As the name suggests, cash flow is a term used to describe the money coming into and out of a business. Cash received – like money being paid to the business from its customers – would be inflow. Cash spent – like the funds being paid to vendor partners and other operational costs – would be outflow.

Obviously, it’s always important to have more money coming into your business than going out in most situations. But whether this is true is not the only factor you should be accounting for. Instead, it should be seen for what it really is – a metric that tells just one small part of a much larger story.

The Ins and Outs of Business Cash Flow: Breaking Things Down

One of the reasons why keeping an eye on cash flow is so important is because it helps paint a vivid picture of a business’s liquidity. The more liquid a company is, the more flexible it is

A significant amount of positive cash flow relative to outflow indicates that a company’s liquid assets are increasing. This is something that should happen naturally over time as a business continues to grow and scale. This doesn’t just mean that they’re comfortable when it comes to handling their financial obligations. They can take some of that money and strategically invest it back into the business itself where it can make the biggest impact.

This type of positive cash flow also acts as a viable buffer against any uncertainty or even challenges that may develop. Case in point: everything that has been going on over the last few years with the still-ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. When the pandemic first hit in March 2020, businesses of all types found their doors suddenly closed. The ones that were able to survive to the point where they could re-open again – or at least remain afloat for as long as possible – were those that had liquidity through positive cash flow.

In a larger sense, there are a few different types of cash flow to concern yourself with. Operating cash flow refers to the amount of money that a company is generating via everyday activities. Investment cash flow, as the name suggests, is income generated from investment actions like purchasing securities.

Financing cash flow goes into more detail about how money is moving between a business and a number of other entities like investors, owners, and even creditors.

Again, tracking business cash flow is all about the insight it generates. Not only does it allow you to keep the doors open because you know you have enough money to handle your obligations, but it also helps to meet your short and long-term goals for expansion as well. In essence, it helps those business leaders come up with the best possible plan for the future – which is also why this is something you need to be taking a look at on a regular basis.

Tracking Cash Flow: An Overview

All told, tracking cash flow over the long term is something that will be accomplished through a few different financial statements. The first of these is the balance sheet, which simply puts together an outline of a company’s current assets and liabilities.

Next, we have the income statement. This is a document that helps highlight a company’s profitability at a particular moment in time.

Finally, you have the actual cash flow statement. Think of this as something like a checkbook in nature – the cash flow statement confirms that all the other data on the statements mentioned above is as accurate as possible.

The cash flow statement provides a detailed overview of a company’s cash-based transactions, both going in and coming out of the business. It can also help indicate how many unpaid invoices may be out there. Collecting them can help reconcile the books and improve cash flow as much as possible.

In the end, business cash flow is always an essential part of any organization. You need visibility into where money is coming from and where it’s going in order to make the most informed decisions possible at all times. That’s why it’s always recommended that you enlist the help of a professional to handle this critical matter on your behalf – that way you can leverage their expertise to your advantage, all so that you can focus more on your business, the way it should be.

So if you’d like to get additional insight into business cash flow, or if you just have any additional questions that you’d like to go over with someone in a bit more detail, please don’t delay – contact us today.

With the recent passage of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, the electric vehicle credit has undergone some major changes. Although most of the changes take effect in 2023, to qualify for the current credit, vehicles purchased after August 15, 2022, are required to meet the final assembly requirement of the new law.

That requirement necessitates that vehicles sold after August 15, 2022, undergo final assembly in North America.

“Final assembly” means the manufacturer must produce new clean vehicles at a plant, factory, or other place located in North America from which the vehicle is delivered to a dealer with all component parts necessary for the mechanical operation of the vehicle included with the vehicle.

The U.S. Department of Energy has prepared a preliminary list of Model Year 2022 and early Model Year 2023 vehicles that may meet the final assembly in North America requirement.

Although the current law phasing out the credit once a manufacturer has produced 200,000 vehicles has been eliminated beginning in 2023, it still applies for vehicles sold in 2022. Even though those vehicles meet the final assembly requirement, because of the 200,000 limit they may not qualify for credit or reduced credit in 2022 but will again qualify in 2023 under the new rules. The U.S. Department of Energy list tags those that have reached the 200,000 limit. Visit the IRS site for a list of qualifying vehicles to see if a vehicle might still qualify for a reduced credit.

 Transition Rule – The legislation also provides a transition rule where a taxpayer who, from January 1, 2022, and before August 16, 2022, purchased, or entered a written binding contract to purchase, a new plug-in electric drive motor vehicle and placed that vehicle in service on or after August 16, 2022, may elect to use the credit rules in effect before the Inflation Reduction Act changes, thus avoiding the final assembly and other requirements of the new law.

The New Law – The new law, generally effective beginning January 1, 2023, includes some new stringent requirements including that the critical minerals and other battery components used in the manufacture of a qualifying vehicle be from North America. Because of the current limited availability of these critical minerals this requirement is being phased in through 2029, giving manufacturers time to develop North American sources for these materials.

