NERACA

Neraca adalah daftar yang menggambarkan posisi keuangan suatu entitasekonomi misalnya suatu badan usaha/perusahaan atau organisasi padasuatu saat tertentu. Yang dimaksud dengan posisi keuangan adalah posisiaset, hutang dan modal.

1) Aset

Aset adalah sumber-sumber daya ekonomi yang dimiliki perusahaan, dapat diukur dengan uang dan digunakan untuk menjalankan kegiatan usahanya.

Saldo Normal perkiraan Aset

berada di sebelah kiri neraca atau sebelah debet. Penambahan aset dicatat di sebelah debet dan pengurangan aset dicatat di sebelah kanan atau sebelah kredit.

Aset dapat dikelompokan menjadi :

• Aset Lancar

• Aset Tetap

• Aset Lain-lain.

Aset Lancar 

adalah kas dan aset lainnya yang dapat dijadikan kas atau akan dipakai habis pada tahun buku berikutnya. Contoh aset yang dikategorikan sebagai aset lancar antara lain : kas, bank, piutang dan persediaan.

Aset Tetap

yaitu aset berwujud yang dimiliki oleh perusahaan yang mempunyai manfaat lebih dari satu tahun. Contoh aset tetap antara lain: tanah, bangunan, kendaraan bermotor dan inventaris kantor.

Aset Lain-lain

adalah aset yang tidak dapat diklasifikasikan ke dalam aset lancar dan aset tetap. Contoh aset lain-lain antara lain : hak cipta, paten, goodwill dan lain-lain.

Aset ditinjau dari sifat fisiknya menjadi :

• Aset Berwujud

• Aset Tidak Berwujud

Aset Berwujud 

yaitu aset yang secara fisik dapat dilihat, misalnya : Persediaan, Bangunan dan Kendaraan. Sedangkan

Aset Tidak Berwujud

adalah aset yang secara fisik tidakdapat dilihat. Contoh : Hak Cipta, Paten, Goodwill dan Franchise.

Penyajian aset di neraca adalah sesuai dengan urutan likuiditasnya. Oleh karena itu, aset seperti kas yang paling tinggi urutan likuiditasnya dalam neraca ditempatkan paling atas dan kemudian disusul oleh aset lain seperti piutang, persediaan dan lain-lain yang urutan likuiditasnya semakin rendah.

Likuiditas disini maksudnya adalah kemampuan aset tersebut untuk dapat segera dicairkan menjadi uang atau kas. Penyajian aset di neraca diatur dengan Pernyataan Standar Akuntansi Keuangan. Sebagai contoh kas dicatat sebesar nilai nominal, piutang sebesar nilai yang diharapkan dapat ditagih, aset tetap sebesar harga perolehan dikurangi akumulasi penyusutan.

2) Hutang

Hutang merupakan kewajiban perusahaan yang timbul kepada pihakketiga yang harus dibayar oleh perusahaan di masa yang akan datangpada saat hutang tersebut jatuh tempo.

Saldo Normal perkiraan Hutang berada di sebelah kanan atau sebelah kredit. Penambahan hutang dicatat di sebelah kredit dan pengurangan hutang dicatat di sebelah debet.

Hutang dapat dikelompokan menjadi

• Hutang Jangka Pendek (Hutang Lancar)

• Hutang Jangka Panjang.

Hutang Jangka Pendek (Lancar)

adalah segala bentuk kewajiban kepada pihak ketiga yang harus dibayar pada tahun berikutnya. Sedangkan

Hutang Jangka Panjang

merupakan hutang yang jatuh temponya lebih dari satu tahun.

Hutang disajikan di neraca sebesar nominal pinjaman dan diklasifikasikan berdasarkan tanggal jatuh temponya. Contoh hutang jangka pendek atau hutang lancar yaitu hutang dagang, sedangkan contoh hutang jangka panjang misalnya pinjaman hipotik dan pinjaman obligasi.

3) Modal

Modal merupakan kekayaan bersih pemilik yang ditanamkan diperusahaan. Modal ini merupakan selisih antara total aset dikurangi total kewajiban yang ada. Modal merupakan penyertaan pemilik dalam berpartisipasi menjalankan kegiatan usaha.

Saldo Normal perkiraan Modal berada di sebelah kanan atau sebelah kredit. Penambahan modal dicatat di sebelah kredit sedangkan pengurangan modal dicatat di sebelah debet.

Komponen modal terdiri atas investasi pemilik dan pendapatan bersih yang belum ditarik oleh pemilik perusahaan. Selama tahun berjalan akan terjadi transaksi keuangan, yang mempengaruhi posisi aset, hutang, dan / atau modal.

Transaksi yang mempengaruhi modal dapat dikelompokkan menjadi dua, yaitu yang berpengaruh langsung seperti setoran/ambilan pemilik dan yang berpengaruh secara tidak langsung yaitu diperolehnya pendapatan dan adanya beban biaya.

Berhubung perkiraan-perkiraan tersebut merupakan perkiraan pembantu modal, maka diperlakukan seperti perkiraan modal yaitu pendapatan bertambah di kredit dan berkurang didebet, sedangkan biaya didebet bila bertambah dan dikredit bila berkurang.

Uraian pos-pos tersebut di atas dapat diikhtisarkan sebagai berikut :

Berikut ini contoh neraca PT Anggun per 31 Desember 20XX

Neraca di atas disebut neraca bentuk T.

Neraca dapat juga disusun dalam bentuk I atau bentuk laporan. Contoh neraca bentuk laporan adalah berikut :

PENGERTIAN DAN KARAKTERISTIK AKUNTANSI

1. Pengertian Akuntansi

Akuntansi dapat didefinisikan berdasarkan dua aspek penting yaitu :

1) Penekanan pada aspek fungsi yaitu pada penggunaan informasi akuntansi.

