Author: Service2Client

How to Develop a Credit Policy

How to Develop a Credit PolicyA credit policy explains how a company will manage lines of credit for client accounts and what procedures to follow for severely outstanding invoices. It helps a business promote a robust foundation for its working capital level.

Defining a Credit Policy

Unlike personal credit scores, business scores range from 0 to 100; the scores from the FICO Small Business Scoring Service range from 0 to 300. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, a first step to establishing business credit is to sign up for a Dun & Bradstreet (DUNS) number for each business location.

There are three components to a company’s credit policy. First, develop an effective system of following up on past-due invoices. Second, define when, how much, and the terms of credit extended to customers. Third, establish how the business underwrites a client’s creditworthiness and put guidelines in place to determine when to increase or decrease lines of credit for clients.

Memorializing a Company’s Credit Policy for External and Internal Uses

The reason why it’s so important to have a credit policy in writing is because 6 in 10 workers in large American business workplaces have found it challenging to get information from their fellow co-workers, according to a report by YouGov and Panopto. This same report found that processes that are not documented result in employees wasting an average of 5.3 hours/week either looking for the right person or waiting for a response.

Internally, it enables employees to understand the policy inside and out, creating more efficient workers. Externally, it sets clear ground rules and reduces the likelihood of mismatched customer expectations.

Considerations Before Writing Out a Credit Policy

Depending on the interest rate environment, clients may have a hard time obtaining financing. If they are able to obtain financing in a high-interest rate environment, it will come with a higher cost for the customer. The business may need to have more stringent policies.

Terms of Sale May Not be One-Size-Fits-All

It is imperative to explain how payment terms work before the company engages with clients. Be it net 15, 30, or 60 days, etc., consider how payment timeframes may incentivize pre-payment or early payment discounts. From there, determine when and how the company takes action to deem when payment is “delinquent,” and when it’s considered uncollectable and finally written off and sold to a debt collector.

Depending on the size/revenue/etc. of the company writing the policy, it is not ideal to treat smaller companies the same as larger/more established companies. For example, giving a company a net 45 term versus a net 30 or net 15 has two available outcomes.

Larger companies may be able to pay faster, but if they are given more time to pay, it can negatively impact the receiving company’s cash flow. And while giving small companies similar terms can create more goodwill, it also can cause a company to take it for granted. This presents the potential to never receive payment for outstanding invoices if the small business faces bankruptcy. Similarly, depending on the type of business and/or sector it’s in, risk should be rated appropriately.

Determine Roles/Responsibilities

Ensure each department and person within each department has a defined role within the credit approval process. The sales department can help craft payment terms to reduce late payments and maximize sales. The credit department can handle reviewing to extend, lower, and increase credit limits. The accounts receivable (AR) department should follow up on late invoices, collect payments, and record incoming payments.    

While there’s no boilerplate form for a business’ credit policy, having a policy in place will help a business navigate its internal and external needs more effectively.

Sources

eBook: Valuing Workplace Knowledge

https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/plan-your-business/establish-business-credit

Funding for Federal Aviation, Reinforcing Supply Chains, and Deterring Iranian Terror Attacks Around the World

HR 3935, HR 4581, HR 6571, HR 3033, HR 6015, HR 5826FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 (HR 3935) – This bipartisan bill reauthorizes funding and direction for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSBB) for another five years. The legislation is designed to improve air travel safety, provide increased protections for consumers, hire more people to the aviation workforce, and modernize the U.S. national airspace system for the future. It authorizes more than $105 billion for FAA funding through fiscal year 2028. The bill passed in the Senate on May 9, in the House on the next day, and was signed by the president on May 16.

Maternal and Child Health Stillbirth Prevention Act of 2023 (HR 4581) – introduced by Rep. Ashley Hinson (R-IA) on July 12, 2023, this bill funds additional research and activities with the goal of preventing stillbirths. It passed in the House on May 15, 2023, and is currently in the Senate.

Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act of 2023 (HR 6571) – Introduced on Dec. 4, 2023, by Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN), the purpose of this bipartisan bill is to establish supply chain resiliency and a crisis response program within the Department of Commerce. Given the potential threat of pandemics, extreme climate events, and even war with anti-democracy adversaries, this bill would help secure American supply chains, reduce reliance on other countries, and develop our own emerging technology resources. The bill passed in the House on May 15 and currently lies in the Senate.

Solidify Iran Sanctions Act of 2023 (HR 3033) – The purpose of this bill is to enact a permanent requirement for the president to sanction individuals or entities that aid Iran’s ability to acquire or develop certain chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons, among other provisions.

This bipartisan bill was introduced by Rep. Michelle Steel (R-CA) on April 28, 2023. It passed in the House on April 16 of this year and currently lies with the Senate.

Iran Sanctions Accountability Act of 2023 (HR 6015) – This legislation was introduced by Rep. Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO) on Oct. 20, 2023. The bill would establish protections to ensure that humanitarian exceptions to Iranian sanctions do not inadvertently facilitate international terrorism or the sale of weapons to terrorists. The bill passed in the House on April 16 and is now in the Senate.

No Paydays for Hostage-Takers Act (HR 5826) – This bill, which was introduced by Sen. Joe Wilson (R-SC) on Sept. 28, 2023, passed in the House on April 16 and is currently in the Senate. It would empower the president to deny a U.N. diplomatic representative entrance to the country if that person is sanctioned due to ties to terrorism and distribution of weapons of mass destruction. The bill also would require the president to issue reports to Congress on matters such as blocked Iranian assets, any U.S. hostages taken by Iran, and if travel to Iran by U.S. citizens would put them in imminent danger.

6 Financial Tips for New Dads

6 Financial Tips for New DadsThere are probably few things as exciting and daunting as becoming a new dad, especially when it comes to finances. But we’ve got you! Here are a few tips to help you turn those challenges into opportunities as you walk this new life path.

Create a Budget

This is probably super obvious, but here’s a way to break it down into sections so you’ll have a roadmap.

  • Look at current finances. This includes income, checking, and savings.
  • Plan for new expenses. Make an exhaustive list of everything you can think of that your baby might need.
  • Prioritize and cut. Identify these areas, then make hard decisions about where you need to change things for your new reality.
  • Launch into the changes. Keep tabs on how you’re doing as your life evolves and adjust as you deem necessary.

Review Your Insurance

First thing, add your baby to your health insurance plan so you’ll be covered for doctor visits, vaccinations, and anything else that comes along. Next up, update your life insurance plan – you’ll likely need to increase your coverage. It’s not just about you anymore. It’s about making sure your family’s financial future is secure. If you don’t have a life insurance policy, it’s time to get one.

Start a Savings Account for Your Child

Opening an account for your baby will help ensure a solid financial future. Look for accounts with good interest rates so you can build a nest egg over time. But wait, there’s more – college! Mind-boggling, yes, but necessary. A 529 plan is a great option because it’s designed specifically for future education and comes with tax advantages. Don’t put this on the back burner!

Set Up an Emergency Fund

Life happens. Unexpected things can pop up at any given moment. A car repair. Your HVAC breaks down. A trip to the ER in the middle of the night. Start small. Set aside a few dollars each month. This way, you won’t have to dip into your savings or use a credit card. Not that this is unwise, of course, but having some non-APR padding in your life provides the peace of mind you’ll undoubtedly need during this amazing, uncertain period of your life.

Plan Your Parental Leave

Make sure you understand all the details about your company’s policies. When you have digested it all, make sure your budget includes resources for your time away. If you’re an entrepreneur, add this to your overall budget. Yes, you’ll have to cut back on spending, but your child’s first few days and months? You can’t put a price on that.

Consult a Professional

If you feel you need extra assistance charting these unknown waters, bring in the pros. Your accountant is a great person to start with. Just talking things out with a human face-to-face might give you the comfort you need to put one foot in front of the other.

Navigating parenthood, specifically as a dad, is one of life’s most important jobs. Make sure you have all the right tools with you as you begin this awesome journey.

