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What is the most common accounting method?
Cash accounting is the simplest and most basic method of accounting and focuses on cash inflows and outflows. It is predominantly used by individuals for personal accounting, as well as by small businesses.
In this case, he books his expenses when they’re actually incurred. He also records the income when he completes the job on December 31, 2004, even though he doesn’t get the cash payment until 2005. If he uses the cash-basis accounting method, because no cash changes hands, the carpenter doesn’t have to report any revenues from this transaction in 2004. In this case, his bottom line is $1,200 less with no revenue to offset it, and his net profit for the business in 2004 is lower. This scenario may not necessarily be a bad thing if he’s trying to reduce his tax hit for 2004. To see how these two methods can result in totally different financial statements, imagine that a carpenter contracts a job with a total cost to the customer of $2,000.
Modified cash basis
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What are the three types of accounting methods?
The three types of accounting methods are cash-basis accounting, accrual accounting and modified cash-basis accounting.
Cash-basis accounting records income when received and transactions when paid. Accrual accounting records financial transactions even if they’re not paid yet. Meanwhile, modified cash-basis accounting is a mix of both.
The transactions are recorded so that genuine income is correctly reflected. Cash, accrual, and modified cash basis are commonly used accounting procedures. Under accrual-basis accounting, revenue is recognized when earned (regardless of when it’s received), and expenses are recognized when incurred (not necessarily when they’re paid). This methodology matches revenue to the related expenses in the proper period. The accrual method helps you more accurately evaluate growth and profit margins over time and against competitors, compared to the cash and tax methods. The way a company records payment of payroll taxes, for example, differs with these two methods. In accrual accounting, each month a company sets aside the amount it expects to pay toward its quarterly tax bills for employee taxes using an accrual .
Advantages of Accounting Method
David Kindness is a Certified Public Accountant and an expert in the fields of financial accounting, corporate and individual tax planning and preparation, and investing and retirement planning. David has helped thousands of clients improve their accounting and financial systems, create budgets, and minimize their taxes.