Berdasarkan aspek fungsi akuntansi didefinisikan sebagai suatu disiplin ilmu yang menyajikan informasi yang penting untuk melakukan suatu tindakan yang efisien dan mengevaluasi suatu aktivitas dari organisasi.

Informasi tersebut penting untuk perencanaan yang efektif, pengawasan dan pembuatan keputusan oleh manajemen serta memberikan pertanggungjawaban organisasi kepada investor, kreditor, pemerintah dan lainnya.

2) Penekanan pada aspek aktivitas dari orang yang melaksanakan proses akuntansi.

Dalam aspek ini orang yang melaksanakan proses akuntansi harus :

• Mengidentifikasikan data yang relevan dalam pembuatan keputusan.

• Memproses atau menganalisa data yang relevan.

• Mengubah data menjadi informasi yang dapat digunakan untuk pembuatan keputusan.

2. Tujuan/Manfaat Akuntansi

Tujuan utama akuntansi adalah menyajikan informasi ekonomi dari suatu entitas kepada pihak-pihak yang berkepentingan. Yang dimaksud dengan entitas adalah badan usaha/perusahaan/organisasi yang mempunyai kekayaan sendiri.

Informasi ekonomi yang dihasilkan oleh akuntansi berguna bagi pihak-pihakdi dalam organisasi itu sendiri (internal) maupun pihak-pihak di luarorganisasi (eksternal). Pihak manajemen merupakan contoh pemakai informasi dari kalangan internal.

Informasi akuntansi ini oleh manajemen dimanfaatkan untuk perencanaan, pengendalian dan evaluasi aktivitas usaha yang dilaksanakan.

Dari sisi pengguna informasi dari kalangan eksternal, terbagi menjadi dua yaitu :

• pemakai eksternal yang berkepentingan langsung terhadap informasi akuntansi contoh : investor dan kreditor

• pemakai eksternal yang tidak berkepentingan langsung misalnya Analis Ekonomi, Pegawai dan Lembaga-lembaga Pemerintah.

3. Konsep Dasar Akuntansi

Beberapa konsep dasar akuntansi adalah sebagai berikut :

1) Entitas Akuntansi (Accounting Entity)

Dipandang dari konsep akuntansi, perusahaan merupakan suatuentitas (kesatuan usaha) yang terpisah dan berdiri sendiri di luar entitas ekonomi lain.

2) Kesinambungan (Going Concern)

Bahwa perusahaan diasumsikan tidak berhenti di satu periode saja,melainkan berlanjut terus dan bukan untuk dijual.

3) Periode Akuntansi (Accounting Period)

Pada umumnya suatu periode akuntansi terdiri dari 12 bulan atau satu tahun.

4) Objektif (Objective)

Bahwa pencatatan transaksi-transaksi harus didasarkan pada dokumen asli.

5) Pengukuran dalam satuan uang (Monetary Measurement Unit)

Bahwa pengungkapan dan penuangan transaksi harus dinyatakan dalam nilai uang.

6) Harga Pertukaran (Historical Cost)

Bahwa aset selalu dicatat dan dilaporkan berdasarkan nilai perolehan atau nilai belinya karena lebih obyektif dan mudah untuk pelaporannya.

7) Penandingan beban dengan pendapatan (Matching Cost Against Revenue)

Konsep ini menekankan perlunya menghubungkan beban biayadengan pendapatan yang diakui pada periode yang sama.

4. Persamaan Akuntansi

Untuk memenuhi kebutuhan manajemen atas informasi yang akurat dantepat waktu diperlukan adanya suatu sistem yang dapat mengklasifikasikan dan mencatat transaksi-transaksi sehingga informasi dapat diperoleh setiap hari bahkan setiap saat dibutuhkan. Sistem pengklasifikasian dan pencatatan tersebut adalah sistem pembukuan berganda (double entry accounting system) di mana setiap transaksi dianalisis dan selanjutnya dicatat pada dua sisi yaitu sisi sebelah Kiri (Debet) dan sisi sebelah Kanan(Kredit).

Untuk mengklasifikasikan pos-pos atau transaksi yang terjadi diperusahaan digunakan suatu bagan yang berisi rekening-rekening atauperkiraan, yang disebut “Bagan Perkiraan Standar”.

Di dalam bagan perkiraan standar, perkiraan-perkiraan diklasifikasikan menjadi perkiraan neraca dan perkiraan laba/rugi. Perkiraan neraca terdiri dari aset, hutang dan ekuitas pemilik, sedangkan perkiraan laba/rugi terdiri dari pendapatan dan biaya. 

Untuk menjalankan sistem akuntansi yang berpasangan (double entry accounting) telah ada konvensi dalam akuntansi yaitu aset dicatat disebelah kiri (debet) sedangkan hutang dan ekuitas dicatat di sebelah kanan (kredit). Model pencatatan ini dikenal dengan istilah persamaan akuntansi.

Model persamaan akuntansi tersebut dapat diilustrasikan sebagai berikut :

ASET = HUTANG + MODAL

Ilustrasi di bawah ini menunjukan hubungan tersebut di atas dalam bentuk yang lebih visual.

Kedua sisi kiri dan kanan dari persamaan akuntansi jumlahnya harus selalu sama, karena hak atas seluruh aset ada pada kreditur dan pemilik. 

Semua transaksi mulai dari yang paling sederhana sampai dengan yang paling rumit akan mempengaruhi unsur-unsur di atas. Perlu digaris bawahi bahwa pengaruh suatu transaksi terhadap sisi kiri dan kanan harus seimbang, demikian juga hasil akhir/saldonya harus seimbang.

Accounting Is Not Just for Accountants

People who use accounting information should know the basic rules of play and how the financial score is kept, much like spectators at a football or baseball game. The purpose of this book is to make you a knowledgeables spectator of the accounting game.

Let me point out another reason you should know accounting basics- I call it the defensive reason. A lot of people out there in the cold, cruel financial world may take advantage of you, not necessarily by illegal means but by withholding key information and by diverting your attention from unfavorable aspects of certain financial decisions. These unscrupulous characters treat you as a lamb waiting to be fleeced. The best defense against such tactics is to know some accounting, which can help you ask the right questions and understand the financial points that con artists don't want you to know.

