion
Sunk costs are usually defined as previously incurred costs that are not recoverable and should not be taken into account in decision making. Here is a slightly modified example of a sunk cost from Jerold Zimmerman's "Accounting for Decision Making and Control" (Irwin McGraw-Hill):
Example. Abadabba Berman, the comptroller of the Schultz Cement Shoe Company, has contracted with Microstiff to design a proprietary accounting software package for the company at a cost of $15,000. After months of dealing with countless glitches and bugs the system just barely works. Finally one of the frustrated bookkeepers points out to Abadabba that for only $2,000 they could purchase an off the shelf package from Quickcrooks that would generate all the reports that the more expensive system provides with a fraction of the aggravations and crashes. Abadabba cannot bring himself to invest the additional $2,000 in the replacement system even though the company will easily save that much and more in the improved productivity of the accounting department. Abaddaba reasons that they have too much invested in the old accounting system to simply abandon it.
Abaddaba should consider the past investment in the expensive Microstiff software a sunk cost. He should ignore the past investment in deciding whether to abandon the software and replace it with the Quickcrooks package. According to cost accounting theory the only relevant costs to consider are the future costs associated with each option. If retaining the Microstiff software is more expensive going forward than buying the Quickcrooks package then the Microstiff software should be abandoned. The previous heavy investment in Microstiff should not be a consideration in making his decision.
Loss Aversion: Why Abaddaba Won't Let Go of Microstiff
According to cost accounting theory Abaddaba's choice to hold on to Microstiff is irrational. The best choice for the company is to abandon the software, not keep it. Now of course, the irrational choice for the company may be a very rational choice for Abaddaba personally. Why? Because the boss of the company, Dutch Schultz, has a notoriously bad temper and Abaddaba does not want to face Dutch's wrath when he tells him that he made a $15,000 mistake going with Microstiff. So from Abaddaba's perspective it is rational to cover his rear and stick with the bad software.
But this is not really the full story because even if Abaddaba was the owner of the firm the odds are that he would still make the irrational choice to stick with the crummy software. Why? Because he, like all of us, tends to be very reluctant to accept losses. Abaddaba's failure to treat the prior investment as irrelevant is a species of a very common behavioral trait known as loss avoidance.
Varieties of Loss Aversion
For most people losses loom larger than gains. The pain we feel from a loss generally outweighs the pleasure we feel from a comparable gain. This is what the social scientists term loss aversion. Variations of loss aversions are common place in business and investing. For example, investors are, as a rule, much quicker to realize gains than losses. This is the reason why automatic stop loss orders are implemented when buying stock. An automatic stop loss triggers a sale when a stock investment's price drops to a certain point. It is automatic and commonly used because it is the all too human trait of loss aversion that often keeps people from cutting their losses. The tendency is for people to hold on to losers in the hopes that the loss will reverse.
Real World Decisions
In the above example all the consequences of the different courses of action were specified. I told you what the dollar consequences of keeping the old software versus buying new software would be. Rarely in real world situations do we have precise dollar estimates for the results of different courses of action. The tendency to stick with losers, and thus not cut our losses, can be reinforced by the ambiguity surrounding real world decisions. If you are in a position of being emotionally invested in a bad decision, the tendency will be for you to filter out and skew data that would support abandoning the course of action you are invested in.
Practical Advice on Dealing with Sunk Costs and Loss Aversion
First recognize that there is no way to detach yourself emotionally from the consequences of important decisions that you have made. Recognizing that you have made a poor important decision is always going to be painful. What you can do is recognize that you have an emotional investment in your decisions and seek the advice of individuals who are not so emotionally invested. These individuals are less likely to filter out information that might call for abandoning a bad investment.
So who can you consult with about important decisions? If you are a small business owner it is important to have an outside advisor. Outside accountants, Small Business Extension Center staff, or volunteers from S.C.O.R.E are all good possibilities that will not break your budget. Trade or business associations often have staff available for advice on business operations. Also do not overlook the web as a possible resource of good advice. Almost every type of industry or business has forums where similarly situated owners can offer each other advice.
For larger businesses, independent boards of directors can fulfill the role of detached advisors as well as outside consulting specialists. Also remember loss aversion and the unwillingness to abandon sunk costs can exhibit itself in groups as well as individuals.
Finally, do not forget that even the smartest people make mistakes and often very big ones. Ignoring non-recoverable costs requires admitting that we have made bad decisions. Never an easy thing to do. But the ability to admit mistakes, abandon sunk costs and move on is vital to success in any enterprise.
