Accounting for Beginners : A Simple and Updated Guide to Learning Basic Accounting Concepts and Principles Quickly and Easily, Including Financial Statements and Adjusting Entries for Small Businesses

This book provides an essential overview of the established principles and practices of the accounting profession.

The accounting profession is among the oldest of the world's occupations. Modern versions of accounting practices that represent global standards date back to medieval Europe and even earlier. The current age of rapid technological innovation and the seemingly endless news stories of financial scandals have brought the field of professional accounting to the forefront of the American conversation. Also, far from limiting opportunities in the field of professional accounting, technological advances and developments in global business and finance have made professional careers in accounting more relevant, more exciting, and more in-demand than ever.

Accounting for Beginners is written for the small business owner, the aspiring accountant professional, and the busy professional looking for a quick and handy reference of the major conventions that govern this exciting field. When you read Accounting for Beginners you will learn about accounting fundamentals, including:

• Definitions of accounting and how accounting differs from bookkeeping,
• Financial statements,
• The balance sheet,
• The income statement,
• The cash flow statement,
• Double-entry accounting, including debits, credits, and how to record transactions in journals and ledgers,
• Cash accounting vs. accrual accounting.

Accounting for Beginners also covers some of the more technical aspects of accounting, such as:

• Depreciation of fixed assets.
• Amortization of intangible assets.
• Budgeting for operational activities and capital expenditures,
• Recording costs for inventory and Cost of Goods Sold.

Next, Accounting for Beginners discusses many of the important professional practice conventions and regulatory foundations that professional CPAs must understand before earning a license, including:

• Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
• Background information about regulatory agencies such as the SEC, the AICPA, the FASB, and the GASB,
• Differences between U.S. accounting standards and international standards.

Finally, Accounting for Beginners discusses some of the more pressing concerns that face many of today's most successful accounting professionals, such as:

• Important principles and conventions of professional accounting firms.
• Fraud and ethics.
• Current fields actively seeking qualified accountants.

Whether you are currently considering a major course of study, pondering a career change, or actively engaged as a mid-career professional, Accounting for Beginners will give you a thorough and comprehensive review of established practices, a detailed guide to many of the most fundamental account recording techniques, and an experienced critique of the most pressing concerns and challenges facing contemporary CPAs.