FAQs
What Are Financial Statements? Financial statements are written records that convey the financial activities of a company. Financial statements are often audited by government agencies and accountants to ensure accuracy and for tax, financing, or investing purposes.
What types of questions do the financial statements help answer? ›
It gives answers to the levels of cash, account receivables, and inventory that a company has. It also offers answers as to whether the expenses of a company are ideal through the analysis of the monthly expenses and sales levels.
How to check if financial statements are correct? ›
Big Profit / Small Cash Flow - One way to get a good view is to look at the Income statement along with the cash flow statement to be sure the profit you're seeing is supported by the cash coming in. Big profits on an income statement while small on the cash flow statement may indicate a red flag in earnings.
What are 5 elements of financial statements? ›
The major elements of the financial statements (i.e., assets, liabilities, fund balance/net assets, revenues, expenditures, and expenses) are discussed below, including the proper accounting treatments and disclosure requirements.
What's an example of a financial statement? ›
The income statement, balance sheet, and statement of cash flows are required financial statements. These three statements are informative tools that traders can use to analyze a company's financial strength and provide a quick picture of a company's financial health and underlying value.
What questions do the three main financial statements answer? ›
The income statement illustrates the profitability of a company under accrual accounting rules. The balance sheet shows a company's assets, liabilities, and shareholders' equity at a particular point in time. The cash flow statement shows cash movements from operating, investing, and financing activities.
What is the most important financial statement? ›
Typically considered the most important of the financial statements, an income statement shows how much money a company made and spent over a specific period of time.
What are the basics of financial statements? ›
Financial statements are written records that illustrates the business activities and the financial performance of a company. In most cases they are audited to ensure accuracy for tax, financing, or investing purposes.
How do I make sure my financial statements are correct? ›
How To Review Financial Statements For Accuracy
- Keep Up with Your Financial Statements. ...
- Review Your Balance Sheet for Red Flags. ...
- Review Your Income Statement With Your Cash Flow Statement. ...
- Unpredictable Reports. ...
- Get an Accountant and Work With Them Regularly.
What happens if financial statements are incorrect? ›
Investors and other stakeholders use financial reports to better understand a company's financial position and business performance. When companies have inaccurate financial reports, they are likely to make business decisions that are unfavorable and even detrimental to the company's survival.
To find accounting errors, you also need to conduct routine reconciliations (e.g., bank statement reconciliation). When you reconcile your accounts, you compare the numbers in an account with another financial record (e.g., bank statement) to ensure the balances match.
What are the 4 basic financial statements? ›
There are four primary types of financial statements:
- Balance sheets.
- Income statements.
- Cash flow statements.
- Statements of shareholders' equity.
What are the three-three accounting values? ›
The three elements of the accounting equation are assets, liabilities, and shareholders' equity. The formula is straightforward: A company's total assets are equal to its liabilities plus its shareholders' equity.
How to recognize an asset? ›
For something to be an asset, it has to satisfy three requirements:
- It has an economic benefit.
- It's something you have control over.
- You have acquired as a result of a past event.
What is a financial statement quizlet? ›
Financial statements (or financial report) is a formal record of the financial activities and position of a business, person, or other entity. ... A balance sheet or statement of financial position, reports on a company's assets, liabilities, and owners equity at a given point in time.
What is my financial statement? ›
A personal financial statement is a spreadsheet that details the assets and liabilities of an individual, couple, or business at a specific point in time. Typically, the spreadsheet consists of two columns, with assets listed on the left and liabilities on the right.
What best defines financial statements? ›
The answer to this question is in the definition; it is the complete report on the health of the business taking in cash flow, income and the balance sheet. The financial statement determines if a business has to ability to repay loans, if it has the cash flow to meet bills and purchase stock.
What best describes financial statements? ›
Financial statements are documents that report on a business in monetary terms, providing information to help people make informed business decisions.