Example. Abadabba Berman, the comptroller of the Schultz Cement Shoe Company, has contracted with Microstiff to design a proprietary accounting software package for the company at a cost of $15,000. After months of dealing with countless glitches and bugs the system just barely works. Finally one of the frustrated bookkeepers points out to Abadabba that for only $2,000 they could purchase an off the shelf package from Quickcrooks that would generate all the reports that the more expensive system provides with a fraction of the aggravations and crashes. Abadabba cannot bring himself to invest the additional $2,000 in the replacement system even though the company will easily save that much and more in the improved productivity of the accounting department. Abaddaba reasons that they have too much invested in the old accounting system to simply abandon it.
Abaddaba should consider the past investment in the expensive Microstiff software a sunk cost. He should ignore the past investment in deciding whether to abandon the software and replace it with the Quickcrooks package. According to cost accounting theory the only relevant costs to consider are the future costs associated with each option. If retaining the Microstiff software is more expensive going forward than buying the Quickcrooks package then the Microstiff software should be abandoned. The previous heavy investment in Microstiff should not be a consideration in making his decision.
Loss Aversion: Why Abaddaba Won't Let Go of Microstiff
According to cost accounting theory Abaddaba's choice to hold on to Microstiff is irrational. The best choice for the company is to abandon the software, not keep it. Now of course, the irrational choice for the company may be a very rational choice for Abaddaba personally. Why? Because the boss of the company, Dutch Schultz, has a notoriously bad temper and Abaddaba does not want to face Dutch's wrath when he tells him that he made a $15,000 mistake going with Microstiff. So from Abaddaba's perspective it is rational to cover his rear and stick with the bad software.
But this is not really the full story because even if Abaddaba was the owner of the firm the odds are that he would still make the irrational choice to stick with the crummy software. Why? Because he, like all of us, tends to be very reluctant to accept losses. Abaddaba's failure to treat the prior investment as irrelevant is a species of a very common behavioral trait known as loss avoidance.
Varieties of Loss Aversion
For most people losses loom larger than gains. The pain we feel from a loss generally outweighs the pleasure we feel from a comparable gain. This is what the social scientists term loss aversion. Variations of loss aversions are common place in business and investing. For example, investors are, as a rule, much quicker to realize gains than losses. This is the reason why automatic stop loss orders are implemented when buying stock. An automatic stop loss triggers a sale when a stock investment's price drops to a certain point. It is automatic and commonly used because it is the all too human trait of loss aversion that often keeps people from cutting their losses. The tendency is for people to hold on to losers in the hopes that the loss will reverse.
Real World Decisions
In the above example all the consequences of the different courses of action were specified. I told you what the dollar consequences of keeping the old software versus buying new software would be. Rarely in real world situations do we have precise dollar estimates for the results of different courses of action. The tendency to stick with losers, and thus not cut our losses, can be reinforced by the ambiguity surrounding real world decisions. If you are in a position of being emotionally invested in a bad decision, the tendency will be for you to filter out and skew data that would support abandoning the course of action you are invested in.
Practical Advice on Dealing with Sunk Costs and Loss Aversion
First recognize that there is no way to detach yourself emotionally from the consequences of important decisions that you have made. Recognizing that you have made a poor important decision is always going to be painful. What you can do is recognize that you have an emotional investment in your decisions and seek the advice of individuals who are not so emotionally invested. These individuals are less likely to filter out information that might call for abandoning a bad investment.
So who can you consult with about important decisions? If you are a small business owner it is important to have an outside advisor. Outside accountants, Small Business Extension Center staff, or volunteers from S.C.O.R.E are all good possibilities that will not break your budget. Trade or business associations often have staff available for advice on business operations. Also do not overlook the web as a possible resource of good advice. Almost every type of industry or business has forums where similarly situated owners can offer each other advice.
For larger businesses, independent boards of directors can fulfill the role of detached advisors as well as outside consulting specialists. Also remember loss aversion and the unwillingness to abandon sunk costs can exhibit itself in groups as well as individuals.
Finally, do not forget that even the smartest people make mistakes and often very big ones. Ignoring non-recoverable costs requires admitting that we have made bad decisions. Never an easy thing to do. But the ability to admit mistakes, abandon sunk costs and move on is vital to success in any enterprise.
Sabtu, 09 Februari 2008
Modern accounting
Accounting is the process of identifying, measuring and communicating economic information so a user of the information may make informed economic judgments and decisions based on it.
Accounting is the degree of measurement of financial transactions which are transfers of legal property rights made under contractual relationships. Non-financial transactions are specifically excluded due to conservatism and materiality principles.
At the heart of modern financial accounting is the double-entry bookkeeping system. This system involves making at least two entries for every transaction: a debit in one account, and a corresponding credit in another account. The sum of all debits should always equal the sum of all credits, providing a simple way to check for errors. This system was first used in medieval Europe, although claims have been made that the system dates back to Ancient Rome or Greece.
