Banks are the most common type of financial institution chartered by the state government to hold assets of customers/members and lend money. Monitored by the Federal Reserve, banks must comply with strict regulations to continue operations. It is one of the required relationships for any small business owner.
The bank reconciliation is a daily accounting function for every small business. In order to fully appreciate its value, the small business owner needs to understand the fundamentals of how bank reconciliations are performed. In addition, there are some higher level types of transactions that affect the cash position.
No other federal government creation is more misunderstood than the Federal Reserve System. The Federal Reserve’s primary purpose is to act as the central banking system for the United States. Formed in 1913, the Federal Reserve was tasked by Congress with three primary functions. One – maximize employment in the United States. Two – stabilize prices (control the inflation rate) and three – influence the interest rates for long-term notes. Since 1913 the Federal Reserve has expanded its role to include setting the monetary policy and regulating the entire US banking system.
There are many different types of bank loans, each having their own respective purpose. All bank loans are categorized into two distinct groupings; secured and unsecured loans. Within in each category of loans there are several different sub-types of bank notes used to make a loan. Both categories require the owner of the small business to provide a personal guarantee to ensure the loan is paid back.