Sources

7 Financial Planning Tips for New Dads in 2024: Preparing for Parenthood

Marrying a Non-U.S. Citizen? No Tax Honeymoon for You

Marrying a Non-U.S. Citizen? Taxes for Marrying a Non-U.S. CitizenMarriage is a major life event. One that comes with all kinds of change, including financial. After getting married, there is so much to consider, from merging bank and brokerage accounts to setting up a will; from changing your withholding to updating retirement account beneficiary forms. If this seems like a lot to consider, it’s important to keep in mind that when a U.S. citizen marries a non-U.S. citizen, the situation gets even more complex.

Among some of the more complex tax considerations of mixed citizenship marriages are gift and estate taxes, which we will dive into below.

Gift and Estate Tax Overview

Before getting into the details on non-citizen spousal situations, here is a recap of the basics on U.S. estate and gift taxes. In the United States, estate and gift taxes are essentially a type of transfer tax, with the tax paid by the giver. Tax rates range between 18 percent and 40 percent of the assets transferred, but there are exemptions (with lifetime limits) that can reduce or even cancel out these taxes. Currently, the lifetime exemption is $13.61 million per person; however, this is set to drop to about $7.5 million starting January 1, 2026.

Gifting – No Free Ride in Marriage

When both spouses are U.S. citizens, there is an unlimited gift tax exemption, meaning no gift tax period. In the case where the recipient spouse is a U.S citizen, this still applies; however, when the spouse receiving the gifts is a non-U.S. citizen, then it’s different.

In the case where the U.S. spouse gifts to the non-citizen spouse, there are annual limits. For 2024, the annual aggregate limit for tax-free gifting is $185,000. Gifting beyond this amount starts to eat into the total lifetime exclusion.

Leaving Assets to Heiring Spouses

Leaving a bequest to a non-citizen spouse is very similar to gifting in that it also does not benefit from the uncapped marriage exemption. When a U.S. citizen dies and leaves assets to the non-citizen spouse, the estate tax can apply. After using up the lifetime limit, taxes on these bequests can be up to 40 percent. While each situation it unique, estate planning maneuvers such as setting-up trusts can prevent or mitigate the tax hit.

Reporting Requirement – It’s About More Than Just Paying Taxes

The concept of not needing to pay tax due to exemption limitations or gift/estate tax strategies is distinct from the reporting requirements. Here, the reverse situation is the tricky one: When the non-U.S. citizen makes a gift or bequest to the U.S. spouse. Despite having no tax implications, the U.S. spouse may need to comply with informational reporting requirements if the gifts or bequests are technically foreign-sourced and more than $100,000 (in any given year). Failure to comply with reporting standards can yield serious penalties.

Gift-Splitting is Different

Gift-splitting is a technique that allows a married couple to pool their individual annual gift limits and give more tax-free money to the same person. For example, each spouse gets an annual gifting limit of $18,000 they can give to any one recipient (per calendar year), without any tax considerations or use of the lifetime limits. Gift-splitting lets each spouse give this amount to the same person, effectively doubling the amount they can give together to any one person to $36,000. This is not allowed when one spouse is a non-U.S. citizen.

Conclusion

In the end, there is almost always an issue when the U.S. citizen spouse gifts or bequests to the non-U.S. citizen spouse (not the other way around). Keep these details in mind when tax planning and you’ll be on the right path. Also, it’s important to remember that these are the U.S. tax rules and regulations. Any tax implications for the non-U.S. citizen spouse in their country is beyond the scope of this article.

Funding Foreign Military and Humanitarian Aid, Setting up a Tik Tok Ban, and Re-Authorizing Foreign Surveillance on U.S. Soil

Funding Foreign Military and Humanitarian Aid, Setting up a Tik Tok Ban, and Re-Authorizing Foreign Surveillance on U.S. SoilUkraine Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 (HR 8035) – Introduced on April 17, this bill authorizes $60 billion to provide military aid to support Ukraine in its war against Russian invasion. More than a third of this allocation will fund U.S. manufacturing for the replenishment of weapons, stocks and facilities. The bill passed in the House on April 20, in the Senate on April 23, and was signed by the President on April 24. The President indicated that up to $1 billion in weapons supplies for Ukraine would begin delivery within hours.

Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 (HR 8034) – Introduced on April 17, this bill authorizes $26 billion to provide military aid to Israel with $1 billion designated for humanitarian assistance for civilian victims of the war in Gaza. The bill passed in the House on April 20, in the Senate on April 23, and was signed by the President on April 24.

Indo-Pacific Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024 (HR 8036) – Introduced on April 17, this bill authorizes $8 billion in defense spending to counter Chinese aggression against Taiwan and other key U.S. allies in the Indo-Pacific region. The bill passed in the House on April 20, in the Senate on April 23, and was signed by the President on April 24.

21st Century Peace through Strength Act (HR 8038) – Also on April 24, the President signed what is referred to as the Tik Tok bill, representing the first time Congress has initiated legislation designed to ban a social media platform. In effect, the Act mandates that Chinese tech firm ByteDance has up to a year to sell the short-form video streaming app to a U.S.-owned entity or be shut down. The bill was introduced on April 17 by Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX), passed in the House on April 20, and in the Senate on April 23.

Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act (HR 7888) – This Act reauthorizes Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), which was scheduled to expire on April 19, 2024. This bill amends previous language (from 2008) to better represent technology updates in 2024. However, the premise of the bill remains the same. It authorizes targeting surveillance data of foreigners outside the United States. No Americans, or even foreigners located in the United States, can be targeted. This bipartisan-supported bill was introduced by Rep. Laura Lee (R-FL) on April 9, passed in the House on April 12 and in the Senate on April 19. It was signed by the President on April 20.

A bill to require the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to submit to Congress an annual report on projects that are over budget and behind schedule, and for other purposes (S 1258) – This bill was introduced on April 25, 2023, by Rep. Joni Ernst (R-IA). This bill would require federal agencies to make an annual report to Congress regarding the status of federally funded projects that are either more than five years behind schedule, or whose expenses have exceeded original cost estimates by $1 billion or more. The Act passed in the Senate on March 23 and currently resides in the House.

How to Calculate Operating Return on Assets

How to Calculate Operating Return on AssetsDuring Q3 of 2023, businesses in the United States made approximately $3.3 trillion, according to Statista. This is right behind the third quarter of 2022, when corporations in America made even more money. These figures are the net income of the respective periods, according to the National Income and Product Accounts (NIPA).

With profits reaching all-time highs since Q3 of 2012, understanding how businesses can analyze their profitability ratios through the Operating Return on Assets (OROA) ratio is another helpful tool for number crunchers.

Defining OROA

This calculation helps business owners and analysts determine how well a business is run. It shows the percentage, per dollar, that a business makes in operating income relative to assets involved in day-to-day operations. Unlike the regular return-on-assets (ROA) calculation, the Operating Return on Assets ratio takes a more selective consideration of assets. The primary consideration for the assets in OROA’s calculation is to only consider assets employed in a business’ traditional operations.

The calculation is as follows: 

OROA = Earnings Before Interest and Taxes (EBIT) / Average Total Assets

Another way to look at EBIT for the calculation is to look at the Income Statement’s Operating Income. For the average total assets, it’s taking a look at the business’ Balance Sheet and determining the two most recent yearly Total Assets for the company, that are used in its normal business activities.

Putting the OROA into practice, it’s calculated as follows:

OROA = $85,000 (Operating Income) / ($425,000 + $450,000) (Total Assets) / 2 =

  = $85,000 / 437,500

   = 0.1942 or 19.42 percent

This means that for every dollar of operating assets, the company has produced $0.1942 in operating income.

There are two important distinctions between OROA and the traditional ROA assets calculation. When it comes to income, OROA uses EBIT or Operating Income, but ROA uses net income as the numerator. With assets considered, OROA uses assets used for regular business operations, while ROA accounts for total assets in the calculation.

Interpreting Operating Return on Assets

One important way to use the result includes looking at a company’s OROA on a trended basis to determine if a business is declining, stagnating, or increasing its profitability.

Especially for investors, it’s important to contrast the OROA of the company at hand against rival businesses within the company’s same industry. When it comes to comparisons, the higher the OROA is, the better the result.

