Bookkeeping for Dummies (Paperback, 3)

Introduction 1

Part 1: Basic Bookkeeping: Why You Need It 5

Chapter 1: So, You Want to Do the Books 7

Chapter 2: Getting Down to Bookkeeping Basics 17

Chapter 3: Outlining Your Financial Road Map with a Chart of Accounts. 29

Part 2: Keeping a Paper Trail 45

Chapter 4: Ledgers: A One-Stop Summary of Your Business Transactions 47

Chapter 5: Keeping Journals 59

Chapter 6: Computer Options for Your Bookkeeping 77

Chapter 7: Controlling Your Books, Your Records, and Your Money 87

Chapter 8: Securing Your Online Bookkeeping 105

Part 3: Tracking Your Day-to-Day Operations with Your Books 111

Chapter 9: Buying and Tracking Your Purchases 113

Chapter 10: Counting Your Sales 125

Chapter 11: Employee Payroll and Benefits 143

Chapter 12: Employer-Paid Taxes and Government Payroll Reporting 165

Part 4: Preparing the Books for Year’s (or Month’s) End 177

Chapter 13: Depreciating Your Assets 179

Chapter 14: Paying and Collecting Interest 189

Chapter 15: Proving Out the Cash 199

Chapter 16: Closing the Journals 213

Chapter 17: Checking Your Accuracy ? By Trial and (Hopefully) No Error. 225

Chapter 18: Adjusting the Books 237

Part 5: Reporting Results and Starting Over 247

Chapter 19: Developing a Balance Sheet 249

Chapter 20: Producing an Income Statement 263

Chapter 21: Completing Year-End Payroll and Reports 277

Chapter 22: Satisfying the Tax Man 289

Chapter 23: Prepping the Books for a New Accounting Cycle 305

Part 6: The Part of Tens 311

Chapter 24: Top Ten Ways to Manage Your Business Cash with Your Books 313

Chapter 25: Top Ten (Okay, Eleven) Most Important Accounts for Any Bookkeeper 317

Glossary 321

Index 325