How The Different Accounting Methods Can Affect A Taxpayers Income Term Paper

Accounting Methods and Taxpayer Income Depending on the type and size of company you own, the methods used to conduct your business accounting can vary greatly, and these differences may have significant impact on the eventual amount of income declared to the Internal Revenue Service when you file taxes. Sole proprietors and small business owners who have not fully incorporated typically rely on cash-basis accounting, which is the "major accounting method that recognizes revenues and expenses at the time physical cash is actually received or paid out" (Investopedia, 2011). Using this accounting technique is simpler for small businesses that operate on a local level, and allows the business owner to avoid the costs of hiring a professional bookkeeper. Cash-basis accounting also leads to a greater degree of manipulation, in the form of "under-the-table" payments, handshake agreements and deliberate fabrication of expenses. Large companies and corporations opt for the second major accounting...

...

This more flexible form of accounting enables corporations, and other large entities such as local governments, to align their expenses with revenues while maintaining sufficient capital reserves. The choice between cash-basis accounting and accrual accounting can result in very serious ramifications for taxpayers during income tax season, and each method can produce entirely different income statements for the same set of financial circumstances.
Small business owners have already deduced that cash-basis accounting allows them the opportunity to manage their tax liability by exercising financial creativity. By requesting that each of his vendors holds off on sending payment for outstanding invoices until the beginning of a new year,…

Sources Used in Documents:

References

Accrual accounting (2010, May 09). Forbes Financial Glossary, Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesfinancialglossary/2011/07/12/accrual-accounting/

Cash basis accounting. (2011, June 21). Investopedia, Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/cashbasis.asp?partner=forbes-pf


Cite this Document:

"How The Different Accounting Methods Can Affect A Taxpayers Income" (2012, June 27) Retrieved April 26, 2024, from
https://www.paperdue.com/essay/how-the-different-accounting-methods-can-110518

"How The Different Accounting Methods Can Affect A Taxpayers Income" 27 June 2012. Web.26 April. 2024. <
https://www.paperdue.com/essay/how-the-different-accounting-methods-can-110518>

"How The Different Accounting Methods Can Affect A Taxpayers Income", 27 June 2012, Accessed.26 April. 2024,
https://www.paperdue.com/essay/how-the-different-accounting-methods-can-110518

Related Documents

This role is in response to clients' demands for a single trustworthy individual or firm to meet all of their financial needs. However, accountants are restricted from providing these services to clients whose financial statements they also prepare." (U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2009) 1. Public Accounting The work entitled: "The Reality of the CPA's Role" states that modern CPAs work "behind the scenes as trusted advisors in

Goal setting works well for simple jobs -- clerks, typists, loggers, and technicians -- but not for complete jobs. Goal setting with jobs in which goals are not easily measured (e.g., teaching, nursing, engineering, accounting) has posed some problems. Goal setting encourages game playing. Setting low goals to look good later is one game played by subordinates who do not want to be caught short. Managers play the game of setting

As a consequence, investors may suffer. Importance of the Study It is necessary and pertinent to discuss the importance of any study, and this particular study is important to many people across many countries. Not only does it have importance for people who are trusting people with their pension and hedge funds in Germany, but it also has importance for people who are considering a career working with these funds and

2007 Economic Crisis on American Car market Effect of the 2008 global economic crisis on automotive industries Crisis in the United States Crisis in Canada Crisis in Russia Crisis in European markets Crisis in Asian markets Effects by other related crisis events In this paper, we will review the effects of 2008 global automotive crisis. Our main focus will be on the American car manufacturers and the negative impact they suffered due to the crisis. We will

Tax Revenue Analysis for the
PAGES 10 WORDS 3540

The general fund collects over 86% of the total tax revenues and is the primary funding source for most commonwealth agencies. General fund tax revenues The largest significant source of tax revenues net of refunds is personal income tax. Reported personal income tax accounts for 38% of all tax revenues reported. Sales tax, which represents a tax on various items purchased by consumers, is the second largest category. Reported sales tax

……South African Municipalities Municipal Revenue Loss Reduction through Improved Municipal Valuation Methodologies:Balance Sheet Enhancement of South African Municipalities to Improve Rates and Taxes Revenue GenerationAbstractThis study examines the property valuation process of Municipalities in South Africa and develops a strategy for strengthening that process in order to more efficiently value properties and ultimately to enhance municipal balance sheets and increase revenue streams. This study proposes an innovative valuation method based