Another important consideration for investors is that OROA provides an accurate assessment of a business’ core operations. Since assets analyzed are for a business’ core profits or services, if a business reports profits from selling a division or it reports a one-time profit surge from investments, its core profitability is less likely to be skewed during investment analysis.

When used in conjunction with other accounting and financial metrics, businesses can continually measure and adjust their operations to increase efficiencies to increase their return on operating assets.

Factors to Consider when Choosing Customer Relationship Management Tools

CRM, what is CRMCustomer relationship management (CRM) plays an important role in documenting, tracking, and managing relationships and interactions with existing and potential customers. It allows businesses to develop stronger customer connections, improve retention, boost sales, enhance customer satisfaction, and drive long-term profitability and growth. Luckily, technological advances have made it possible to have CRM tools that automate these processes. With numerous options available in the market, it’s crucial to carefully evaluate the factors influencing the selection of the right CRM tool.

8 Factors You Should Consider When Choosing a CRM Tool

CRM tools are built differently, and it is important to evaluate your business needs before making a decision. Below are some crucial factors to consider:

  1. Integration capabilities – Integration with existing software is a critical factor. A good CRM solution should offer robust integration capabilities with third-party applications, such as email marketing software, accounting systems, e-commerce platforms, and productivity tools. Seamless integration allows for smooth data flow, enhancing efficiency and accuracy.
  2. Customization and scalability – Every business has its unique requirements and workflows. Therefore, a CRM tool must offer customization options to meet the specific needs of a business. Additionally, the CRM should be scalable to accommodate future business growth. A good CRM tool should handle increasing data volumes and support adding new users, contacts, leads, and customers without major disruptions.
  3. Data security and compliance – Businesses deal with sensitive data that belongs to their customers, making data security and compliance crucial. A good CRM tool should offer robust security features like encryption, role-based access controls, and regular data backups. Additionally, CRM tools must adhere to relevant data protection regulations, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other requirements, depending on geographical area and industry. Customers are concerned about the privacy and security of their data. Selecting a CRM tool with strong data security measures builds trust and confidence among your clients.
  4. Reporting and analytics capabilities – Effective reporting and analytics help a business monitor its performance and make data-driven decisions. In this case, a CRM tool should provide comprehensive reporting features and customizable dashboards. It should allow easy tracking of key metrics such as campaign effectiveness, customer acquisition costs, customer lifetime value, and revenue trends. Other tools that have advanced analytics capabilities include predictive analytics and machine learning algorithms that provide valuable insights into customer behavior and help identify opportunities for growth.
  5. User-friendliness – The ease of use of a CRM tool is crucial for user adoption. A good CRM tool should have a simple-to-use interface, easy navigation, and a short learning curve. A well-designed interface also enhances user experience, increases productivity, and encourages user adoption across all departments.
  6. Availability of training resources – Introducing a new CRM system can be challenging, especially if users are accustomed to legacy systems or manual processes. Therefore, it is crucial to choose a CRM vendor that provides comprehensive training resources, tutorials, documentation, and ongoing support to help users effectively onboard and utilize the CRM tool. It also helps to consider the availability of customer support options, such as email support, phone support, live chat or dedicated account managers, to address any technical issues or inquiries promptly.
  7. Mobile accessibility – As remote working has become more common, mobile accessibility has become a critical feature of CRM tools. A suitable CRM solution should offer dedicated mobile applications or responsive web interfaces, allowing access to essential CRM functionalities on the go. Mobile accessibility enables real-time collaboration, enhances productivity, and ensures crucial customer information is always available.
  8. Cost and ROI – Last but not least, consider the cost and expected return on investment (ROI) when evaluating CRM options. A CRM might appear to have good pricing, but it is crucial to look beyond the initial upfront costs and assess the long-term value proposition each CRM solution offers. At this point, it is advisable to evaluate factors such as subscription fees, implementation costs, customization expenses, and potential savings in time and resources.

Conclusion

Choosing the right CRM tool enhances customer relationship management and drives business growth. It is also good to stay updated with the latest advancements in CRM technology and keep an eye on emerging trends. For instance, the integration of new technologies such as blockchain into CRM is expected to offer new challenges and opportunities in managing customer relationships.