According to critics of standard accounting practices, it has changed little since. Accounting reform measures of some kind have been taken in each generation to attempt to keep bookkeeping relevant to capital assets or production capacity. However, these have not changed the basic principles, which are supposed to be independent of economics as such. In recent times, the divergence of accounting from economic principles has resulted in controversial reforms to make financial reports more indicative of economic reality.
Accounting is the degree of measurement of financial transactions which are transfers of legal property rights made under contractual relationships. Non-financial transactions are specifically excluded due to conservatism and materiality principles.
At the heart of modern financial accounting is the double-entry bookkeeping system. This system involves making at least two entries for every transaction: a debit in one account, and a corresponding credit in another account. The sum of all debits should always equal the sum of all credits, providing a simple way to check for errors. This system was first used in medieval Europe, although claims have been made that the system dates back to Ancient Rome or Greece.
According to critics of standard accounting practices, it has changed little since. Accounting reform measures of some kind have been taken in each generation to attempt to keep bookkeeping relevant to capital assets or production capacity. However, these have not changed the basic principles, which are supposed to be independent of economics as such. In recent times, the divergence of accounting from economic principles has resulted in controversial reforms to make financial reports more indicative of economic reality.
Selasa, 05 Februari 2008
The Salvage Truth - Boat Insurance Buying Tips
The water may be your element. You may find the sea quite stirring yet in here you find your own serenity. Yes, the mere sight of the vast sea may stir in you quite a number of various emotional responses. Not a few of people from all walks of life are motivated to build their dream houses near the beach where an overlooking view of the sea is possible. Of course, there are also those who truly enjoy riding on a boat. Some would even resort to buying and owning their own craft such as a yacht or motor boat. These sea vessels are not only bought and owned for the sole purpose of joyride or sea adventures but they are also employed for business reasons.
1. Boat Insurance - Just Like Car Insurance
It is wise to secure boat insurance for security reasons. You may never know what may happen to you and your boat's occupants when it fares out into the vast sea. Cases of theft, salvage, and natural disasters are some of the problems you may be faced with and they can be truly irritating on one's part. It may be a real challenge to be looking for the best boat insurance that will cover all of your needs and demands. Remember to be smart. Be inquisitive. Make the right choice with your boat insurance.
2. One Size Does Not Fit All
Each of the types of the sea vessels requires different boat insurance policies. It is best for you to conduct a thorough research before contacting any insurer. Go for the advice of friends and colleagues. Ask them which boat insurance provider will best satisfy you.
3. Know Your Insurer Well
Boat insurance can be procured from either an independent insurance agent or from a direct marine insurance specialist. The purchase of boat insurance from either of the two proves to be a good and wise move. It is necessary to be buying the boat insurance policy from none other than a reputable agent or provider in order to save yourself from the annoying possibilities of scam.
4. Use the Laymen's Terms in All Business Affairs
Always listen well to the boat insurance agent. Treat the conversation as you would to a daily discourse. And if you come across some unfamiliar terms, ask for an explanation in the language you will best understand. It is important to know what your boat insurance policy will cover as well as those that will not be covered. If you see some loopholes, then be inquisitive.
5. Look Over Coverage Closely
It is best to secure that your boat insurance policy will work out to be not just fine, but it will be perfect to cater to all your claims. Essential coverage includes salvage recovery, accidental damage, fire, flood, and storm damage, theft, vandalism or malicious acts, liability cover, and most importantly, an easy access to a 24-hour helpline in case of emergency.
6. The Agreed Value versus the Actual Cash Value
These two are the choices in terms of the mode of payment on the boat insurance policy that a boater will want to avail. However, it is the depreciation that sets the difference between the two. For the Agreed Value Policy, the boater will have to pay more for the boat insurance. In the event of total loss, the insurer will not only pay you but will also replace most items with new ones. On the other hand, the Actual Cash Value costs less yet in the event of loss, the insurer will only be paying the actual cash amount that is at hand during the time of the property's loss. This mode is best for clients who don't really give a deal about total loss and for least expensive purchased boats.
7. The Salvage Truth
In case you have decided to stick with the Agreed Value boat insurance policy, then make sure that you do stay away from those that limit salvage coverage. Salvage coverage policy ensures the payment to the salvor for saving the boat from danger or by bringing it to a repair yard. You would want a handsome amount to fix the damages done to your property and surely enough you would not want some deductions from the agreed value just because some payments are to be made to the salvage costs. Definitely, this scheme of payment will leave your budget short for some of the repairs that you will need.
