Question

List four things/entries that could cause the income statement to be different than the statement of cash flows. Provide a brief description/definition for what each of those four things means/does

Answer 1

The cash flow statement and the income statement are integral parts of a corporate balance sheet. The cash flow statement or statement of cash flows measures the sources of a company's cash and its uses of cash over a specific period of time. The income statement measures a company's financial performance, such as revenues, expenses, profits, or losses over a specific period of time. This financial document is sometimes called a statement of financial performance. An income statement shows whether a company made a profit, and a cash flow statement shows whether a company generated cash.

Net income includes deductions for noncash expenses. To reconcile net income to cash flow from operating activities, these noncash items must be added back, because no cash was expended relating to that expense.

1).Depreciation is a type of expense that is used to reduce the carrying value of an asset. It is an estimated expense that is scheduled rather than an explicit expense. Depreciation is found on the income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement. Depreciation is an accounting method for allocating the cost of a tangible asset over time. Companies must be careful in choosing appropriate depreciation methodologies that will accurately represent the asset’s value and expense recognition.

On the income statement, depreciation is usually shown as an indirect, operating expense. It is an allowable expense that reduces a company’s gross profit along with other indirect expenses like administrative and marketing costs. Depreciation expenses can be a benefit to a company’s tax bill because it is allowed as an expense deduction and lowers the company’s taxable income. In Cash flow statement, the use of depreciation can reduce taxes that can ultimately help to increase net income. Net income is then used as a starting point in calculating a company's operating cash flow. Operating cash flow starts with net income, then adds depreciation/amortization, net change in operating working capital, and other operating cash flow adjustments. The result is a higher amount of cash on the cash flow statement because depreciation is added back into the operating cash flow. Ultimately, depreciation does not negatively affect the operating cash flow of the business.

2). Gains and/or losses on the disposal of long-term assets are included in the calculation of net income, but cash obtained from disposing of long-term assets is a cash flow from an investing activity. Because the disposition gain or loss is not related to normal operations, the adjustment needed to arrive at cash flow from operating activities is a reversal of any gains or losses that are included in the net income total. A gain is subtracted from net income and a loss is added to net income to reconcile to cash from operating activities.

The Income Statement reflect the accrual basis of accounting, whereas the statement of cash flows considers the incoming and outgoing cash transactions, there are continual differences between (a).cash collected and paid and (b). reported revenue and expense on these statements.

3). Increases in current assets indicate a decrease in cash, because either (1) cash was paid to generate another current asset, such as inventory, or (2) revenue was accrued, but not yet collected, such as accounts receivable. Say in one case the use of cash to increase the current assets is not reflected in the net income reported on the income statement and in the second case, revenue is included in the net income on the income statement, but the cash has not been received by the end of the period. In both cases, current assets increased and net income was reported on the income statement greater than the actual net cash impact from the related operating activities. To reconcile net income to cash flow from operating activities, subtract increases in current assets.

4). Increases in current liabilities indicate an increase in cash, since these liabilities generally represent (1) expenses that have been accrued, but not yet paid, or (2) deferred revenues that have been collected, but not yet recorded as revenue. In the case of accrued expenses, costs have been reported as expenses on the income statement, whereas the deferred revenues would arise when cash was collected in advance, but the revenue was not yet earned, so the payment would not be reflected on the income statement. In both cases, these increases in current liabilities signify cash collections that exceed net income from related activities. To reconcile net income to cash flow from operating activities, add increases in current liabilities.