‘Master’ The Augusta Rule and Save Money on Your Taxes

Augusta Tax Rule, short term rental taxesAnyone who lives in a highly seasonal tourist destination knows you can make money on short-term rentals during events and festivities in your city or town. Think high concentration, short-term, tourist-driven events such as horse racing season in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., or The Masters Tournament in Augusta, Ga.

As a result, it is common for locals to get out of dodge and rent out their place during these highly lucrative periods. Typically, this is just for a very brief period while they are on vacation somewhere else themselves, for instance.

Given these circumstances, Congress realized it does not make sense to tax rental income for very short-term periods the same way that long-term rentals are taxed. In response, the government passed the Section 280A exclusion, often called the Augusta Rule in reference to the famous Masters golf tournament.

For the remainder of this article, we will look at the Augusta Rule in more detail and provide practical considerations for taxpayers.

The Augusta Rule, aka the Section 280A Exclusion

At its core, the Augusta Rule creates an exclusion to the concept that real estate rental income is always taxable. Per Section 280A, renting out your residence for 14 days or less, you are exempt from reporting the rental income. This also means no deduction for rental expenses. So, it is like it never happened from a tax perspective. As soon as you rent out that residence for 15 days or more, this exception no longer applies.

Note, it does not matter why you rented out your residence. There is no need for it to be related to an event or any special occasion.

Technical Workings of the Augusta Rule

While the basic rule itself is quite simple, there are details you need to meet in order to qualify for the exclusion – in addition to the 14-day time limit.

  • The property must be a home or similar. This means the property must be a “dwelling unit” per IRS definitions, meaning houses, apartments, condos, etc. (although houseboats do qualify).
  • The rental price must be reasonable. Look at comparable rents in the area to get an idea of what to charge. Luckily, this is easy today with Airbnb, VRBO, etc.

Practical Considerations

First, the above rules only apply to federal income taxation. State and local tax regulations may differ, so make sure you are up to snuff on these for your area.

Second, just because the IRS does not consider this kind of rental activity a real estate business does not mean you are exempt from local, state, or other business licensing or permit needs.

Conclusion

Qualifying under the Augusta Rule can be a wonderful way to save taxes. It can be especially beneficial to those who live in or around major events that occur for only a brief period and bring in massive amounts of tourists, creating high demand and soaring prices as a result. Moreover, it can be a terrific way to make some tax-exempt income while you are enjoying a personal vacation.

In the end, you must pay attention to the timing – and, most importantly, keep excellent records.

6 Ways to Use Your Tax Refund

6 Ways to Use Your Tax RefundGosh, it feels great to get that tax refund. Dreams of a much-needed vacation or a splurge on something you’ve been craving might be running through your mind. However, as unexciting as this sounds, you might want to spend this chunk of change on things that really matter. Here’s a list of smart uses for your tax refund that you’ll be glad you acted upon.

Build an Emergency Fund

Let’s face it. We depend on our machines to make life easier. However, these metal contraptions can (and will) break down. When this happens and you have money socked away, you won’t have to shell out a big part of your household budget to get them fixed or replaced. You’ll be prepared. Plus, saving money for something like this could also be a way to avoid stress. According to the American Psychological Association, 77 percent of Americans aged 35-44 say that money (or the lack of) is their main source of stress. The best way to save for the unexpected is to have a part of every paycheck auto drafted into a savings account – tuck those dollars away while you relax.

Pay Off Debt

Yes, at first blush, this doesn’t seem like a lot of fun. That said, carrying around debt and paying high interest rates can be a heavy burden to bear. Imagine how relieved you’ll be when you either pay off all your debt or a good portion of it. No longer will you be a slave to those monthly payments. And here’s a plus: Paying off your debt will improve your credit score. You ready?

Make a Down Payment on a New Car

Or, if you want to buy a good used one, buy it! But back to the new vehicles. When you get a new car, you not only get a new warranty and reliability, but also new technology and safety features. And word on the street is it that dealerships are starting to offer lower interest rates and great pricing incentives. Put your pedal to the metal on this one.