Accounting Is Not Just for Accountants

One main source of accounting information is in the form of financial statements that are packaged with other information in a financial report. Accountants keep the books and record the financial activities of an entity (such as a business). From these detailed records the accountant prepares financial statements that summarize the results of the activities.

Financial statements are sent to people who have a stake in the outcomes of the activities. If you own stock in General Electric, for example, or you have money in a mutual fund, you receive regular financial reports. If you invest your hard-earned money in a private business or a real estate venture, or you. save money in a credit union, you receive regular financial reports. If you are a member of a nonprofit association or organization, you're entitled to receive regular financial reports.

In summary, one important reason for studying accounting is to make sense of the financial statements in the financial reports you get. I guarantee that Warren Buffett knows accounting and how to read financial statements. I sent him a copy of my How To Read A Financial Report (Wiley). In his reply, he said he planned to recommend it to his "accounting challenged" friends.

How Much Does an Accountant Cost?

How much does an accountant cost? Well, that depends on what you’re looking for and the expertise you require.

Picture : Firmbee

Accountancy fees are not regulated or determined by local governments. Instead, prices depend on factors like the size of your business, the services required, the accountant’s expertise, and the length of time you plan to work with them.

Accountants charge using three common fee structures: hourly, project-based, and fixed fees.

Hourly rates

Hourly rates are common, and they vary based on the accountant’s experience, training, and certifications. An accountant’s hourly rate can range from $150 to more than $400 per hour.

Project rates

If you only need an accountant for an occasional project, like tax preparation or an audit, you can ask for an estimate of the total cost before they begin work. Often, the project rate will be the accountant’s hourly rate multiplied by the number of hours they believe it will take to complete the project.

Fixed or monthly fees

If you require ongoing accounting services, like bookkeeping or payroll, it usually makes more sense to ask for a fixed-fee structure. Since you pay the same rate each month, fixed fees are easy to budget for, and they often end up being a better deal in the long run.

Note: You can find quotes below and above those brackets, and rates vary depending on your needs. For a more accurate figure, try to set up an appointment with an accounting professional—most accountants offer free consultations.

Why do you need an accountant?

Accurate accounting records help you maximize your tax deductions, track money coming in and out, and plan for the future. While larger companies may be able to afford salaried accountants on their payroll, not every business has that luxury.

As a small business owner, chances are you’re filling every role within your company, so hiring an accountant might be last on your list of priorities. But staying on top of your financial information can be time-consuming, and long-term financial forecasting requires a certain level of expertise.

If you’re unfamiliar with tax laws and bookkeeping in general, you may find yourself making expensive financial mistakes, like improperly categorizing your expenses, neglecting sales tax, and failing to track reimbursable expenses.

Outsourcing your accounting may seem unnecessary or expensive at first, but by doing so, you’re likely to save money in the long run.

When do you need a small business accountant?

If you do your own accounting and bookkeeping, you’re in good company. Many small business owners use accounting software to help them manage their receipts, invoices, and bank statements.

We get it: the DIY route can seem tempting, especially if it will save you money in the short term.

But doing your books is easily one of the most difficult parts of running your small business—and it happens to be one of the most important, too.

Your small business needs an accountant if:

1. You’re spending a lot of time and energy on payroll, bookkeeping, and tax prep
2. You’re profitable but struggle to make payroll or pay bills on time
3. You’re not sure how to cut operating costs
4. You don’t know how much cash you need to have on hand or how to improve your liquidity

Continuing to operate under these conditions can hurt your bottom line and make it challenging to grow your business.

When you hire an accountant, you’re also paying for their knowledge, experience, and industry know-how. Their expertise can give you a better chance of maximizing profits during prosperous periods and surviving turbulent times.

Does every small business need an accountant?

If your business is relatively small (or more of a side hustle), you may be able to handle your accounting on your own.

Over the last few years, online bookkeeping services have grown in popularity among small business owners. DIY accounting software, like QuickBooks or Xero, can ease the hassle of managing your books manually (though they’ll still require some work on your part).

DIY software allows you to import transactions from your bank accounts so you can categorize and track your income and expenses. They can also automatically prepare important financial statements, like a balance sheet or cash flow statement, based on the information you enter. The only catch? The software is only as reliable as the information you enter.

If you enter a number incorrectly and fail to notice it, you’ll end up with inaccurate financial reports and no clear insights into your business’s performance.

What services can an accountant provide?

Certified Public Accountants, or CPAs, are more than bookkeepers or number-crunchers: they can perform a wide range of finance-related tasks for your business.

While there are some basic financial tasks you can handle yourself, there are others that it’s best to leave to a professional.

An accountant can help you:

Pick a business structure that suits your needs

If you’re just starting your business, you might need help selecting a business structure. Whether it’s a sole proprietorship, partnership, or corporation, your business structure will define how you protect assets, leverage costs, and pay taxes.

Different structures have different tax implications, and while it’s possible to convert your business to a different structure in the future, certain restrictions will apply. If you need help determining which is best for you, a good accountant can provide valuable guidance.

Create a business plan

It can be difficult to predict your future financial performance when you’re just starting your business, but investors will expect you to put in the work. Solid financial projections are an essential part of your business plan: they can help you plan your budget and set timelines for when you expect to become profitable.

Your financial projections can help convince potential investors of your business’s growth potential. However, if you’d like an expert to review your numbers, an accountant can help.

Prepare and file business taxes

Income tax returns become more complicated when you run your own business. Instead of paying your taxes at the end of the year, you’ll need to set up quarterly estimated tax payments. You’ll also need to track tasks like calculating capital gains, asset deductions, and fringe benefits tax.

If you’re not up to speed with current regulations for business taxes, it’s possible to fill out your taxes incorrectly and make costly mistakes. An accountant will prepare your tax returns to make sure you’ve minimized your tax liability. They can even represent you before the IRS in the rare case that you’re audited.

