Accounting For Dummies. John A. Tracy

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       We explain accounting in plain English, and we keep jargon and technical details to a minimum.

       We carefully follow a step-by-step approach in explaining topics.

       We include only topics that nonaccountants should understand. We avoid topics that only practicing accountants have to know.

       We include candid discussions of sensitive accounting topics that go unmentioned in many books.

       We combine our vast experience of both theoretical accounting (that is, how it is taught in the classroom) with actual practiced accounting (how accounting is applied in real-world businesses) to provide a deeper, more robust, and practical approach to understanding accounting.

       We’ve set up the book so you can read the chapters in any order you please. You can tailor your reading plan to give priority to the chapters of most interest to you and read other chapters as time permits.

       Business managers (at all levels): Trying to manage a business without a good grip on financial statements can lead to disaster. How can you manage the financial performance of your business if you don’t understand your financial statements in the first place?

       Business buyers and sellers: Anyone thinking of buying or selling a business should know how to read its financial statements and how to “true up” these accounting reports that serve as a key point of reference for setting a market value on the business.

       Entrepreneurs: As budding business managers, they need a solid grasp of accounting basics.

       Active investors: Investors in marketable securities, real estate, and other ventures need to know how to read financial statements, both to stay informed about their investments and to spot any signs of trouble.

       Passive investors: Many people let the pros manage their money by investing in mutual funds or using investment advisors to handle their money; even so, they need to understand the investment performance reports they get, which use plenty of accounting terms and measures.

       Accountants, bookkeepers, and controllers: Strengthening their knowledge of accounting should improve their effectiveness and value to the organization and advance their careers.

       People who want to take control of their personal finances: Many aspects of managing your personal finances involve the accounting vocabulary and accounting-based calculation methods.

       Anyone interested in following economic, business, and financial news: Articles in The Wall Street Journal and other financial news sources are heavy with accounting terms and measures.

       Administrators and managers of government and not-for-profit entities: Making profit is not the goal of these entities, but they have to stay within their revenue limits and keep on a sound financial footing.

       Politicians at local, state, and federal levels: These folks pass many laws having huge financial consequences, and the better they understand accounting, the better informed their votes should be (we hope).

       Investment bankers, institutional lenders, and loan officers: These folks should already know, but you would be amazed at how many times we’ve come across these types of professionals that still don’t have a complete understanding of accounting.

       Business and finance professionals: This includes lawyers and financial advisors, of course, but even clergy counsel members of their flock on financial matters occasionally.