1. Boat Insurance - Just Like Car Insurance
It is wise to secure boat insurance for security reasons. You may never know what may happen to you and your boat's occupants when it fares out into the vast sea. Cases of theft, salvage, and natural disasters are some of the problems you may be faced with and they can be truly irritating on one's part. It may be a real challenge to be looking for the best boat insurance that will cover all of your needs and demands. Remember to be smart. Be inquisitive. Make the right choice with your boat insurance.
2. One Size Does Not Fit All
Each of the types of the sea vessels requires different boat insurance policies. It is best for you to conduct a thorough research before contacting any insurer. Go for the advice of friends and colleagues. Ask them which boat insurance provider will best satisfy you.
3. Know Your Insurer Well
Boat insurance can be procured from either an independent insurance agent or from a direct marine insurance specialist. The purchase of boat insurance from either of the two proves to be a good and wise move. It is necessary to be buying the boat insurance policy from none other than a reputable agent or provider in order to save yourself from the annoying possibilities of scam.
4. Use the Laymen's Terms in All Business Affairs
Always listen well to the boat insurance agent. Treat the conversation as you would to a daily discourse. And if you come across some unfamiliar terms, ask for an explanation in the language you will best understand. It is important to know what your boat insurance policy will cover as well as those that will not be covered. If you see some loopholes, then be inquisitive.
5. Look Over Coverage Closely
It is best to secure that your boat insurance policy will work out to be not just fine, but it will be perfect to cater to all your claims. Essential coverage includes salvage recovery, accidental damage, fire, flood, and storm damage, theft, vandalism or malicious acts, liability cover, and most importantly, an easy access to a 24-hour helpline in case of emergency.
6. The Agreed Value versus the Actual Cash Value
These two are the choices in terms of the mode of payment on the boat insurance policy that a boater will want to avail. However, it is the depreciation that sets the difference between the two. For the Agreed Value Policy, the boater will have to pay more for the boat insurance. In the event of total loss, the insurer will not only pay you but will also replace most items with new ones. On the other hand, the Actual Cash Value costs less yet in the event of loss, the insurer will only be paying the actual cash amount that is at hand during the time of the property's loss. This mode is best for clients who don't really give a deal about total loss and for least expensive purchased boats.
7. The Salvage Truth
In case you have decided to stick with the Agreed Value boat insurance policy, then make sure that you do stay away from those that limit salvage coverage. Salvage coverage policy ensures the payment to the salvor for saving the boat from danger or by bringing it to a repair yard. You would want a handsome amount to fix the damages done to your property and surely enough you would not want some deductions from the agreed value just because some payments are to be made to the salvage costs. Definitely, this scheme of payment will leave your budget short for some of the repairs that you will need.
Accounting - The Rewards of A Career In Accounting And Why You Should Consider The Vocation
Now, more than ever, a career in accounting is something you should take the time to consider. Accounting is leaving its reputation for providing long days of mundane work in the dust as the amount of duties and tasks it offers varies more and more, leaving the door wide open to many other, bigger and better opportunities.
One way accounting is waving goodbye to its boring reputation, is through moving their once self-done work to the computer. By working via computer, what they do varies even more on a day-to-day basis, and makes their line of work far more interesting than before. For instance: in the past, accountants had to do lots of adding, subtracting, recording, and tallying. They would spend the day tallying figures and filing data. But now, with the advancements of computers and calculators, the data is already calculated, and faster and easier to store and access, so they are doing different things now than what they are generally associated with.
Accounting can lead you to a career in several types of different companies. This means that there are plenty of options pertaining to where you end up working. It can also land you in a variety of firms. Once you enter a company or firm, there are different types of jobs you can do, all because of your decision to pursue accounting!
If you are pursuing an accounting degree, rest assured that accountants are hired in entry level jobs quite often, so it will not be hard to find somewhere to at least start out.
In almost any career, it is good to have a starting point. A career in accounting may be a good starting point for you to consider (if you need a starting point), as It is a good stepping stone to more prestigious careers. Otherwise, continue to pursue the field of accounting. Different types of accounting are popping up as new problems arise (one of these could be the prestigious career you pursue). For instance: One company may notice a discrepancy in their budget. To resolve this issue, a forensic accountant may be called upon to help figure out what is going on.
There are also many job perks which come hand in hand with accounting. Accountants are generally well compensated. Their hours are good. They receive attractive benefits. All that combined with the fact you can take your accounting career even further, and you start to wonder why you are not in accounting already.
With all of the benefits, opportunities, advancements, and yes fun, accounting has to offer you, it is a great career to pursue. If you consider all the wonderful things it can offer you, you will realize that getting a career in accounting just all adds up.
