The Difference Between a Balance Sheet and an Income Statement
November 3, 2023 | Last Updated on: April 23, 2024
November 3, 2023 | Last Updated on: April 23, 2024
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Entrepreneurs and first-time business owners can easily become overwhelmed when they run across terms like “balance sheet,” “income statement,” “equity,” and “liabilities.” But as overwhelming as they may feel at first, these are terms and concepts you’ll need to be intimately familiar with if you are to succeed in business. Thankfully, they aren’t that hard to grasp.
Balance sheets and income statements are two tools that give you a full financial picture of your business from all angles. And in this article, we’ll talk about what they are and how they’re different so you can understand your business better.
A balance sheet presents a snapshot summary of the company’s assets, liabilities, and equity at a moment in time. The report captures your business’s finances so you can have all the information you need to make necessary business decisions.
Let’s review the details of this report so you can see the value in regularly checking your balance sheet.
Assets represent the resources that a business owns or controls, which are expected to provide future economic benefits. Assets can be broken down into two categories:
Liabilities are obligations the business must fulfill. They represent amounts the business owes to lenders, suppliers, employees, and other parties.
Equity represents the owner’s claim after all liabilities have been settled. In essence, it’s the value that remains for the business’s owners if all assets were sold off and all debts paid.
The balance in the balance sheet comes from the fundamental equation:
Assets = Liabilities + Equity
Run the numbers for this equation to find out if both sides of the balance sheet are equal or ‘balanced.’ This is rooted in the double-entry bookkeeping system, where each financial transaction affects at least two accounts, ensuring that the books always balance.
Your income statement shows your profits and losses over time, outlining your revenues and expenses. The income statement represents your overall performance as a business, whether over a month, quarter, or year.
Let’s define the terms that make up your income statement.
Revenue is called the “top line” because it is listed at the top of the income statement. Revenue will list the line items of cash inflow from primary operations and total it up before any costs are subtracted.
Types of revenue include the following:
Expenses are the costs of running the business as you generate revenue. Everything you spend on generating revenue and maintaining business operations is listed as expenses.
Net income is the bottom line. It indicated the company’s profitability over a period of time. After all expenses, including taxes, are accounted for, we arrive at the net income. If this number is positive, the company has made a profit. If negative, it’s a loss.
Here are three scenarios where you’ll need a strong understanding of your balance sheets and income statements:
If these terms and concepts are new to you, don’t worry—they’ll soon become second nature. Keep your finances up to date, use an intuitive bookkeeping software, and just keep reviewing them on a regular basis. You’ve got this!
At Biz2Credit, we’re committed to helping business owners navigate the financial aspects of their businesses. Remember, understanding your financials is not just about securing the right funding; it’s about ensuring your business’s long-term success and growth.