In a recent April 2015 report published in the CPA Insider, Blake Christian, a partner with the CPA Firm HCVT, LLP created an outstanding list of questions that every business owner should be looking at. We will be asking these questions throughout the summer:
- 1. Are you tracking revenue and expense trends for the past three years?
How do you benchmark yourself? Do you have resources that show you industry statistics? Are you using up-to-date computerized software?
- 2. What is your debt-to-equity ratio?
During the economic downturn, many of our clients relied on debt to finance their business activity, however, as the economy has recovered, we are not seeing that this debt is being repaid at a rate which is commiserate with the improved economy. Are you distributing all of your excess cash as profit distributions.
- 3. Do you plan to expand or to scale back?
Have you expanded into any new states? Are you planning to acquire or dispose of any portions of your businesses?
- 4. Are there regulatory changes afoot?
What is the regulatory environment on a local, state and federal level? Are there any risks that need to be accounted for?
- 5. Are any key owners approaching retirement age?
You have spent your life building your businesses value. What are you going to do to maximize that value?
- 6. Are there any key changes among owners or key executives?
College bound kids? Marriages? Divorces? Illness? Deaths? Is it time to create or revisit emergency plans in case a key figure is incapacitated?
These are just a few of the questions you should be reviewing. We would like to invite you for a fiscal fitness checkup with our staff. To request an appointment, please click the link below!