One way accounting is waving goodbye to its boring reputation, is through moving their once self-done work to the computer. By working via computer, what they do varies even more on a day-to-day basis, and makes their line of work far more interesting than before. For instance: in the past, accountants had to do lots of adding, subtracting, recording, and tallying. They would spend the day tallying figures and filing data. But now, with the advancements of computers and calculators, the data is already calculated, and faster and easier to store and access, so they are doing different things now than what they are generally associated with.
Accounting can lead you to a career in several types of different companies. This means that there are plenty of options pertaining to where you end up working. It can also land you in a variety of firms. Once you enter a company or firm, there are different types of jobs you can do, all because of your decision to pursue accounting!
If you are pursuing an accounting degree, rest assured that accountants are hired in entry level jobs quite often, so it will not be hard to find somewhere to at least start out.
In almost any career, it is good to have a starting point. A career in accounting may be a good starting point for you to consider (if you need a starting point), as It is a good stepping stone to more prestigious careers. Otherwise, continue to pursue the field of accounting. Different types of accounting are popping up as new problems arise (one of these could be the prestigious career you pursue). For instance: One company may notice a discrepancy in their budget. To resolve this issue, a forensic accountant may be called upon to help figure out what is going on.
There are also many job perks which come hand in hand with accounting. Accountants are generally well compensated. Their hours are good. They receive attractive benefits. All that combined with the fact you can take your accounting career even further, and you start to wonder why you are not in accounting already.
With all of the benefits, opportunities, advancements, and yes fun, accounting has to offer you, it is a great career to pursue. If you consider all the wonderful things it can offer you, you will realize that getting a career in accounting just all adds up.
Accounting - Understanding Accounting Vocabulary
When you learn something new like accounting concepts and terms, it helps to create links between what you know and what you are trying to learn. In some ways, it is like learning a second language and decoding the new word is part of the learning process. For example, trying to translate the Spanish word necesario you might brainstorm with necessary - and you would be right. How about blanco? Blanco is like blank which is like white. So, blanco is Spanish for the color white.
Try to make some logical connections about the accounting vocabulary. Take the word - accounting - and think about it. Really, the accounting system is a basic counting of what goes on in your business.
Let's move on to transactions. Transactions are the business activities, or actions, that build day by day and become your expenses and income. Try to think about the term - transactions. Actions are business activities, and trans means across or thru. These are the basic building blocks of an accounting system. Transactions are to accounting like what raw materials are to a factory, or gasoline is to your engine - the transactions are real and how your accounting system handles them impacts your business.
You must keep a record of your transactions to know how much money your business earned and how much money your business spent. Sounds obvious, right? Ask your bookkeeper or accountant how obvious some transactions are. It can get tricky quickly if you are not clear about what happened in the transaction and how you want it recorded.
For example, if you were a carpenter you might pay cash for a bucket of nails to assemble hand made wooden deck chairs. The nail purchase is a transaction and will have to be counted as a business expense. In your workshop, you then assemble the chair using a pneumatic nail gun, sand paper, stain and varnish. The next day you deliver the chair to a customer in a neighboring town. You hand the customer a sales slip and they then write you a check. That, too, is a transaction. It is easy to see the transactions when money is spent or received. Did you, however, see the other transactions?
The stain and varnish, nail gun use and chair parts were also part of the transaction. What about the gasoline and truck used to deliver the chair? Did you have any left over nails or did you use them all? Maybe there is a little life left in the sand paper but it is not new anymore, is it? If we do not account for those costs we are missing a piece of the picture-an important piece-that could affect how much money you have at the end of the year.
In all your business activities, try to think in terms of transactions because once you can identify what transactions occur in your business, you will be able to organize them into a meaningful manner. Right now, take a minute to list what transactions occur in your business each day, week and year. Always thinking in terms of transactions might seem miserly, but it is important to be cost-conscious and honest with yourself about all your transactions. Your success in business depends upon it.
Some transactions are initiated by customers and suppliers. Other transactions can take place inside your business or back office. The bookkeeping department creates transactions when they adjust your books for year-end considerations like machinery depreciation or inventory shrinkage.
What is depreciation? Let's say you bought a brand new car, a 2006 Professor Now Coupe, and you spend $27,500 on this new car. Next year the car has some dings on the doors, wear on the tires, stains on the seats and 20,000 miles on the engine. You know your car is not worth $27,500 anymore. This means your car has lost value or depreciated.
When it comes to business owned equipment, you can deduct this lost value as a business expense. Sure, you did not spend cash on the lost value but with depreciation, this is a transaction your bookkeeper or accountant will force through at the end of the year. On your taxes, it helps you by increasing your expenses like all other cash transactions. Of course, the other side of depreciation means your equipment is not worth as much anymore.
In order for you to get a really clear picture of how your business is operating, you need to be diligent and thoughtful about what your real expenses are. Depreciation is a real expense even though it is not a cash transaction.
