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By understanding the different types of financial statements, it becomes easier for individuals in charge (such as business owners and investors) to make sound decisions. Financial reports provide a snapshot on what is happening within your company by detailing its assets or liabilities with both current and past year's data included- there are three main categories that every firm should file: income statement; balance sheet; cash flow statement.

The income statement is a report that shows how much money you have made or lost in relation to your total expenses. It's typically prepared every three months, but it can be done at the end of each quarter if there are more than 12 weeks between updates (for example annual reports). Expenses are subtracted from revenues in order to calculate net income, or the amount of money that is added to your equity.

The Balance Sheet is a snapshot of the financial position at any given time. It shows what a company owns and owes, as well as its shareholders' equity (the money they put into it). The Assets section breaks down into two categories: Property & Equipment – assets such cash balances or investment properties; Liabilities - which includes accounts payable ($ bills incurred but not yet paid), accrued liabilities ($ expenses already paid without being recorded) ,and long term debt. Shareholders' equity is the difference between a company's total assets and its total liabilities.

The Cash Flow Statement, also known as the statement of cash flows, details all inflows and outflows, into or from your business over a specific period. It's broken down into three sections: operating activities (which cover revenue), investing activities (buying property/equipment) , financing transactions involving loans & investments in other companies . The final section covers change in stocks & bonds due to inflow and expenditure. Financing activities include issuing stock, obtaining loans, and paying dividends to shareholders.

The three most important financial statements a company can release are its income statement, balance sheet and cash flow. These provide an accurate representation of how much money is being made as well as what the future may hold for that business venture. The information released by these documents helps people make better decisions when investing or borrowing capital because it allows them see where there might potentially be some problems with management before those issues arise publicly. This information is crucial because it can prevent future financial surprises that could potentially cause serious problems for business owners.

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