Cash basis records income when you receive payment and expenses when you pay them. Accrual basis records income when you earn it and expenses when you incur them, regardless of when money changes hands. The difference affects your financial statements, tax timing, and how you understand your business performance.

Most small businesses start with cash basis because it’s simpler. You don’t need to track receivables or payables separately. Your bank account essentially tells you your financial story. For service businesses with straightforward operations, cash basis works fine and keeps bookkeeping costs lower.

The IRS has rules that limit your choice. If your business averages more than $29 million in gross receipts over three years, you must use accrual. Businesses with inventory used to be required to use accrual, but current rules allow most small businesses to use cash basis even with inventory as long as they meet the gross receipts test.

Accrual basis gives you a more accurate picture of profitability. If you complete a $50,000 project in December but don’t get paid until February, cash basis shows that revenue in the new year. Accrual shows it when you earned it, matching revenue to the period when you did the work. This matters when you’re trying to understand whether a particular month or quarter was actually profitable.

Lenders and investors typically prefer accrual basis financial statements. If you’re seeking outside financing, accrual accounting presents your business more accurately. It shows what you’re truly owed and what you truly owe, not just what’s hit your bank account.

Cash basis gives you more control over tax timing. You can delay sending invoices or accelerate paying expenses to shift income between years. Accrual doesn’t offer that flexibility since income and expenses get recorded when transactions occur.

For ongoing bookkeeping, either method works as long as it’s applied consistently. The important thing is choosing the right method upfront and maintaining it properly. Switching methods mid-year or inconsistently applying the rules creates problems at tax time.

If you’re unsure which method fits your business, an Andover, MA bookkeeper can evaluate your situation and recommend the approach that makes sense for your size, industry, and goals. The right choice depends on your specific circumstances, not a one-size-fits-all rule.