Learning to see transactions for what they are takes practice and contemplation. Transactions affect so many areas of your business that you must analyze the daily details so you can piece together the big picture.
Try to make some logical connections about the accounting vocabulary. Take the word - accounting - and think about it. Really, the accounting system is a basic counting of what goes on in your business.
Let's move on to transactions. Transactions are the business activities, or actions, that build day by day and become your expenses and income. Try to think about the term - transactions. Actions are business activities, and trans means across or thru. These are the basic building blocks of an accounting system. Transactions are to accounting like what raw materials are to a factory, or gasoline is to your engine - the transactions are real and how your accounting system handles them impacts your business.
You must keep a record of your transactions to know how much money your business earned and how much money your business spent. Sounds obvious, right? Ask your bookkeeper or accountant how obvious some transactions are. It can get tricky quickly if you are not clear about what happened in the transaction and how you want it recorded.
For example, if you were a carpenter you might pay cash for a bucket of nails to assemble hand made wooden deck chairs. The nail purchase is a transaction and will have to be counted as a business expense. In your workshop, you then assemble the chair using a pneumatic nail gun, sand paper, stain and varnish. The next day you deliver the chair to a customer in a neighboring town. You hand the customer a sales slip and they then write you a check. That, too, is a transaction. It is easy to see the transactions when money is spent or received. Did you, however, see the other transactions?
The stain and varnish, nail gun use and chair parts were also part of the transaction. What about the gasoline and truck used to deliver the chair? Did you have any left over nails or did you use them all? Maybe there is a little life left in the sand paper but it is not new anymore, is it? If we do not account for those costs we are missing a piece of the picture-an important piece-that could affect how much money you have at the end of the year.
In all your business activities, try to think in terms of transactions because once you can identify what transactions occur in your business, you will be able to organize them into a meaningful manner. Right now, take a minute to list what transactions occur in your business each day, week and year. Always thinking in terms of transactions might seem miserly, but it is important to be cost-conscious and honest with yourself about all your transactions. Your success in business depends upon it.
Some transactions are initiated by customers and suppliers. Other transactions can take place inside your business or back office. The bookkeeping department creates transactions when they adjust your books for year-end considerations like machinery depreciation or inventory shrinkage.
What is depreciation? Let's say you bought a brand new car, a 2006 Professor Now Coupe, and you spend $27,500 on this new car. Next year the car has some dings on the doors, wear on the tires, stains on the seats and 20,000 miles on the engine. You know your car is not worth $27,500 anymore. This means your car has lost value or depreciated.
When it comes to business owned equipment, you can deduct this lost value as a business expense. Sure, you did not spend cash on the lost value but with depreciation, this is a transaction your bookkeeper or accountant will force through at the end of the year. On your taxes, it helps you by increasing your expenses like all other cash transactions. Of course, the other side of depreciation means your equipment is not worth as much anymore.
In order for you to get a really clear picture of how your business is operating, you need to be diligent and thoughtful about what your real expenses are. Depreciation is a real expense even though it is not a cash transaction.
Learning to see transactions for what they are takes practice and contemplation. Transactions affect so many areas of your business that you must analyze the daily details so you can piece together the big picture.
Accounting - Select The Accounting Software That Suits Your Needs
Like any other product, you can pay for it or you can take it for free. The great majority of the free accounting software products is not very complicated and is easy to use. Although they are not suitable for large companies, they can easily be used by small businesses, because they focus on simple accounting. Many people say that with free accounting software they can perform the same tasks as with a paid version.
Anyway, either paid or free, you need to choose your accounting software correctly, a thing which, as it was mentioned earlier, can be a quite difficult thing. Here are a few pointers that should cheer you up a little bit and help you find the best solution available for you:
1. Think about and write down your needs. What's the main objective of your company? Do you plan on making it a big one?
2. Don't get carried away by product reviews, recommendations from friends, although you should consider them. First and foremost though, you need to concentrate on what's suitable for YOU;
3. Don't consider only the first few highly rated products;
4. Write down a list with all the available pieces of software. Carefully thinking about your needs, your available budget and their specifications, rule out the first few which clearly don't fall into your preferences from the start;
5. By now, you should have narrowed down your list to about 2 or 3 products that meet your demands. Make your final decision by re-checking all of their features and making sure you check out all the other available products for that specific price. Usually, it's best if you decide on a product made by a known company, rather than a more obscure one. Although it's sometimes wrong to judge by that, sometimes it's plainly safer.
Also, you may hear about a growing number of companies which are developing and providing free accounting software for marketing campaigns. Don't discard such an option and pay attention to everything, as you may find a pleasant surprise among those products. After all, what do you have to lose if it's free?