Help you save

Your CPA knows your income sources as well as your financial outgoings. By helping you monitor where your money is going, they can advise on where you can cut costs.

They will also assist with budgeting, internal controls, cash flow management, pricing, inventory strategies, lease-or-buy decisions, and other financial decisions to help your small business grow.

Plan for the future

Your accountant can help you create the financial projections necessary for your business plan, but they can also use real data to help you track your progress and plan for the future. An accountant can use the insights gained from monitoring your financial records to help you set goals and determine your key performance indicators (KPIs).

By translating your financial data into business information, they will be able to provide expert advice on how to improve your performance and grow your business for the next fiscal year.Learn More

Should you hire a CPA? A cost-benefit analysis

If you’re still don’t know if you should hire an accountant for your small business, we’ve created a cost-benefit template to help make your decision easier.

Think of this as a business-friendly list of pros and cons: you add up the expected rewards and subtract the associated costs to decide if hiring an accountant will be worth your while.

Benefits of hiring a CPA

Save your time

By hiring an accountant focused on your accounting and financial needs, you’ll be able to focus more on your business’s core goals and grow your brand.

For this benefit, multiply the hours you spend on bookkeeping (plus the overhead costs of any benefits) by your hourly rate.

Better financial planning

When you hire a CPA, you’ll have a detailed record of all financial transactions. This will help you to forecast any potential financial losses or gains.

Using a professional accountant can help you run your business smoothly and avoid big financial problems in the future.

For this benefit, calculate the potential financial gain you could earn by using the CPA’s planning advice. An accountant can help you pinpoint wasteful expenditures as well as opportunities for you to save cash. They will scrutinize every component of your business to ensure it is as cost-effective as possible.

Avoid tax mistakes or fines

If you go the DIY route, you might accidentally commit a serious tax mistake that could result in a hefty fine.

Hiring a tax professional to manage your finances removes financial risks because the chances of making grave mistakes are almost none.

If you’ve ever experienced tax filing mistakes or fines, you probably have some estimate of how much these can cost.

Costs of hiring a CPA

Some costs are easier to quantify than others. In most cases, you’ll be using averages or estimates.

Wages

Start by finding the average hourly rate for a CPA in your city. Will you hire them on an hourly basis, or would it make more sense to pay a monthly fee? Remember that accountant fees will vary depending on their years of experience and the type of work they offer.

Your time working with them

Calculate the cost of your time working with an accountant. Don’t forget: you’ll still be responsible for getting documentation together, providing required records, and occasional meetings.

Software

The accountant might require you to invest in new software to help facilitate the job. 

Source : Bench

How to Find an Accountant

It isn’t cheap to hire an accountant. And if you’re a small business owner, it can be tempting to avoid reaching out for help—especially on a tight budget. But a good accountant possesses a lot of hard-won knowledge when it comes to financial planning that goes beyond the finer nuances of taxes.

Picture : Firmbee

Chances are, at some point, they’ve worked with companies just like yours that have succeeded and failed. That experience, in addition to their Certified Public Accountant (CPA) training, means they’re able to offer financial advice in ways you might not expect.

In this guide, we’ll explain what an accountant does, share some advice on when you should consider hiring one, and offer some tips for getting the most value from your CPA.

What an accountant does

In business accounting, an accountant helps you make strategic financial decisions.

Your financial records are typically handled by a bookkeeper, who’s in charge of tracking your daily income and expenses and providing monthly financial statements. Then, an accountant helps you interpret those numbers to provide financial advice.

Accounting services can include tax planning, forecasting, payroll services, and more, but that’s not all: they tailor their services to your business needs. Think of them as financial advisors who can also file your taxes and help you through an audit.

Are you ready to hire an accountant?

If your business is in its hobby stages, you don’t need to worry about hiring an accountant. But you should still talk to one early on. It will benefit your business at no cost and can help you form your business plan.

Most accountants provide free consultations. They want your business, and a consultation is their chance to show how they can help. In return, you’ll get free advice and a better understanding of what they’re able to offer you in case you choose to hire an accountant down the line.

While there’s no “right” time to hire an accountant, it’s a smart idea to have a CPA on hand once your business starts turning a profit. If your small business is already a for-profit endeavor, but you’ve yet to bring on a CPA, here are several milestones that indicate it’s time to hire an accountant:

• You plan on expanding your business (especially into another state)

• Your business has recently experienced rapid growth

• Investors are asking for financial reports

• It’s time to file your taxes

• You’ve made errors filing taxes that cost your business money

• You are about to be audited

• You plan on selling your business soon

A qualified CPA with experience in your industry can help you navigate these circumstances.

Finding the right accountant

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) has a CPA-location resource to help you find an accredited accountant in your area.

The best accountant for you is one who understands your industry and has experience working with businesses similar to your own. Talk to contacts in your industry for referrals; they’ll know CPAs who are familiar with your business type.

Generally speaking, here’s what you should look for in the right accountant:

How well they understand your business

Look for someone who has experience in your specific industry. They can help you qualify for common tax breaks, deductions, and credits that apply to your business.

If they communicate jargon-free

Any discussion involving taxes—or the IRS—is in danger of becoming bogged down with technical language. Look for an accountant who can communicate high-level topics in an accessible way and helps you more deeply understand your business.

What accounting software do they use

Some accounting firms will universally use one software and insist on you doing the same. If they’re asking you to make the switch, it might be time to look elsewhere. Many accountants will work with the accounting software you’re already familiar with.

The size and strength of their team

Accounting firms vary in their size of operations. A smaller firm may mean a smaller portfolio which can mean a more personalized service—but they still need enough personnel to be able to do what you need when you need it. A bigger, more established accounting firm is better at turning around tasks quickly, as they have the employees to do so.