Pay Down Student Loans

Whether you’re a parent or child, this is a great use for a tax refund. Alleviating debt, no matter the source, is always a good thing. Now, you might hesitate given that President Biden recently canceled debt for a lot of students. However, this doesn’t apply to everyone, as some students have private loans and others don’t qualify. Another part of the upside of whittling away student debt is that there’s no penalty for paying more often and/or making extra payments. The sooner you get rid of this obligation, the more freedom you’ll experience.

Make Home Repairs

If you’ve been putting off getting a new water heater or replacing doors, now’s the time. Why? You may be eligible for tax credits for upgrading your home with “green” improvements. While not all renovations qualify, the ones that do include energy-efficient HVAC systems, windows, additional insulation, and modifying doorways for wheelchairs and walkers. That’s planning ahead!

Invest Your Money

If you’re not risk averse, the stock market is a good short-term option. However, if you’re more conservative, IRAs, CDs, and Treasury Bills are your best bet. The yield on the two aforementioned, T-bills and CDs, are higher than they’ve been in years, with many at 5 percent. Making money on your money is always a good idea.

What you decide to do with your tax refund is personal, depending on where you are in your life. There’s nothing wrong with splurging. However, in these uncertain times, putting it to good use could come in handy in the long run.

Sources

https://www.kiplinger.com/taxes/taxes/ways-to-spend-your-tax-refund

 

Working Capital and the Role it Plays in Your Business’ Success

Working Capital, what is Working CapitalThe accounting term working capital is essential knowledge for all business owners. Basically, it is the ability of a business to meet its ongoing obligations. Learning about some of the different aspects of working capital is vital for any successful business owner.

Net operating working capital (NOWC) is the gap between a business’ current assets (accounts receivable, inventories, cash, though excluding marketable securities) and its non-interest-bearing liabilities (which are financial obligations a business must meet, except those not subject to interest payments).

This calculation looks at a business’ cash flow availability and determines available current assets able to be liquidated inside a calendar year.

The formula is as follows:

NOWC = Current Assets – Non-Interest-Bearing Liabilities

Operating Working Capital (OWC)

OWC measures a business’ current assets and calculates how much the company’s day-to-day operations cost. This includes meeting supplier invoices, turning accounts receivable (AR) into cash, obtaining inventory, and making sales on inventory and/or services.

The higher the OWC, the easier it is for a business to pay supplier invoices, leverage pre-pay or early pay discounts, maintain healthy inventory stocks, and offer customers favorable terms to grow sales further.

OWC is calculated as follows:

OWC = Current Assets – Non-Operating Current Assets

It’s important to remember that cash isn’t included because this asset is considered a non-operating asset. While cash isn’t immediately connected to operations, it can be re-considered an operating asset once supplies and related items are obtained with it.

Operating Working Capital Considerations

The OWC calculation determines how proficient the business is with its finances. Since it immediately reveals the amount of funds a business has, the larger the resulting figure, the lower the funds a company has available to complete its rotation.

Companies can lower their results by increasing the rate of inventory turnover, increasing the percentage of customer payment collection, and working with vendors for better provider terms. As a business improves this metric, it can free up funds to reduce its loans, pay dividends, and/or build out new or existing revenue streams. 

Net Working Capital (NWC)

Also referred to as working capital, NWC is defined as the difference between total current assets held by a business and its liabilities. It shows a business’ level of liquidity. This looks at how capable a company is in generating profits, chiefly when it comes to near-term financial obligations (paying wages, electric bills, leases, etc.). It also tells a business if and how much it’s able to re-invest to grow profits and increase product or service capabilities.

It’s calculated as follows:

NWC = Total Current Assets – Total Current Liabilities

Total Current Assets = Cash Assets + AR + Inventory  

Current liabilities are short-term financial obligations due within 12 months, including accounts payable (AP) and accrued expenses.

Considerations

Positive net working capital implies a business can meet current financial obligations and invest in other operational needs. If the NWC is too high, the business isn’t using its short-term assets efficiently. Since some current assets can’t be converted to cash easily, NWC isn’t always the best measure of liquidity. It can similarly signify underused resources.

While there are unique considerations for every business, the more business owners and management are versed in these concepts, the more likely they are to increase their chances of surviving and thriving.