Still, a recommendation would be that it is always best to simply test the trail version, if you ever consider downloading free accounting software. It is the best way to see whether it suits you or not. This is because you don't have to commit yourself to anything, and if you decide to try another one, you can simply search for it until you find the right demo for you.
So which one is going to be your option? Whatever you should finally decide upon, remember to patiently look for the right option for you. Take into consideration the nature of your business, your plans with it, its domain of activity and all the other variables. If you do all that, you will be able to find the accounting software that best suits your needs.
Anyway, either paid or free, you need to choose your accounting software correctly, a thing which, as it was mentioned earlier, can be a quite difficult thing. Here are a few pointers that should cheer you up a little bit and help you find the best solution available for you:
1. Think about and write down your needs. What's the main objective of your company? Do you plan on making it a big one?
2. Don't get carried away by product reviews, recommendations from friends, although you should consider them. First and foremost though, you need to concentrate on what's suitable for YOU;
3. Don't consider only the first few highly rated products;
4. Write down a list with all the available pieces of software. Carefully thinking about your needs, your available budget and their specifications, rule out the first few which clearly don't fall into your preferences from the start;
5. By now, you should have narrowed down your list to about 2 or 3 products that meet your demands. Make your final decision by re-checking all of their features and making sure you check out all the other available products for that specific price. Usually, it's best if you decide on a product made by a known company, rather than a more obscure one. Although it's sometimes wrong to judge by that, sometimes it's plainly safer.
Also, you may hear about a growing number of companies which are developing and providing free accounting software for marketing campaigns. Don't discard such an option and pay attention to everything, as you may find a pleasant surprise among those products. After all, what do you have to lose if it's free?
Still, a recommendation would be that it is always best to simply test the trail version, if you ever consider downloading free accounting software. It is the best way to see whether it suits you or not. This is because you don't have to commit yourself to anything, and if you decide to try another one, you can simply search for it until you find the right demo for you.
So which one is going to be your option? Whatever you should finally decide upon, remember to patiently look for the right option for you. Take into consideration the nature of your business, your plans with it, its domain of activity and all the other variables. If you do all that, you will be able to find the accounting software that best suits your needs.
Accounting - The Right Accounting Software for You
Accounting software has been gaining momentum over the past years. Companies which use these software vouch for their efficiency to handle loads of accounting functions but do not add up to the costs unlike hiring a pool of trained and licensed accountants. Basically, an accounting software functions like a true accountant who handles accounts payable, accounts receivable, payroll and trial balance. Furthermore, the software can accommodate other functions which are usually handled by a staff. It too serves as an accounting information system. Accounting software is varied because their appropriateness depends on the revenue or specialties of a company.
1. Software Categories
- Low End
Software from this category perform only general business accounting functions. These are inexpensive application software. Best for starting businesses.
- Mid Market
The software classified under this category are capable of serving the needs of multiple national accountancy standards and allow accounting in multiple currencies. The come-ons in these products are actually the integrated or add-on management information systems and maybe oriented towards one or more markets.
- High End
Softwares covered by this category are among the most complex and expensive business accounting software. Usually, they are part of an extensive suite of software often known as Enterprise Resource Planning or ERP software.
- Vertical Market
Softwares assigned to this are those for specific business types because features needed for an industry is already built in.
2. Setup And Installation
It is very important to undergo a selection process because you have to find the right product, the one that matches your company needs. This may be complicated but you have to bear in mind that installing a new accounting system is very expensive and making the wrong selection may end you broke. Now you have committed the biggest mistake of your life but there is no more room for crying over spilled milk. Think it over in a different light; maybe the purpose of this mishap is to give you a chance to make an overhaul in you business process. You may need to redesign your process. But before you go excited over this whole renovation thing, there are some steps to follow.
3. Steps to Follow
- Form a technology advisory committee (TAC). This committee will head the entire operation - from selection of the product to implementation. Members of this committee must come from the major divisions of the company so that all facets of the business may be considered. However, members of the group must be limited to seven members. TAC should have a senior manager in the group to provide authority, manager of the accounting department and a representative from the information technology department. As much as possible involved your managers.
- Prepare needs analysis. First, ask each division head to prepare an analysis of their department which includes all the things they do and classify it accordingly from the most critical to the mundane tasks. To support this listing, ask them to draw flowcharts to diagram how they perform each task. This will allow full view of how things flow within the organization. This will help you identify if all these duties can be performed by the accounting software of your choice. Much better if samples of every form will be gathered and the reports done by your former software. Include also systems outside your software that do supplemental duties. All these paperworks and analysis will help in the development of a requirements definition - a detailed document that defines what your business needs from an accounting application. As soon as you get these things done, you now have a complete reference guide for your purchasing decision.
