Claiming Business Expenses

Tammie Gilbert, CPB assists individuals who need a little help or a lot of help in organizing and recording their financial affairs. Whether your time is limited, you find bookkeeping an absolute bore or you are retired and just want to enjoy life without the daily hassle, we can help.

• Full cycle bookkeeping and payroll services

HST, GST, PST, WCB and Payroll Source Deduction remittances

• Manual, Sage50, QuickBooks and QuickBooks Online bookkeeping setup and training
• On-Site Bookkeeping and Software Training tailored to individual needs
• Troubleshoot bookkeeping and accounting related issues onsite
• Preparation of Government related compliance forms (eg: T4, T4A, T5 slips & Summary reports, ROE’s, HST/GST, PST, WCB) just to name a few

For peace of mind, we will:

• review and pay household bills
• assist with cheque writing and cheque book balancing
• make sure money is received and deposited
• receive quick notice on inaccurate or fraudulent bank or credit card transactions
• prepare an inventory of personal assets and investments
• determine current and long-term cash flow needs through discussion and analysis of income and expenses
• be a second set of eyes overlooking yours or a family members daily transactions

Like small businesses, individuals need to focus their time, energy and resources in areas that benefit them the most. Your individual bookkeeping requirements can be customized to fit your personal needs.

Consultation

With the knowledge you will receive from Tammie, you won’t be left wondering about the stack of papers given to you each month. We spend time with you to discuss how to interpret the financial information we -provide. You will no longer see bookkeeping as an added cost to doing business but as a value added resource.

Account Reconciliations

Account reconciliation is a process of verifying records from one source to another source to ensure accuracy and completeness. Reconciliations, especially bank and credit card reconciliations are the best way to find errors or omissions and discover theft or fraud. They should be done monthly to make sure discovery and corrective action are prompt.
Having us reconcile your accounts each month may alert you to…

• lost cheques, deposits and unauthorized wire transactions
• errors, theft or fraud within that account
• excess/unjustified bank service and/or interest charges
• cash flow issues that may affect normal operations
• errors in accounts receivable and/or accounts payable

Monthly account reconciliations keep information up to date and strengthen the reliability and accuracy of the numbers so you can be confident in the information.

Financial Statements

Financial Statements are a great tool for analyzing your business. When used consistently, financial statements help you identify and analyze trends within your company so you can determine whether or not you are on the right track. They are used externally by bankers and other lenders to help determine a company’s risk level before giving lines of credit or loans and the associated terms.
You will know:

• if you are doing better than the previous month, quarter or year
• if your company has improved, remained stable, or declined
• whether to make adjustments to your plan or stay the course
• if you are meeting bank imposed restrictions and covenants
• if you have to start putting money aside to improve your working capital or meet tax obligations

General financial statements provide you with a way to set attainable targets for improvement, to monitor the progress and MEASURE the results.

Income Statements

An income statement, also known as a profit & loss statement, calculates the profitability (net income/loss) of a business over a specified period of time by subtracting expenses from revenues.
An income statement allows you to:

• identify areas in your company that need improvement (i.e.: warranty costs, cost of goods sold) and/or areas that are doing well (i.e.: certain products/services that are selling well)
• compare actual to budgeted amounts
• determine unexpected expenditures (i.e.: maintenance costs)
• determine the efficiency of your operations and track your profit margins
• determine your tax liability
• calculate your *net income for the period

*Net income is a calculated number, and how a business’ transactions are recorded greatly impacts this number.

Balance Sheet

A balance sheet gives you a snapshot of business’ financial condition as of a specific moment in time. It reports on the assets, liabilities and equity of your business.
A balance sheet helps you…

• Determine the financial strength of your business. (Are you are able to meet your current obligations such as paying bills, payroll run, loan payments, and government remittances on time?)
• Determine if your internal processes are working for you or if you have to make changes. (Is your accounts receivable collection period getting longer? Can you handle the normal ebbs and flows of revenues and expenses?)
• Qualify for better credit or loan terms saving you money
• Determine if taking advantage of a sudden opportunity is the right move

Statement of Cash Flows

A statement of cash flow reports the actual flow of cash through the company during a specified time period. It divides the cash into 3 distinct areas: cash flow from operations, investments and financing. It removes the non-cash items and their effects on net income and shows you where your money is coming from and going.
When used in conjunction with the balance sheet and income statement, a statement of cash flow helps you…

• Determine the quality of net income reported on the financial statement. (You are generating real cash, not accounting profit as the income statement calculates.)
• Determine the actual cash position of the company to make decisions regarding expanding, investing in new projects and/or making dividend payments to shareholders
• determine how much money you can put to work for you without affecting normal operations
• know that your company is generating cash from its normal business rather than investing and financing options

General Ledger

The general ledger is the core of your company’s financial records. It is the foundation upon which all your financial information is derived. Inaccurate and incomplete postings will transfer to the financial statements and other reports used to run and make decisions about your business. Poor data results in inaccurate information and bad decisions. If you make enough bad decisions your business will ultimately fail.
Having us review your general ledger each month allows us to find discrepancies, errors and omissions. This will ensure your general ledger is always accurate and up to date to give you the right information, at the right time for the right decision.

Contact us for a free one hour consultation on our small business bookkeeping services.