Budgeting
Business budgeting in Columbia City, Indiana
We build budgets with business owners in Columbia City and across Whitley County. We analyze your profit and loss statement and bank statements, then work with you to create a budget designed to increase profitability.
Who budgets with us
Owners coming off a tight year
Find where the money went and set limits that protect next year.
Growing businesses
Plan for a new hire, a vehicle or equipment before you commit to it.
Seasonal businesses
Spread busy-season income across the slow months so bills still get paid.
Owners with no budget at all
Start with a simple plan built from the numbers you already have.
What to have ready
Twelve months of history gives us the clearest picture, but bring what you have.
- Last year's profit and loss statement
- A year-to-date profit and loss statement
- Twelve months of bank statements
- Your fixed monthly bills, such as rent, insurance and utilities
- Loan and lease payments
- Planned hires or purchases for the coming year
Who does the work
Scott Duffitt, Managing Member
Scott has worked in this Columbia City office since 1995 and has owned the firm since 2019. He focuses on individual, business, partnership and estate tax work.
More about Scott
Chelsie Gowen, Senior Staff Accountant
Chelsie has more than 10 years of tax experience, an MBA from the University of Saint Francis and QuickBooks ProAdvisor training.
More about ChelsieHow it works
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Step 1: Look back
We go through your P&L and bank statements to see where money comes in and goes out.
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Step 2: Build the budget
We set targets together for sales, costs and what you want left at the end.
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Step 3: Check in
We compare the budget to what actually happened and adjust as the year goes.
A budget is a plan for next year built from what happened last year. We start with your profit and loss statement and your bank statements, because together they show both what you earned and where the cash actually went.
From there we sit down with you and set targets: what you expect to sell, what each cost should run, and what you want left over. The budget we build is aimed at one thing, a better bottom line.
Once it is in place, a budget is useful only if someone checks it. If we also keep your books, comparing the plan to the real numbers is part of the routine.
Budgeting questions
Do my books need to be current before we build a budget?
It helps. A budget is only as good as the numbers behind it. If your books are behind, we can catch them up first through our bookkeeping service.
Is this for businesses or households?
Our budgeting service is built for businesses, using your profit and loss statement and bank statements. If you have a personal budgeting question, ask when you call.
Will you help us stick to the budget?
We can compare the budget to your actual results during the year and talk through what is off and why, so you can adjust before it becomes a problem.
Pair it with year-round help
Management consulting
Sit down with us to read your profit and loss statement and balance sheet and see what is driving profit.
See management consulting
Bookkeeping
We record transactions in QuickBooks, reconcile bank and credit card statements and keep depreciation schedules current.
See bookkeeping
Tax planning
Plan ahead so April brings no surprises. We look at your whole year and find what the tax code lets you keep.
See tax planningGet it off your list
Book a time with our Columbia City office, or call and we will fit you in.