How often you’ll need to work with them

Depending on what type of services you’re looking for—from yearly tax help to intensive financial planning—you will be meeting more or less frequently with your accountant. Do you want monthly face-to-face conversations? Or maybe quarterly phone calls? Ask them directly, and make sure their expectations are a match with yours.

How much does an accountant cost?

Many accountants charge by the hour, while some work on a monthly retainer fee. Pricing can vary greatly, depending on the services the CPA provides. Based on the conversation during your initial consultation, you should have an idea of how frequently you will be meeting with your accountant, which also affects the cost.

As you interview multiple accountants, obtain quotes from each of them so you can compare prices.

On average, professional tax preparation costs fall between $220 (filing a Form 1040 for a self-employed individual) and $800 (filing a Form 1120 for a C corporation).

It may seem painful to pay that much money to have your taxes done, but remember: you’ve saving hours of labor by having a pro handle the task. Also, an accountant will likely have a better understanding of tax laws for your industry and may be able to secure savings that outweigh the cost of hiring them.

How to work with an accountant

When it comes to taxes, in particular, there are certain things you should always review. Here are the right questions to ask to make sure you’re getting the most value out of your accountant.

What business expenses can I deduct?

There’s a wide array of small business tax deductions, some of them unique to specific business types. Take, for example, startups which can deduct a lot of their origination costs.

Remember, only the ordinary and necessary expenses of running your business can be deducted from your taxes. Your accountant can tell you whether you qualify for certain deductions and highlight others you may not know about.

Are any of my business expenses partially deductible, and how can I maximize these deductions?

Not all business expenses are one hundred percent deductible—for instance, meals and entertainment expenses, business travel, and any that are mixed-use home office items, such as cell phone or internet service. An accountant’s tax advice ensures you properly calculate which percentage to deduct depending on how frequently you use the item for work.

Do any recent changes in tax law affect my business?

Tax regulations are constantly being updated. Some changes may benefit your business, while others won’t. Part of your accountant’s job is staying up on tax law changes and leveraging them to save you money.

How does the legal structure of my business affect me at tax time?

Ask your accountant if any tax benefits or disadvantages apply specifically to your business’s legal structure. They may be able to help you change business structures in a way that will help you save on taxes. For instance, some LLCs can file as S corps which reduces their likelihood of being audited.

Can I deduct the cost of my health insurance?

As a self-employed person, your health insurance premium is tax-deductible. However, if you are eligible to be included in your spouse’s health insurance plan, you can’t sign up for your own plan and then deduct it. An accountant can elaborate on these rules and determine whether your plan qualifies to be deducted.

Working with an accountant won’t just help you file an accurate tax return. Consider your CPA as part of your small business team; they can help advise you on financial decisions, ensuring your business’s long-term sustainability and growth. Enlisting the help of a qualified accountant is an investment that costs time, effort, and money, but in the long run, it pays off.

Source : Bench

5 Tips for Finding a Good Accountant

A good accountant can do more than help with filing taxes every year. Finding a good accountant can help guide your business through ever-changing tax laws and circumstances to grow in the best, most cost-effective ways.

Picture : Firmbee

After all, an accountant is much more than a bookkeeper who prepares your financial statements. An accountant is a tax expert who can help you with annual tax preparation and use their knowledge of tax laws to help maximize your deductions all year long.

A certified public accountant can answer questions like whether to choose cash basis or accrual accounting, and can help you explore the possibilities of incorporation or new commercial space. Expertise like this can save you time and money while you grow your business.

Every move you make as a business owner impacts your taxes and what you’ll end up owing the government. A good accountant on your side can help you clean up your books and guide your decisions on purchases, sales, and planning for the future.

Here’s how to find a good accountant.

1. Look for referrals and reviews

Are you part of your local small business community? Ask around for recommendations for accountants who work with companies in your area. This is a chance to use your connections from community organizations like Rotary clubs or the Chamber of Commerce. You may even be able to find a worthwhile referral for a new accountant through your bank, realtor, or loan officer.

If you’re not having luck with local referrals, you can look online for accountants in your area and use online reviews about their services to guide your selection. Forums and other online communities like Yelp, LinkedIn, or local Facebook groups may be helpful in finding a business accountant in your area.

You might find a recommendation for a good accountant working alone, or you might find references to a collective group in a larger accounting firm that offers a range of financial services. Consider which scenario would best fit your needs. Once you’ve accumulated a short list of prospects, reach out to discuss your situation.

2. Review your needs and their services

Accountants have specialties within their industry. Some accountants specialize as a tax preparer for multiple companies, while others help a handful of small business owners navigate financial decisions year-round. Some include bookkeeping services and will prepare your tax returns, and others prefer to guide real estate and business transactions.

As you contact the accountants on your shortlist for the first time, ask them about the services they provide their clients. Discuss how they work with clients and how much experience they have in your industry. Will it be important to meet with your accountant face-to-face or will virtual meetings be sufficient?

Your ideal accountant will be knowledgeable about your industry in particular, not just general accounting. When outsourcing your accounting, look for an expert in tax laws as they apply to what you do.

3. Examine their qualifications

A good accountant will have the credentials to back up their knowledge and experience with business taxes. As you are interviewing accountants in these first conversations, ask for a Preparer Tax Identification Number or PTIN. The IRS requires a PTIN for anyone getting paid to help file taxes for others. No PTIN? Immediate removal from your list of possibilities.

In addition to a basic PTIN, which is simple to acquire, you want an accountant with additional certifications or licenses. A certified public accountant, an enrolled agent, a licensed attorney, or someone with a certificate from the IRS Annual Filing Season program will be registered with the IRS and searchable in the IRS directory.

Additionally, a reputable accountant will have membership in professional organizations. You can check for membership in a professional organization such as:

• National Association of Tax Professionals

• National Association of Enrolled Agents

• American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

• American Academy of Attorney CPAs

These organizations require members to have certain qualifications, like a degree from a recognized college accounting program and a set expectation for years of experience, as well as a code of ethics and professional conduct requirements. If your accounting prospects are members of one or more professional organizations, the organization has done a bit of the vetting for you.

