15 Best Accounting Books For Finance Professionals - IIM SKILLS (2024)

The process of accounting can be summed up as the combining of financial data for transparency and comprehension by all stakeholders and shareholders. A company’s financial transactions, performance, and cash flows are all tracked and reported through accounting. Even if you don’t work in finance, knowing accounting best practices is beneficial. Accounting is the foundation of all businesses, including personal banking, and those who understand the essentials can make better decisions about loans, investments, and financial planning. This article showcases some of the best accounting books out there.

15 Best Accounting Books For Finance Professionals - IIM SKILLS (1)

1. Accounting Made Simple – Accounting Explained in 100 Pages or Less

Written by mike piper, this book is one of the best accounting books and is perfect for beginners as it keeps things simple and is easy to understand. The key ideas of topics such as Accounting equations and their significance, reading and preparing financial statements, calculating and interpreting a variety of financial ratios, and the concepts and assumptions behind Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) are all brieflyexplained.

2. Accounting All-in-One For Dummies

Primarily authored by Kenneth W. Boyd, Accounting All-in-One for Dummies is more like an accounting course in the form of a book. This package includes 9 books and also online quizzes. This book offers a comprehensive introduction to accounting for the readers. It explains the basics of accounting simply and easily.

The book covers topics like fundamentals of debits and credits to more advanced topics like amortization and regulation. The book also discusses how to prepare financial statements, make informed business decisions, audit, and discover financial crime. The text provides many simple examples and scenarios thus making it easier to understand and making it one of the best accounting books out there. Beginners and pros will equally benefit from this book.

3. Accounting for Non-Accountants: The Fast and Easy Way to Learn the Basics

Accounting for Non-Accountants: The Fast and Easy Way to Learn the Basics, written by CPA Wayne A. Label, a professor with a Ph.D. in accounting, has a clear goal that it achieves directly and effectively and is one of the best accounting books out there. Label writes for readers who are inexperienced with basic accounting words and concepts, making it an excellent introduction to the subject.

Beginning with the essentials, such as the distinguishing elements of financial statements, generally acknowledged best practices in accounting, and accounting standards in the United States and worldwide, the foundations of accountancy are clearly addressed for readers.

Accounting for Non-Accountants will provide readers with a basic grasp of accounting acronyms (of which there are many), terminologies, governing organizations, and best practicesafter reading it. Basic short-term analysis, budgeting, auditing, ethics, and fraud are all covered in detail by the author.

The book is laid out in a traditional textbook manner, with shaded boxes offering “Quick Tips” and “Alerts,” as well as useful glossaries of terminology. Each chapter opens with a bulleted list of the basic information included within it, making it simple for reference readers to locate what they require.

Read here the Skills Required for an Accountant

Professional Courses from IIM SKILLS

  • Investment Banking Course
  • Financial Modeling Course

4. Financial Shenanigans: How to Detect Accounting Gimmicks and Fraud in Financial Reports

Howard M. Schilit, Jeremy Perler, and Yoni Engelhart give readers an introduction to the realm of fraudulent accounting practices in the fourth edition of their best-selling book Financial Shenanigans: How to Detect Accounting Gimmicks and Fraud in Financial Reports.

Schilit, the original edition’s author, is well-known in the field of forensic accounting, having appeared on the subject before the United States Congress and the Securities and Exchange Commission on numerous occasions. He is also the founder and CEO of Schilit Forensics, a research, and training firm that assists clients in detecting fraud and deceptive accounting practices.

Schilit and his co-authors empower investors with the knowledge they’ve gathered over the last 25 years of investigative accounting in Financial Shenanigans. The book examines not only flagrant deception but also more frequent techniques that corporations use to exaggerate their worth to potential investors.

In certain circ*mstances, deceptive activities are the result of a negative corporate culture, such as exploiting recent acquisitions to boost the bottom line or depending on dodgy metrics to present a false picture of the company’s health. Financial Shenanigan is an interesting read for anyone interested in false reporting in general, but it can also assist venture capitalists and even smaller investors. This book is one of the best accounting books out there.

5. Barron’s Accounting Handbook

Sometimes all you need is a good old-fashioned accounting reference book. The “Barron’s Accounting Handbook,” written by four accounting specialists, do what Barron’s books are known for. It covers everything, financial professionals need to know about financial reporting requirements and compliance.

It covers both GAAP and IRFS in the United States (International Financial Reporting Standards). Barrons accounting handbook is most definitely one of the best accounting books out there. The book is around 1,000 pages long, with a lexicon of accounting words thrown in for good measure, so it’s not exactly easy reading. It is, however, a valuable addition to your bookshelf for advanced accounting students.