- Ask the advice of an independent consultant. This person will guide you all the way through the process. But just make sure that he is not somewhat connected to any of the vendors your company considers or else his lines will all be sounding a sales pitch. After getting an outsider to view things objectively, you can now ask say someone who maybe close with the vendor and who have used the software several times.
- Talk with your current vendor. Now, this is the time to consult the vendor of your former software except if you are buying a new one. Present the detailed analysis you just made and ask him if an upgrade would be necessary to meet the needs of your company.
4. Prepare A Budget
- When preparing a budget consider other expenses required for the installation of the software such as the hardware requirements.
- Be aware of how much the company can afford to spend and plan the timing.
- Prepare a spreadsheet matrix listing key features of the product that impress you. Start eliminating obvious poor choices.
5. Final Assessment
- Prepare a formal request for proposal (RFP) or a less formal request for quote (RFQ) from the vendor.
- Ask for a product demonstration. Do not allow a canned demonstration. You should see the software live in action.
- Ask for a list of references you can call like former and current customers. Be aware of those who cannot answer your questions about the product directly.
- Undergo a prototype testing to know if your systems and data are compatible to the software and identify problem areas.
- Visit the vendor or its agent.
- Review your contract before making a final decision. Ask a counsel to do it. Support the contract or include all agreements discussed, the RFP or RFQ and documented communications.
1. Software Categories
- Low End
Software from this category perform only general business accounting functions. These are inexpensive application software. Best for starting businesses.
- Mid Market
The software classified under this category are capable of serving the needs of multiple national accountancy standards and allow accounting in multiple currencies. The come-ons in these products are actually the integrated or add-on management information systems and maybe oriented towards one or more markets.
- High End
Softwares covered by this category are among the most complex and expensive business accounting software. Usually, they are part of an extensive suite of software often known as Enterprise Resource Planning or ERP software.
- Vertical Market
Softwares assigned to this are those for specific business types because features needed for an industry is already built in.
2. Setup And Installation
It is very important to undergo a selection process because you have to find the right product, the one that matches your company needs. This may be complicated but you have to bear in mind that installing a new accounting system is very expensive and making the wrong selection may end you broke. Now you have committed the biggest mistake of your life but there is no more room for crying over spilled milk. Think it over in a different light; maybe the purpose of this mishap is to give you a chance to make an overhaul in you business process. You may need to redesign your process. But before you go excited over this whole renovation thing, there are some steps to follow.
3. Steps to Follow
- Form a technology advisory committee (TAC). This committee will head the entire operation - from selection of the product to implementation. Members of this committee must come from the major divisions of the company so that all facets of the business may be considered. However, members of the group must be limited to seven members. TAC should have a senior manager in the group to provide authority, manager of the accounting department and a representative from the information technology department. As much as possible involved your managers.
- Prepare needs analysis. First, ask each division head to prepare an analysis of their department which includes all the things they do and classify it accordingly from the most critical to the mundane tasks. To support this listing, ask them to draw flowcharts to diagram how they perform each task. This will allow full view of how things flow within the organization. This will help you identify if all these duties can be performed by the accounting software of your choice. Much better if samples of every form will be gathered and the reports done by your former software. Include also systems outside your software that do supplemental duties. All these paperworks and analysis will help in the development of a requirements definition - a detailed document that defines what your business needs from an accounting application. As soon as you get these things done, you now have a complete reference guide for your purchasing decision.
- Ask the advice of an independent consultant. This person will guide you all the way through the process. But just make sure that he is not somewhat connected to any of the vendors your company considers or else his lines will all be sounding a sales pitch. After getting an outsider to view things objectively, you can now ask say someone who maybe close with the vendor and who have used the software several times.
- Talk with your current vendor. Now, this is the time to consult the vendor of your former software except if you are buying a new one. Present the detailed analysis you just made and ask him if an upgrade would be necessary to meet the needs of your company.
4. Prepare A Budget
- When preparing a budget consider other expenses required for the installation of the software such as the hardware requirements.
- Be aware of how much the company can afford to spend and plan the timing.
- Prepare a spreadsheet matrix listing key features of the product that impress you. Start eliminating obvious poor choices.
5. Final Assessment
- Prepare a formal request for proposal (RFP) or a less formal request for quote (RFQ) from the vendor.
- Ask for a product demonstration. Do not allow a canned demonstration. You should see the software live in action.
- Ask for a list of references you can call like former and current customers. Be aware of those who cannot answer your questions about the product directly.
- Undergo a prototype testing to know if your systems and data are compatible to the software and identify problem areas.
- Visit the vendor or its agent.
- Review your contract before making a final decision. Ask a counsel to do it. Support the contract or include all agreements discussed, the RFP or RFQ and documented communications.
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