Before moving forward, however, check that the accountants you’re considering are in good standing with their professional association. Be on the lookout for disciplinary issues as well. If anything negative comes up, you should consider it a big red flag. It’s not enough that the accountant has a membership plaque on the wall—they absolutely must follow the code of ethics as well.

4. Meet with prospective accountants

Once you’ve done your legwork, it’s time to sit down with your prospective accountants. This is where you will have more meaningful conversations. Before scheduling these meetings, make a list of topics to discuss, including:

• Any questions about licenses or professional organizations.

Did you turn up anything unexpected, or were you unable to get this information earlier? Get specifics about your prospective accountant’s education, degrees, certifications, and memberships in professional organizations.

• Their experience in your field.

Hopefully, you already know that the accountant has some experience with your industry, but how much? Drill into the accountant’s experience a bit and be sure they are up to date with the newest tax laws and regulations. You probably don’t want to be their very first client as they open a new shop.

Ask about the industries of other clients. For privacy reasons, the accountant shouldn’t disclose specifics. Still, an accountant working with ten clients in related or similar industries is far superior to one with the same number of clients in entirely different industries.

• Their rates for various services.

Billing is an essential topic to discuss, so don’t be shy. Does the accountant bill per hour? Do they offer bundled services priced as a package? Do they bill phone or email tax advice in a particular way? If every emailed question is $50 to answer, you probably want to be aware of that before signing any documents.

If you need bookkeeping support, find out if it is a service they offer and how much bookkeeping will cost.

Be sure to ask about tax preparation fees since that will be a major consideration for your business. Bring in a copy of last year’s business tax return and ask the accountant what it would cost for them to prepare that return for the coming tax year. This will be a rough estimate, but asking multiple accountants the same question will help you narrow down your choices and gain more transparency into their pricing.

Don’t forget: you’ll also want to know if their rates are written somewhere for accountability and future reference.

• Any outsourcing they might use.

Many small businesses outsource, and that includes accountants. Does the accountant you’re considering also outsource parts of their business? Who’s doing the tax forms at tax time—the person you’re speaking with or someone you’ve never met? You need to know who you’re working with.

• Accounting software they use.

Does your accountant use particular accounting software that you can both access in some way? Good accounting software will include a client portal that can be linked to your financial records, making it simple and easy for your accountant to maintain your financial records and create documents with minimal additional work on your part.

• E-file policies.

The IRS requires that paid preparers who submit more than ten returns for clients do so electronically. Be sure that your accountants are e-filing for clients, and that will ensure they are comfortable and knowledgeable in tax filing. If they don’t e-file, their client base must be less than ten clients, which might be a sign of limited knowledge or experience.

• Their communication policies.

What is the accountant’s email or phone policy? How long can you expect to wait before you get a response? Do you need an accounting service that is available around the clock? Are you comfortable waiting a day or two for a reply from someone who only works specific hours? Does the accountant only work seasonally for tax returns, or are they available all year long for other questions and financial planning? Think about how much and what kind of communication will be most comfortable for you.

5. Determine your comfort level

The right accountant will be half of a long-term relationship. This will be the professional whose financial advice will help you make long-range decisions for your business. You count on your accountant for guidance and adherence to legal statutes at tax time every year.

A good accountant will not only prepare your tax documents but will sign them with their credentials and represent you if any tax questions or issues arise. With information this sensitive and essential, you want to be confident in your decision.

As your business grows, you’ll be looking to bring in the support and knowledge of others. While you might start by outsourcing your bookkeeping, contracting or hiring an accountant can relieve you of bookkeeping, tax preparation, and research into ever-changing tax laws and statutes.

Finding a professional you can trust with your money will give you back the time and mental energy to focus on managing and growing your business. The very best accountants will become a critical piece of your company’s future growth.

Source : Bench

DEFINITION OF ACCOUNTING

What is accounting? This basic question has never been answered precisely and many definitions of the term are available.

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Back in 1941, the Committee on Terminology of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) formulated the following definition, which was widely quoted for many years:

"Accounting is the art of recording, classifying and summarising in a significant manner, and in terms of money, transactions and events which are, in part at least, of a financial character, and interpreting the results thereof. In 1966, The American Accounting Association (AAA), in order to emphasise the broader perspective of accounting, provided the following definition of accounting:

"Accounting is the process of identifying, measuring and communicating economic information to permit informed judgements and decisions by users of the information". In 1970, the AICPA of the US defined accounting with reference to the concept of information:

"Accounting is a service activity. Its function is to provide quantitative information, prima rily financial in nature, and about economic activities, that intended to be useful in making economic decisions".

The term, 'quantitative information used in the above definition is wider in scope than financial or economic information. Both the definitions, AAA (1966), and AICPA (1970) emphasise on using the information for the purposes of decision-making.

Modern accounting, therefore, is not merely concerned with record-keeping but also with a whole range of activities involving planning, control, decision making, problem solving, perfor mance measurement and evaluation, coordinating and directing, auditing, tax determination and planning, cost and management accounting.

The managers within an organisation and interested outside parties accounting infor mation in making decisions that effect the organisation. Today's accounting focusses on the ultimate needs of those, who use accounting information, whether these users are inside or outside the business itself.

Others have also given their definitions of accounting, but none has succeeded in clearly establishing the nature and scope of accounting. Each definition has merit that it describes essentially what accountants do, but the boundaries are fuzzy". Of the several available defini tions of accounting, the one developed by American Accouning Association is perhaps the best because of its focus on accounting as an aid to decision making".

ACCOUNTING AND BOOK-KEEPING

Book-keeping should be distinguished from accounting which has been defined earlier. Book keeping is a processs of accounting concerned merely with recording transactions and keeping records. Book-keeping is a small and simple part of accounting. It is mechanical and repetitive while dealing with business transactions.

