There are a lot of misconceptions about Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). Most people associate CPAs with taxes, crunching numbers, cubicle isolation and monotonous tasks, among other things. However, quite the opposite is true. CPAs have a wide range of career paths, can hold a variety of positions throughout all types of organizations, work in all …
Accounting is centered on numbers. Every day accounting journal entries full of numbers are recorded, accumulating as each day passes. By year-end, the general ledger will contain hundreds of thousands of entries, if not millions. As we roll up our sleeves to perform the year-end close, we are tasked with making sense of it all …
Upon telling someone that I’m an accountant, the most common response I’ve received is, “Oh, so you do taxes?” I then explain that the only taxes I prepare are my own. There are several different areas of accounting and types of accountants, both internal and external. First, there are several types of internal accountants. An …
By now most of us are experiencing information overload on the new revenue recognition standard and are contemplating to jump ship before the standard comes into effect. The Accounting Standard Codification introduces Topic 606 (too close to triple-six if you ask me), Revenue from Contracts with Customers, and it is effective to all nonpublic companies …
Many questions have arisen regarding the Uniform Guidance on the reporting of personnel expenses and the need to record hours worked across multiple grants and responsibilities. The Standards for Documentation of Personnel Expenses can be found under section §200.430(i). In reading the uniform guidance, we noted three things: Paragraph (i)(1)(i) states first and foremost that …
Accounting standards are constantly evolving, with new ones issued from the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) every year. Many times, they have no impact to most private companies. However, the FASB’s new revenue recognition standard is expected to have one of the most far-reaching impacts seen in quite some time. Even if it doesn’t change …
In November 2016, Prop 206, the Fair Wages and Healthy Families Act was approved. The Act established a new state minimum wage effective January 1, 2017 and entitled employees to accrued earned paid sick time beginning July 1, 2017. This newly required accrued sick time may have an impact on your year-end accruals. A few …
Cash is king! That’s what we all learn in Accounting 101. And every business owner knows that cash is the heartbeat of the business. Profitable companies can go out of business because they do not have enough cash on hand to pay their debts. This makes it all the more important that you know exactly …
Financial statements generally report on a company’s financial position for a specified period of time or reporting period. However, sometimes transactions will occur after the reporting period has ended and the point in time when the financial statements are ready to be issued. These transactions may influence a user of the financial statements opinion on …
Upon hearing the term “fraud,” companies like Enron and Worldcom typically come to mind. While it’s usually these large, complex cases that get the public’s attention, the truth is that numerous forms of fraud can run rampant in any type of organization. In fact, a study by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) reported …