6. Accounting Best Practices

For organizations to optimize their operations and increase profitability, they need the appropriate data. This detailed reference from financial expert Steven Bragg reads almost like a troubleshooting manual for understanding precise accounting, including solutions, recommendations, and revisions for typical accounting difficulties, making it one of the best accounting books out there.

It’s not for the faint of heart, as most of the techniques are complex and need a basic understanding of accounting. “Accounting Best Practices” is a valuable resource to have on hand for saving costs, boosting efficiency, and improving accounting accuracy for individuals in the field. The sixth version contains 90 new best practices as well as two additional chapters on credit and collections.

15 Best Accounting Books For Finance Professionals - IIM SKILLS (5)

Also Read: Importance of Bookkeeping and Accountancy

7. The Accounting Game

Although not everyone is an accounting expert, the majority of people are probably familiar with operating a lemonade stand. The Accounting Game: Basic Accounting Fresh from the Lemonade Stand by Darrell Mullis and Judith Orloff is based on this straightforward but brilliant idea and is one of the best accounting books out there.

The writers explain the fundamentals of accounting to anyone who requires a straightforward but “sticky” explanation by using the illustration of the well-known childhood business enterprise. In just 179 pages, it simplifies complicated accounting jargon and concepts into understandable language and step-by-step pictures, making it one of the best accounting books out there.

To aid readers in understanding each topic, each part concludes with tests and worksheets that include examples of spreadsheets. All in all, everyone trying to understand their own money as well as accounting students can benefit from reading this book. The extremely interactive “The Accounting Game” includes detailed procedures you can use in your own company. It’s an accessible alternative because of the tale-likeapproach used by Mullis and Orloff.

8. Warren Buffett Accounting Book

The “Warren Buffett Accounting Book: Reading Financial Statements for Value Investment” by co-authors Stig Brodersen and Preston George Pysh focuses on accounting topics to know from the successful investor himself because Warren Buffett is well-known for his investing abilities so the book makes the list of best accounting books.

It contains tactics designed to aid you in selecting profitable stocks. The book is the second one from a trilogy.The book’s most essential lesson is how to value a firm utilizing two alternative approaches. Aspiring investors will also learn how to interpret an income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement, all of which are crucial skills for selecting the right companies for your portfolio.

9. The Tax and Legal Playbook

Tax and accounting together make for a deadly combination of two challenging topics. However, Kohler approaches both tax and accounting matters in a lighthearted manner, utterly ignoring their importance. Small business owners frequently lose opportunities to sell their products as a result of the legal complexity, which ultimately spells their demise.

An authority in tax and accounting issues, Kohler provides excellent knowledge to save readers time and money. The book provides legal solutions by laying bare the unvarnished reality, empowering you to take wiser actions to safeguard your possessions. By using actual examples, Kohler does a fantastic job of dispelling the common person’s misconception that tax and accounting are difficult fields filled with strange and intimidating rules.

The book is a fantastic resource for tax preparation and tax-saving techniques. This accounting book will teach you more as you read it, preparing you to face the tricky situations of tax planning and saving, and is easily one of the best accounting books.

Learn the advanced accounting and taxation concepts with the top Online Business Accounting and Taxation Courses

10. Tax Savvy for Small Business

Tax accounting is one of the key facets of running a corporation that is essential to know. The author of “Tax Savvy for Small Business,” Frederick W. Daily, has 35 years of experience as a tax lawyer. Using a clever and intelligent tax planning technique will help safeguard and improve your bottom line, he discusses what he believes to be true.

This manual covers every important aspect of business tax accounting, such as how to determine your eligibility for tax credits and how to make the most of them, which expenses and long-term assets you can deduct, and how to keep accurate financial records.

Although an audit is the last thing you want, this book explains how to handle one. With the help of the books, you’ll be up to date because this updated edition includes all of the most recent tax laws.

11. Accounting for the Numberphobic: A Survival Guide for Small Business Owners

Dawn Fotopulos’ “Accounting for the Numberphobic: A Survival Guide for Small Business Owners,” was written for those who don’t have a basic understanding of accounting. It goes through the key accounting concepts that are pertinent to your company, such as how to read a balance sheet, cash flow statement, and net income statement.

More importantly, it assists you in finding the answers to essential questions like the value of your company or the number of sales required for profitability. You will quickly have a better knowledge of your finances thanks to Fotopulos’ straightforward explanation of difficult accounting and bookkeeping concepts.

12. Accounting: Get Hired Without Work Experience

We are always baffled by the fact that we can’t get a job without experience and we cannot gain experience without a job. Well! the award-winning author and accomplished accountant Mayooran Senthilmani will show you how to land a job without work experience.

The book is quite in-depth and functions as a mini-course in basic accounting, managing your own business, getting employment, and keeping a positive attitude as you move up the corporate ladder to success. The title is misleading because it covers much more than just finding a job without work experience.