Accounting, on the other hand, aims at designing a satisfactroy information system which may fulfil informational needs of different users and decision makers. Accounting primarily focusses on measurement, analysis, interpretation and use of information. It highlights the relevance and relation ship of the information produced by the accounting process and effects of different accounting alternatives. Accounting includes budgeting, strategic planning, cost analysis, auditing, income-tax making, etc.

EVOLUTION OF ACCOUNTING

Accounting has evolved in a manner similar to law, medicine and most other fields of human activity, in response to the social and economic needs of society. Book-keeping and accounting did not emerge as chance phenomena, but as a pragmatic response to a specific world need.' This is true not only of the days of Paciolo' but also important for present-day accounting survival. Sieveking, one of the few historians who have paid attention to the subject, says that book-keeping developed as a direct response to the establishment of partnership on a large scale

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For centuries after the system of double-entry book-keeping appeared, accounting was practised without a uniform methodology or any form of theory. It was only during the 19th century that a distinct move from book-keeping to accounting a move from relatively simple recording and analysis of transactions towards a comprehensive accounting information system was effected. The close of 19th century was marked by the most extraordinary expansion of business.

Company form of organisation, a phenomenon which was becoming increasingly common in business world, grew at a great speed. Books about business transactions were written, conventions were followed and accounting was recognised as a system of analysing and maintaining records of business transactions.

In part, the new significance of accounting gained recognition because of separation between ownership and control and also due to diversification in ownership. The increased reliance on capitalas a factor of production necessitated extensive record-keeping, and finally, in the 19th century, a theoretical framework began to evolve. This framework or methodology provided a technical means to measure, evaluate, and communicate information of economic and financial nature.

Modern business is marked by continuity, a never-ending flow of economic activities. Therefore, accounting has grown to meet a social requirement and to guide the business and industry accord ingly. Accounting is moving away from its traditional procedural base, encompassing record-keeping and such related work as the preparation of budgets and final accounts, towards the adoption of a role which emphasises its social importance. Welsch and Anthony comment:

"The growth of business organisations in size, particularly publicly-held corporations, has brought pressure from stock-holders, potential investors, creditors, governmental agencies, and the public at large, for increased financial disclosure. The public's right to know more about organisations that directly and indirectly affect them (whether or not they are shareholders) is being increasingly recognised as essential. An open society is one that has a high degree of freedom at the individual level and typically evidences an effective commitment to measuring the quality of life attained. These character istics make it essential that the members of that society be provided adequate, understandable, and dependable financial information from the major institutions that comprise it".

Profit calculation is no longer a simple comparison of financial values at the beginning and end of a transaction or series of transactions. It is now related to a complex set of allocations and valuations pertaining to the operational activities of a business enterprise. The concept of accountancy or accounting has broadened to include description of the recording, processing, classifying, evaluating, interpreting and supplying of economic-financial information for presentation of finan cial statements and decision-making purposes.

Further refinements in cost and management accounting followed later on in the 20th century along with large-scale production and high-capital investment. These developments created a need to allocate costs correctly over the units of production, and also to provide a measure of productivity and efficiency. Thereafter, cost accounting evolved naturally to meet recognized managerial requirements of pricing and costing for competitive purposes, and towards determining and setting forth of operational information for decision-making purposes.

Traditionally, governmental accounting was linked to taxation and revenue control, and to the recoding of, and accountability for, receipts and expenditures, Development in budgeting in the 20th century created a much larger scope for governmen. accounting. The national budget became a managerial and policy-making instrument and developed into a mechanism for the forward planning of receipts and expenditures, Budgeting has now developed to form one of the bases of-and is closely associated with-economic planning and programming.

The use of enterprise accounting for the purpose of macro (economic or national) accounting is largely a present-century development. For purposes of economic policy and economic planning, the

national data to a large extent derived from commercial data-have assumed greater significance. This, in turn, has given rise to the concept of macro accounting which has presented the professional with a new sphere of operation and perspective. Macro accounting has particular importance in helping build the bridge between economics and accounting, and thus offers accounting a significant scope to make a contribution towards macro economic policy.

Accounting, thus, has gone through many phases--simple double-entry book-keeping. enterprise, government, and cost and management acounting, and recently, social accounting. These phases have largely been a product of changing economic and social environments. As business and society have become more complex over the years, accounting has developed new concepts and techniques to meet the ever increasing needs for financial information.

10 Functions of Financial Accounting

Complete Financial Accounting Functions

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1. Knowing the Advantages and Disadvantages

The first function of financial accounting is to conduct audits related to profits and losses that go into the company.  On that basis, an accountant must be able to calculate both correctly.

Later the data related to the advantages and disadvantages can be used as the basis for decisions.  Mainly related to plans to profit from future sales.

2. Report to company management

The second function is as a form of report to the company.  This is the responsibility of the accountant that must be coordinated with other external parties of the company.

Even so, the company's internal parties are also an important element to know about the company's financial statements.  Because this is urgent as information that will be used as material for future company management.

Now this financial report can later be used as material for company evaluation.  Mainly to determine policies related to the company's next business or strategy.  With financial accounting, of course, the preparation of reports is more structural and systematic.  Especially those related to liabilities, assets, capital or liabilities and taxes.

3. Profit sharing or profit

The next function is to help the company to determine the rights for the elements of the company that have contributed to raising it. This right includes all elements, both internal and external.  One of the rights in question is the right to earn profits for partners or investors.  Meanwhile, the company's internal rights relate to employee salaries and bonuses.

The rights in question are not only in the form of material, but the company's funders must also know the management as a whole.  One of them is understanding what sales strategy is being implemented.  With financial accounting, the company's financial calculations can be found.  From there it can be assessed whether the rights are granted according to the standard or are added with other rights.

4. Monitoring and Controlling

Financial accounting has an important function to monitor and supervise various activities within the company.  Every transaction in the company must be controlled to eliminate the potential for losses.

