financial statements | KRS CPAs™

Which financial statement overview you need from your CPA depends on your business and financing needs

Audits, Reviews and Compilations: A Summary You will want to prepare your financial statements in accordance with an accounting framework that’s appropriate for your business. Most of the time, you’ll opt for a CPA to produce your financial statements. Getting an accountant’s blessing is especially useful when you are applying for more credit from a bank.

Financial statements are intended to give you current information on your business’s financial standing so you can make more informed decisions. There are three levels of overview you can choose to take — compilation, review or audit — and what you select will have a lot to do with what your objective is.

The Compilation

According to guidance from the American Institute of CPAs, a compilation is suitable for use by lenders and other outside parties who may appreciate the business’s association with a CPA. There is no assurance here, but the CPA will read the financial statements in light of the financial reporting framework being used and consider whether the financial statements appear appropriate in form and are free from obvious material misstatements.

It may be appropriate when a company is seeking only relatively minor levels of financing and may have significant collateral.

The Review

The next level is a review. According to the AICPA, the review is designed to provide lenders and other outside parties with a basic level of assurance on the accuracy of financial statements. The CPA performs analytical procedures, inquiries and other procedures to obtain limited assurance on the financial statements to provide a user with a level of comfort on their accuracy.

A review might be the right move for companies seeking larger levels of financing and have more complex credit needs.

The Audit

The highest level of assurance is an audit. The CPA performs procedures to obtain “reasonable assurance” (defined as a high but not absolute level of assurance) about whether the financial statements are free from material misstatement, according to the AICPA. The CPA is required to obtain an understanding of your business’s internal control and to assess fraud risk. Your CPA is also required to corroborate the amounts and disclosures included in your financial statements by obtaining audit evidence through inquiry, physical inspection, observation, third-party confirmations, examination, analytical procedures and other procedures.

An audit is an annual requirement for publicly held companies and may be advisable for other companies seeking high levels of finance and opening themselves to outside investors.

Required Frequency

How often will you want your CPA to peruse your finances? Overviews can be done in any frequency that is useful to you and your business — monthly, quarterly or annually. Some folks say that your financial statements are more than snapshots of your business but can be seen as resources to tell you where your risks and opportunities are. Financial statements can help you identify and solve potential problems before they compromise the health of your business.

We’ve got your back

Rather than guessing at audit, reviews and compilations, why not let the experts at KRS CPAs help? Learn more about our accounting and assurance services, then contact managing partner Maria Rollins at mrollins@krscpas.com or 201.655.7411 for a complimentary initial consultation.

Your financial reports can be far more useful than just a report on the state of your business.

You can use these reports to manage your business, diagnosis what’s going right and wrong, and set goals for how to grow and add to your bottom line.

What are financial reports?

Financial reports are issued at set intervals and go to shareholders, partners, investors, and potential lenders. Using Financial Reports to Manage Your Business

Using Financial Reports to Manage Your Business

They describe your company’s financial strengths and weaknesses and typically contain the following:

Balance sheet: includes statement of liabilities, assets, and business capital

Income statement: reports on a company’s financial performance, how it gets revenue, and how and incurs expenses

Cash flow statement: shows how the changes in the balance sheet affect cash and cash equivalents that flow in and out of the company

Clearly, these financial statements are essential to run your company on financial fact, not hopes and prayers. Keeping these records thoroughly is the first step in running a successful business, being prepared at tax time to pay the IRS, and accurately valuing your company should you decide to sell. Any lender or investor will want to see your financial report before deciding whether they want to hitch their money to your star.

Why GAAP is a smart move

Although some companies generate their own financial statements, many turn to their accountant to formalize their statements according to GAAP, Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. It’s a smart move; here’s why:

Accountants can present your numbers so they are easy to read and understand.

If you’re a public company, accountants can provide audited financials that are certified by an independent entity.

Accountants can professionally format your numbers, give the statement a fancy cover, and state that an independent accountant has accepted your numbers.

Hidden gold in financial statements

Financial statements are a great tool to help you answer questions about your company and to manage money and priorities. At a glance, these statements can help you determine critical expenses as well as evaluate whether your financial position is getting better or worse, whether your staff is contributing enough to the bottom line, and whether you’re meeting set benchmarks.

We’ve got your back

We can help you compile and analyze your financial statements. Rather than guessing at financial statements, why not let the experts at KRS CPAs help? Contact us at 201.655.7411 for a complimentary initial consultation.