If you own a small business, you understand the importance of keeping your financial information organized. There are four basic types of financial statements used to do this: income statements, balance sheets, statements of cash flow, and statements of owner equity. You probably also know that bookkeeping can be a headache. If you are trying to make managing your company as easy and seamless as possible, it’s helpful to understand the four most common business financial statements. You can even download templates of these statements. Learn more about the details of the four statements and other components of financial reporting and you’ll have a greater understanding of what’s needed from your accounting team. One of the four types of financial reports is the income statement, which shows net income or net loss. This type of statement tracks all of the money coming in and all the money going out. Money paid out is called expenses, and money coming in is called revenue. When the expenses exceed the revenue, the income statement will show a net loss. The income statement is broken down into categories, including: Operating expenses include things like advertising and rent for office space. Non-operating expenses can include a one-time purchase and interest on borrowed money. Sales encompass the cost of all goods sold. The balance sheet is another one of the four types of financial statements, and of all the types of financial statements out there, this one seems to be the most ignored. Entrepreneurs are fascinated by the income statement but turn a disinterested eye to other components of financial reporting like the balance sheet. It’s unfortunate, too, because this is one of the most important types of financial reports. The balance sheet contains assets, liabilities, and owners’ or shareholders’ equity. The assets include cash, property, inventory, and anything else owned by the company. Assets are listed on the left side of the balance sheet. Liabilities and equity are listed on the right side. Liabilities include accounts payable or any type of payment made on a long-term loan. The owners’ or shareholders’ equity is established when the amount of liabilities is subtracted from the amount of assets. The reason it’s called a balance sheet is because the formula should always look like this: The third of the four major financial statements is the statement of cash flow. This business financial statement tries to accomplish one thing: tell you where all of your cash went. The components of financial reporting can get a little complicated on this one, so it may be hard to understand if you don’t have four years of accounting education. The number of categories on this statement will be different depending on the size of the company. For larger companies, the categories include: For smaller companies, there are only two categories: cash inflows and cash outflows. The basic principle of the statement of cash flow is to know and understand exactly where cash is flowing in from and where it is flowing out to. It enables the company to see if they are spending more than they are earning or vice versa. If the amount of cash is consistently more than the net income, it means the company’s net earnings are “high-quality.” If there are any changes in the owner’s equity between accounting periods, they are listed on the statement of owner’s equity, the fourth of the major business financial statements. The key components listed on this statement include: The additions and subtractions are for a particular period and can include things like net income, dividend payments, and withdrawals. So what are the four basic financial statements you need? Typically, you’ll need all four: the income statement, the balance sheet, the statement of cash flow, and the statement of owner equity. By preparing these four accounting financial statements, you will be able to see how well your company’s finances are doing or find areas that need improvement. If you don’t have the required time or understanding of financial statements, online services like ours can help. If you’re looking for an outsourced firm, be sure to check out our financial team. Written by Eddy Hood
Income Statement
Balance Sheet
Statement of Cash Flow
Statement of Owner’s Equity
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What are the 4 important types of financial statement? ›- Balance sheets.
- Income statements.
- Cash flow statements.
- Statements of shareholders' equity.
They are: (1) balance sheets; (2) income statements; (3) cash flow statements; and (4) statements of shareholders' equity. Balance sheets show what a company owns and what it owes at a fixed point in time. Income statements show how much money a company made and spent over a period of time.
What are the 4 key reports in any financial statement? ›For-profit businesses use four primary types of financial statement: the balance sheet, the income statement, the statement of cash flow, and the statement of retained earnings. Read on to explore each one and the information it conveys.
What are the 4 classification of financial statements? ›Balance Sheet. Income Statement. Cash Flow Statement. Statement of Changes in Equity.
What are the key financial statements? ›The income statement, balance sheet, and statement of cash flows are required financial statements.
What is the purpose of financial statements? ›"The objective of financial statements is to provide information about the financial position, performance and changes in financial position of an enterprise that is useful to a wide range of users in making economic decisions." Financial statements should be understandable, relevant, reliable and comparable.
What are the types of financial statements and their purpose? ›The three main types of financial statements are the balance sheet, the income statement, and the cash flow statement. These three statements together show the assets and liabilities of a business, its revenues, and costs, as well as its cash flows from operating, investing, and financing activities.
What are the four financial statements Quizlet? ›On which of the four major financial statements (balance sheet, income statement, statement of cash flows, statement of retained earnings) would you find the following item?
Which of the 4 financial statements do you think is the most important and useful in predicting a company's success? ›The most important financial statement for the majority of users is likely to be the income statement, since it reveals the ability of a business to generate a profit. Also, the information listed on the income statement is mostly in relatively current dollars, and so represents a reasonable degree of accuracy.
What four financial statements appear in most annual reports? ›
The four financial statements contained in most annual reports are: (1) balance sheet; (2) income statement; (3) cash flow statement; and (4) statements of shareholders' equity. The balance sheet provides an overview of company assets and liabilities. The income statement provides an overview of sales and expenses.
What are the financial reports in accounting? ›Financial reporting — the communication of financial information to external and internal stakeholders — is most often achieved by the "core" financial statements: balance sheet, income statement and statement of cash flows. But it can also come in many other forms, depending on the information needs of the reader.
What is the difference between financial statements and financial reporting? ›Financial reporting and financial statements are often used interchangeably. But in accounting, there are some differences between financial reporting and financial statements. Reporting is used to provide information for decision making. Statements are the products of financial reporting and are more formal.
Which is not one of the 4 types of financial statements? ›The audit report is not one of the four basic financial statements.
What are the 5 steps of financial reporting? ›Defining the accounting cycle with steps: (1) Financial transactions, (2) Journal entries, (3) Posting to the Ledger, (4) Trial Balance Period, and (5) Reporting Period with Financial Reporting and Auditing.
What are the three main financial statements? ›The balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement each offer unique details with information that is all interconnected. Together the three statements give a comprehensive portrayal of the company's operating activities.
What are the 3 main financial statements in accounting? ›The balance sheet, income statement, and cash flow statement each offer unique details with information that is all interconnected. Together the three statements give a comprehensive portrayal of the company's operating activities.
What are the 5 statements of accounting? ›Financial statement measurement helps ensure that all items are accounted for and that no important details are missed. There are five main elements of financial statements that are typically measured: assets, liabilities, equity, income, and expenses.
Which of the four financial statements should be prepared first? ›The income statement should always be prepared before other statements because it provides an overview of the company's revenue and expenses during a specific period. This information is used in preparing other reports such as balance sheets and cash flow statements.