It explains what accounting is, how it functions, and for whom. It also covers cost control, KPIs, business taxes, performance analysis, human resources and payroll, accounting systems, and virtual bookkeeping. Personal connections, the usage of LinkedIn, curriculum vitae drafting, and interview techniques are all included under the heading of job-finding.

It covers the utilization of mind power and spiritual energy, learning from the histories of world leaders, getting things done, turning failure into victory, positive thinking, and time management in the areas of having an optimistic attitude for success.

Here are the excellent Business Accounting and Taxation Courses in India

13. Accounting Principles Twelfth Edition

Weygandt, Kimmel, and Kieso’s Accounting Principles, 12th Edition offer students a concise introduction to basic accounting ideas. By making practice easy, the Twelfth Edition enables students to get the most out of their accounting courses. Students can test their understanding of accounting concepts, abilities, and problem-solving strategies using this text’s additional chances for self-guided practice.

They can also receive individualized feedback at the question, learning objective, and course level. To ensure that there is a clear connection between the reading and video content and the practice, homework, and evaluation questions, the learning goals have been condensed. This aids students in making the most of their study time.

Weygandt, Accounting Principles is a well-known curriculum that is perfect for a two-semester Principles of Accounting sequence where students learn financial accounting concepts for the majority of the time and management accounting fundamentals at the end. Students studying Accounting Principles understand the accounting cycle from the standpoint of a sole proprietor.

14. Accounting (Barron’s Business Review) Sixth Edition

The sixth edition of Accounting, like the other books, Barron’s Business Review Series, is a fantastic main text for business refresher courses as well as a helpful addition to college textbooks. Key accounting concepts are introduced to students, along with the accounting equation. The book is structured to closely resemble a typical college textbook, but it focuses on students’ comprehension of what is done, as well as—more crucially—how and why. Additional beneficial elements consist of:

  • Review questions
  • Computational issues with full, in-depth solutions provided when necessary
  • Additional questions that strengthen the reader’s understanding
  • a thorough glossary of accounting terminology.

This edition’s new features include detailed explanations of accounting data procedures as internal controls intended to protect assets, guidance on how to use spreadsheets to solve various accounting problems, and significant discussion on business ethics.

15. Accounting: The Ultimate Guide to Accounting for Beginners

The target audience for this book is anyone interested in learning the basics of financial accounting without going into accounting. This situation affects a large number of people, including stockholders, investors, employers, employees, and small company owners. Most of these people only need to comprehend the basics of accounting and how it should be used; they don’t need a detailed comprehension of it.

They also need to comprehend the terminology used by accountants in their reports. The most crucial terminology and vocabulary must be taught to them. You have found the ideal book if you fall into such a category. This bookgoesthrough the principles of accounting, the numerous industries in which accountants operate, and the data they generate as we thoroughly investigate this topic.

We will also look at the metrics and ratios that accountants use to evaluate the efficiency of a company as well as the crucial connection between time and money. This book will continue to place a strong emphasis on the idea that information is a result of accounting.

FAQ

1. What is accounting?

Ans. Accounting is the process of documenting a business’s financial transactions. As part of the accounting process, these transactions are collated, reviewed, and reported to oversight agencies, regulatory authorities, and tax collection agencies.

2. What is the importance of books?

Ans. Knowing the basic concepts of accounting is beneficial even when you are not working in the accounting field. All business, including personal banking, is based on accounting, so those who understand the fundamentals can make better choices regarding loans, investments, and financial planning.

3. What is one of the most important books for an account and taxation?

Ans. Accounting All-in-One for Dummies, Consider this the most thorough, user-friendly handbook if you’re new to accounting or simply need a refresher course. This book presents the fundamentals of accounting in the customary “Dummies” format, giving readers a thorough understanding of the subject.

4. Why is accounting important?

Ans. Employees in the back-office job of accounting might not have frequent contact with manufacturers, product developers, or customers. However, accounting is crucial to a company’s strategic planning, expansion, and compliance needs.

Conclusion

Accounting is crucial to running a business because it makes it simpler to keep track of income and expenses, guarantees legal compliance, and provides access to quantitative financial data that can be utilized by investors, management, and the government to make choices. Having the appropriate accounting records can help guarantee that your finances are in order, whether you’re a sole proprietor, an aspiring bookkeeper, or an experienced CPA.

If you want to thrive in business, having strong accounting abilities is essential as well as being financially literate. Strong accounting knowledge is essential for everything from tax planning to making judgment calls based on precise financial data. This article provides you with some of the best accounting books out there to help you manage your financial affairs even more easily.

15 Best Accounting Books For Finance Professionals - IIM SKILLS (2024)
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