About Sheila Harms

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So far Sheila Harms has created 318 blog entries.

Warning for retailers and other businesses using the LIFO method

Recent supply shortages may cause unexpected problems for some businesses that use the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method for their inventory. Here’s an overview of what’s happening so you won’t be blindsided by the effects of so-called “LIFO liquidation.” Inventory reporting methods Retailers generally record inventory when it’s received and title transfers to the company. Then, [...]

By |2022-06-30T08:55:21-05:00June 30th, 2022|Accounting & Auditing Resources|

Private business owners: Don’t wait until year end to evaluate financial performance

How often does your company generate a full set of financial statements? It’s common for smaller businesses to issue only year-end financials, but interim reporting can be helpful, particularly in times of uncertainty. Given today’s geopolitical risks, mounting inflation and rising costs, it’s wise to perform a midyear check-in to monitor your year-to-date performance. Based [...]

By |2022-06-14T08:35:08-05:00June 14th, 2022|Accounting & Auditing Resources|

How inflation could affect your financial statements

Business owners and investors are understandably concerned about skyrocketing inflation. Over the last year, consumer prices have increased 8.3%, according to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) covers the prices of food, clothing, shelter, fuels, transportation, doctors’ and dentists’ services, drugs, and other goods and services [...]

By |2022-05-26T16:15:56-05:00May 26th, 2022|Accounting & Auditing Resources|

Forecasts vs. projections: What’s the big difference?

  Financial statements look at historical performance. But there are times when you want forward-looking reports to help your business make strategic investment decisions, evaluate the viability of a turnaround plan or apply for a loan. Your accountant can help ensure the assumptions underlying prospective financial statements make sense in today’s volatile marketplace. Key definitions [...]

By |2022-05-18T14:57:34-05:00May 18th, 2022|Accounting & Auditing Resources|

Follow up on your auditor’s recommendations

  Maintaining the status quo in today’s volatile marketplace can be risky. To succeed, businesses need to “level up” by being proactive and adaptable. But some managers may be unsure where to start or they’re simply out of new ideas. Fortunately, when audited financial statements are delivered, they’re accompanied by a management letter that suggests [...]

By |2022-05-11T15:43:29-05:00May 11th, 2022|Accounting & Auditing Resources|

Do you know the signs of financial distress in a business?

  Financial statements tell only part of the story. Investors, lenders and other stakeholders who know how to identify red flags of impending problems can protect their own financial interests. Additional due diligence may be needed to uncover these issues. For instance, stakeholders might need to talk to management, visit the company’s website and compute [...]

By |2022-04-29T11:18:23-05:00April 29th, 2022|Accounting & Auditing Resources|

Goodwill in a bad economy

  In today’s volatile economy, many businesses and nonprofits have been required to write down the value of acquired goodwill on their balance sheets. Others are expected to follow suit — or report additional write-offs — in 2022. To the extent that goodwill is written off, it can’t be recovered in the future, even if [...]

By |2022-04-20T15:29:29-05:00April 20th, 2022|Accounting & Auditing Resources|
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