Also beginning in 2023, the law imposes income limits on who qualifies for the credit, as well as limiting the cost of the vehicles eligible for the credit as follows:

 Income limit – No credit is allowed for any tax year if the lesser of the modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) of the taxpayer for the:

• Current tax year, or
• The preceding tax year

Exceeds the threshold amount as indicated in the table below. Thus there is no phaseout; just one dollar over the limit and no credit will be allowed.

MAGI LIMITATION
Filing Status	MAGI
Married Filing Joint & SS	$300,000
Head of Household	$225,000
Others	$150,000

MAGI means adjusted gross income increased by any foreign earned income and housing exclusions and excluded income from Guam, American Samoa, the Northern Mariana Islands, and Puerto Rico.

Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price Limitation – No credit is allowed for a vehicle with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of more than the following:

MANUFACTURERS’ SUGGESTED RETAIL PRICE LIMITATION
Vans, sport utility vehicles, and pickups	$80,000
Other vehicles	$55,000

New Vehicle Definition – Where under prior law a qualifying vehicle was required to have a battery with a minimum of 4 kilowatts-hours, after 2022 a qualifying vehicle’s battery must be a minimum of 7 kilowatts-hours.

Transfer of Credit to the Dealer – After 2022, the new law adds an interesting twist that allows a taxpayer to utilize the credit to reduce the vehicle’s cost. This is accomplished by the taxpayer, who, on or before the purchase date, can elect to transfer the clean vehicle credit to the dealer from whom the taxpayer is purchasing the vehicle in return for a reduction in purchase price equal to the credit amount.

Making the election cannot limit the use or value of any other dealer or manufacturer incentive to buy the vehicle, nor can the availability or use of the incentive limit the ability of the taxpayer to make the election.

A buyer who has elected to transfer the credit for a new clean vehicle to the dealer and has received credit from the dealer but whose MAGI exceeds the applicable limit is required to recapture the amount of the credit on their tax return for the year the vehicle was placed in service.

Credit For Used Vehicles – The new law includes a credit for used clean vehicles that cost $25,000 or less that are purchased from a dealer. This credit is limited to the first time the vehicle is resold and available only to taxpayers whose MAGI is no more than half that of the MAGI limit for the new clean vehicle credit. The credit amount is the lesser of $4,000 or 30% of the purchase price. However, other details of this credit need further guidance from the IRS. Watch for additional information in the future.

If you have questions about these new rules on the clean vehicle credit, please give our office a call.

People generally assume that tax planning only applies to individuals with the big bucks. But think again, as some tax moves benefit lower-income taxpayers and those who are having a lower-than-normal income year. So, if 2022 is not producing a lot of income for you, or your income will be substantially lower this year than it usually is, you may be surprised to know that you actually might be able to take advantage of some tax-planning opportunities. Implementing some of these ideas will require action on your part before the close of the year. Here are some possibilities to consider.

Exercise Stock Options – If you are an employee of a corporation, the company may offer you the option to purchase shares of it at a fixed price at some future date, so that you can benefit from your commitment to the company’s success by sharing in the company’s growth through the increase in stock value. If those options are non-qualified, then you must report the difference between your preferential option price and the stock’s value when you exercise the option as income. This income will be included in your wages on your year-end W-2 form. In a low-income year, this may give you the chance to exercise some or all of your options without any or with minimal income tax liability.

Convert a Traditional IRA to a Roth IRA – Roth IRA accounts provide the benefits of tax-free accumulation and, once you reach retirement age, tax-free distributions. This is why many taxpayers convert their traditional IRA account to a Roth IRA. However, to do so, you must generally pay tax on the converted amount. Many taxpayers overlook some great opportunities to make conversions, such as in years when their income is unusually low or a year when their income might even be negative due to abnormal deductions or business losses. The current standard deduction is higher than ever before, which may offer a taxpayer the opportunity to convert some or all their traditional IRA to a Roth IRA without any conversion tax. If you are in any of these circumstances this year, you should consider converting some or all of your traditional IRA to a Roth IRA before the end of the year.

Maximize IRA Distributions – If you are retired and taking IRA distributions, make sure that you are maximizing your withdrawals with respect to your tax bracket. With the robust standard deduction and a lower-than-normal income, it may be tax-effective to actually withdraw more than the minimum required by law. In fact, you may even be able to take a distribution from your IRA with no tax liability. Presented with this situation, you would certainly want to take advantage of it before year’s end, even if you do not need the funds, which you could bank for the future.

Sell Appreciated Stock – Income tax rates increase as a taxpayer’s taxable income increases. The regular tax rates start at 10% and then increase in step amounts as one’s taxable income increases, reaching a maximum rate of 37%. However, long-term capital gains are given special treatment and only have three tax rates: 0%, 15%, and 20%. The 0% tax rate applies for taxpayers with taxable incomes up to the following amounts for 2022:

TAXABLE INCOME RANGE FOR THE 0% LONG-TERM CAPITAL GAIN RATE (2022)
Filing Status	Single	Head of Household	Married Filing Joint	Married Filing Separate
Taxable Income	$0–$41,675	$0–$55,800	$0–$83,350	$0–$41,675

This provides a unique opportunity to sell investments that will produce long-term capital gains (investments held for at least a year and a day) and benefit from the 0% long-term capital gain rates. Thus, if you have stocks that have appreciated in value, you may be able to sell them before the end of the year and pay no tax on the gain. The tops of the 0% ranges are adjusted each year for inflation.

