Economics

Financial Window Dressing

Financial Window Dressing – Financial managers can do certain things to increase or decrease net income that’s recorded in the year. This is called profit smoothing, income smoothing or just plain old window dressing. This isn’t the same as fraud, or cooking the books.

Most profit smoothing involves pushing some amount of revenue and/or expenses into other years than they would normally be recorded. A common technique for profit smoothing is to delay normal maintenance and repairs. This is referred to as deferred maintenance. Many routine and recurring maintenance costs required for autos, trucks, machines, equipment and buildings can be delayed, or deferred until later. Read more…

College Credit Cards

College credit cards are the credit cards that have been specially designed for college students. College credit cards are more popularly known as student credit cards. College credit cards allow the students to experience the benefits of credit cards much earlier in their life. Through college credit cards, the college students are able to learn more about credit cards and their use. In fact, for most of the students, their college credit card is their first credit card that acts as a gateway to the world of credit cards. Some other students might have previously used supplementary credit cards linked to their father’s credit card account; however, for such students too, their college credit card is the first one that is truly theirs. Read more…

Online Credit Card usage is becoming even more popular

Online Credit Card – With more and more e-shops getting setup everyday, online credit card usage is becoming even more popular. The possibility of receiving online credit card payments has given a totally new dimension to shopping. Now, you can not only shop from the comfort of your home, you can even get discounts on these products. This is really amazing. No need to bother about the weather, no need to worry about the traffic jams or any other thing. Just go to an e-shop, select a product, make use of their online credit card payment-acceptance facility to make the payment and be ready to receive the goods at your doorstep.

With online credit card processing facility, starting a business (an online business) has become just unbelievably easy. Read more…

Life Insurance Classes

Life Insurance Classes – There are actually only two classes of life insurance : term and permanent life. Within these classes are several variations, including universal life, and understanding the different classes of life insurance can help you make the best insurance decision for yourself and your family.

Term Life Insurance

• Term life insurance provides straight-forward coverage. You pay a premium, and your beneficiaries receive a death benefit if you die during the coverage period. Premiums are low compared with other types of life insurance, but the policy does not accumulate any cash value, or savings, within the policy. Term policies are designed for an insurance need that is time-sensitive. For example, a couple with 20 years left on a mortgage might buy a 20-year term policy for each of them. Read more…

Forensic Accountants

Forensic Accountants – Forensic accounting financial investigative specialists work with financial information for the purpose of conveying complicated issues in a manner that others can easily understand.   While some forensic accountants and forensic accounting specialists are engaged in the public practice of forensic examination, others work in private industry for such entities as banks and insurance companies or governmental entities such as sheriff and police departments, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

The occupational fraud committed by employees usually involves the theft of assets.  Embezzlement has been the most often committed fraud for the last 30 years.  Employees may be involved in kickback schemes, identity theft, or conversion of corporate assets for personal use.  The forensic accountant couples observation of the suspected employees with physical examination of assets, invigilation, inspection of documents, and interviews of those involved.  Experience on these types of engagements enables the forensic accountant to offer suggestions as to internal controls that owners could implement to reduce the likelihood of fraud.        Read more…

Forensic Accounting Definition

Forensic Accounting Definition is the practice of utilizing accounting, auditing, and investigative skills to assist in legal matters.  It encompasses 2 main areas – litigation support, investigation, and dispute resolution.  Litigation support represents the factual presentation of economic issues related to existing or pending litigation.  In this capacity, the forensic accounting professional quantifies damages sustained by parties involved in legal disputes and can assist in resolving disputes, even before they reach the courtroom.  If a dispute reaches the courtroom, the forensic accountant may testify as an expert witness.

Investigation is the act of determining whether criminal matters such as employee theft, securities fraud (including falsification of financial statements), identity theft, and insurance fraud have occurred.  As part of the forensic accountant’s work, he or she may recommend actions that can be taken to minimize future risk of loss.  Investigation may also occur in civil matters.  For example, the forensic accountant may search for hidden assets in divorce cases. Read more…

Ratios Used in Financial Reporting

Ratios Used in Financial Reporting – This article describes the ratio is often in use in such financial Reporting; dividend yield ratio, Book value per share, return on equity (ROE) ratio, current ratio.

The dividend yield ratio tells investors how much cash income they’re receiving on their stock investment in a business. This is calculated by dividing the annual cash dividend per share by the current market price of the stock. This can be compared with the interest rate on high-grade debt securities that pay interest, such as Treasure bonds and Treasury notes, which are the safest. Read more…

Earnings Per Share ( EPS )

Earnings Per Share ( EPS ) – Publicly owned companies must report earnings per share (EPS) below the net income line in their income statements. This is mandated by generally accepted accounting practices (GAAP). The Earnings Per Share ( EPS ) gives investors a means of determining the amount the business earned on its stock share investments. In other words, Earnings Per Share ( EPS ) tells investors how much net income the business earned for each stock share they own. It’s calculated by dividing net income by the total number of capital stock share. It’s important to the stockholders who want the net income of the business to be communicated to them on a per share basis so they can compare it with the market price of their shares.

Private businesses don’t have to report Earnings Per Share ( EPS ) because stockholders focus more on the business’s total net income. Read more…