Controlling can be successful if the company, especially the shareholders and external parties, in this case is the government, coordinates both through policies and economic decisions for the company.

5. Help achieve company goals

The next function is to be able to be a help for the company when it wants to achieve the goals that have been set previously.  Of course, there is a plan that the company will reach certain goals that are its targets.

For that reason, the accounting officer has the responsibility to convey data related to financial transactions in a business unit.  Therefore, it is necessary to have the ability to analyze, evaluate and achieve the agreed goals.

6. As supervision

Financial accounting functions as a supervisor for the activities of a business unit or company.  Mainly related to the problem of financial transactions.

7. Budget maker

The preparation of a company budget is an important aid instrument in order to achieve the goals that have been planned in advance.  Both during the initial planning period last year and future transactions.

8. Compilation of accurate information

Financial accounting is useful in the collection of data that remains related to the cycle of changes in the net economic resources of the business unit.  Usually caused by the emergence of financial activity in order to make a profit.  Later the cycle of economic resources, one example of which is excessive company spending, can be reduced or marginalized in order to prevent the company's wasteful actions.

 9. Company mapping

The next function is to map sales and inventory.  This includes those related to company expenses.  Such as expenses for employee salaries and others.

 10. To simplify the evaluation process

The last function of financial accounting is to facilitate the evaluation process.  It means that with financial accounting reports, of course there are concrete data that will be considered in planning related to the company's development in the future.

6 Financial Accounting Objectives

Financial Accounting Objectives

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After knowing the function of financial accounting, the following list will explain its objectives.  This is the intended purpose:

1. Provide company financial information

The first objective of financial accounting is to provide financial information for a company or business unit.  Later the report will be used as a potential benchmark related to profit.

The simple reason is that if the company is able to generate large profits, of course the company's development will also grow rapidly.  On the other hand, the company will be destroyed if its financial data continues to decline.

2. Provide information on company assets and liabilities

The second objective is to provide information related to the company's assets and liabilities.  Therefore, it is certain that financial accounting is a reliable economic source of a company.

If viewed from the above objectives, of course the points that must be present and analyzed in financial accounting are the company's capital, receivables and debts as well as business assets, if this has been calculated correctly, of course the accumulation of company financial data is also neater.

From financial accounting, it can also be found how big the company's ability to pay trade debts.  And it can be studied whether the business capital is healthy or vice versa.

3. Provide change information to stakeholders

The accounting process also provides information about changes in the economic cycle.  What is known as the net term must indeed continue to be monitored for the cycle of change.

Usually the data taken from financial accounting is in the form of dividend data and information.  From this description, the funders can find out the extent of the company's efforts to increase the potential for business profits.

4. Provide important information regarding the company

Providing information about the company in general also includes the purpose of the accounting process.  That is, with the existence of financial accounting, which can be known not only information about financial but also related to non-financial.

Whatever information recorded as long as it can help the development of the company, then the data that appears is important to monitor its development.  Even if it's non-monetary information.

5. As a Tool That Companies Can Use

The next goal is to serve as a tool or company facility.  Which with this tool, financial records become neater and better.

Not only that, the purpose of financial accounting in this regard is to make the company's finances well organized.  So that money is no longer a chronic problem that makes companies collapse.

6. Maintaining the Company's Financial Balance

The last goal is to maintain the company's financial balance.  With financial accounting, of course, expenses and income are recorded in detail.  From there it becomes clear and there is no overlapping of data.

What is ACCOUNTING?

Understanding Accounting

Accounting is a set of processes related to financial processes that occur in a business or organization.  The process consists of recording, summarizing, analyzing, and reporting data.  The following is an explanation of the four processes.

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Process in Accounting

Take notes

The first and most important process in an accounting process is the recording of various transactions made within the company.  It can also be referred to as bookkeeping which is the process of recognizing transactions and entering them as records.

Bookkeeping deals only with the recording segment and nothing else.  In accounting itself usually consists of many books for the sake of detailed recording.  Maintenance of this procedure occurs systematically.

The following are the 3 stages of recording financial transactions:

1. Using a system that will assist you in managing financial records.

2. Track financial transactions in detail.

3. Combine reports to present in a single set at the end of the financial statements.

Summarizing

Raw data is generally the result of recording transactions.  However, this raw data is not very important to the organization.  Raw data has no meaning in the decision-making process.

This is where an accountant works, dividing this raw data into categories and translating them.  So after recording the transaction, it can then be followed up by summarizing.

Reporting

The affairs of the company are entirely the responsibility of management.  Business owners should know about the various operations that take place within the company and how the company uses their money.

To overcome this, the owner receives financial statements.  They receive these reports monthly, quarterly and annual reports summarizing all their performance.

Analyze

In the end, analyzing is the end of every process you have done.  After recording and summarizing, it is very important to draw conclusions in a business.  Management is responsible for checking positive and negative points.

Therefore, to analyze all this, accounting introduces the concept of comparison.  Comparing profit, sales, equity, and so on with each other to determine and analyze performance, make decisions and make growth of a business organization.

Intermediate Accounting IFRS edition Vol2

Answer key Intermediate Accounting IFRS edition Vol2

Many people say that learning accounting is confusing, but if you really study it, everything will be easy. As for making it easier to learn accounting,

here I share the answer key from the book Intermediate Accounting IFRS edition vol2 (book2).

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Solution Intermediate Accounting IFRS edition Vol2(Book2)

Baca juga : Solution Intermediate Accounting IFRS edition Vol 1

Intermediate Accounting IFRS Edition Vol 1

For learning materials, answer keys are deemed necessary to make it easier for us to learn and find out how far we understand the contents of the question. Moreover, in Accounting it is necessary to understand the problems that will be done. Here is the answer key from the book Intermediate Accounting IFRS Edition Vol 1.

Intermediate Accounting IFRS Edition Vol 1

Please download the file below.

Solution Intermediate Accounting IFRS edition Vol 1

Baca juga : Solution Intermediate Accounting IFRS edition Vol 2