Delay Business Expenditures – If you are self-employed, you may find it beneficial to delay business-related purchases until next year to avoid reducing your current yearly income any further and save the deduction until next year, when the items are purchased.

Release Dependency – If you are the custodial parent of a child and receive no benefit from the nonrefundable child tax credit, you may want to consider releasing the dependency of the child to the non-custodial parent for the current year, allowing the non-custodial parent to claim the $2,000 child tax credit. Doing so will not affect your ability to claim the child care credit or the refundable earned income tax credit. However, if the child is attending college, then any tuition credit will go to the one claiming the child. The dependency is released on IRS Form 8332, but care should be taken when completing the form to avoid unintentionally releasing the dependency for more than one year.

Delay Personal Deductible Expenditures – If you itemize your deductions and the deductions will provide no or minimal tax benefit this year, you might consider delaying paying that medical expense, real property tax bill, or state estimated tax payment, or making a charitable contribution, until after the first of the year. Many taxpayers find it beneficial to “bunch” deductions in one year and then claim the standard deduction in the alternate year. For example, by paying two years of church tithing or pledges to a charitable organization all in one year, deducting the total in that year, and then contributing nothing and taking the standard deduction the next year, the combined tax for the two years may be less than if a contribution was made in each year. However, before postponing payments until next year, make sure that no penalties will be associated with delaying your tax-obligation payments.

If you have questions about employing any of these strategies or wish to make a tax-planning appointment, please give our office a call.

If you pay attention to the financial news, you’ve likely heard that we may — or may not — be in the midst of a recession. While experts argue over whether or not two consecutive periods of falling gross domestic period necessarily confirm an overall decline in economic activity, small business owners have more pressing questions, like, “How is a recession going to affect my business?” and “What can I do to make sure my business survives?”

What is a recession and how will it impact my business?

Economies swing from periods of expansion to periods of contraction. A recession is a period when consumers stop spending, and this leads to an overall negative impact on some — but not all — businesses. Those that survive and thrive in a recession share certain traits: They generally have adequate cash reserves and access to capital, and they are often private companies that can quickly shift their business strategies without fear of rebellion from shareholders.

What you most need to know about a recession is that it tends to make customers cut their spending, so you need to be prepared to respond in a way that keeps your business available to them, keeps you top of mind, and keeps your quality as high as possible despite reduced profits. It’s a challenge, but it’s not impossible.

Can I make my business recession-proof?

Protecting your business against the worst impacts of recession requires some planning and a commitment to resisting panic. The planning part may feel like it’s too late if we’re already in a recession, but that’s not necessarily true. It certainly helps to have deep cash reserves or access to credit, but even businesses without those advantages can find ways to cut back and make adjustments without changing their commitment to quality and customer service.

• Cut back on unnecessary spending – You may feel like your expenses aren’t out of line, but taking the time to review the last few months’ worths of credit card and bank statements tend to reveal areas where fat can be trimmed. Are you spending money on subscriptions or memberships that you don’t really need? Are you paying fees for equipment that you aren’t using anymore, or for support services that you arranged for early in your business’ life that you no longer need? Sometimes expenses are actually habits rather than necessities, and businesses — and individuals too — can usually realize some savings when they conduct a quick self-audit.
• Maximize your business expenditures – If your business places regular orders with the same suppliers over and over again, there’s a good chance that you can negotiate an additional discount or start buying in bigger bulk to reduce your costs. A lot of businesses are concerned about cash flow and are more open to bartering or arranging some kind of deal in order to keep a good customer in business.
• Reduce your inventory – You don’t want your clients to get a sense that the cupboards are bare, but if you’re in the habit of ordering several months’ worth of supplies, you can quickly cut your expenses by shifting to a three-month strategy. Alternatively, if your suppliers are hesitant about your ordering cutback, try arranging for reduced prices for long-term orders, or locking in your prices to avoid increases.

Avoid making common mistakes

One thing that all small businesses can do when anticipating a recession is to learn from mistakes made by others. Conserving cash may be key, but you don’t want to do so in a way that is going to cost you money or customers in the long run. Eliminating employees is one of the biggest examples of a cost-cutting strategy that can backfire. Not only will your operation run less efficiently if you eliminate key staff, but when the recession inevitably ends you’ll need to replace them – and hiring and training aren’t cheap. If you absolutely cannot keep employees onboard, consider furloughs rather than firings in order to keep the door open to bringing valued personnel back.

Cutting back on marketing expenses is another thing that small businesses often make in the face of economic downturns. History has shown that this is a mistake and that the businesses that survived previous recessions and went on to achieve bigger and better sales numbers were the ones that continued reaching out to customers and driving interest in products or services.

Budgeting is hard in uncertain times, but still vital

Business finances fluctuate all the time, and unless your business has already weathered a recession it is hard to forecast how it will impact your operations. Budgeting and saving are absolutely crucial in the face of a downturn. If you need assistance in weathering an economic storm, contact our office to set up a time to create a working strategy.