The ownership and management of business is challenging, and keeping track of finances is one of the most obvious examples of those challenges. The specialized field that handles accounting for business is called financial accounting and provides individuals who are externally linked to that business with information on a company
Strategic financial management is basically about the identification of the possible strategies capable of maximizing an organization’s market value. It involves the allocation of scarce capital resources among competing opportunities. It also encompasses the implementation and monitoring of the chosen strategy so as to achieve agreed objectives.
The key decisions falling within the scope of financial strategy include the following:
1. Financial decisions – this deals with the mode of financing or mix of equity capital and debt capital. If it is possible to alter the total value of the company by alteration in the capital structure of the company, then an optimal financial mix would exist – where the market value of the company is maximized.
2. Investment decision – this involves the profitable utilization of firm’s funds especially in long-term projects (capital projects). Because the future benefits associated with such projects are not known with certainty, investment decisions necessarily involve risk. The projects are therefore evaluated in relation to their expected return and risk. For these are the factors that ultimately determine the market value of the company. To maximize the market value of the company, the financial manager will be interested in those projects with maximum returns and minimum risk. An understanding of cost of capital, capital structure and portfolio theory is a prerequisite here.
3. Dividend decision – dividend decision determines the division of earnings between payments to shareholders and reinvestment in the company. Retained earnings are one of the most significant sources of funds for financing corporate growth, dividends constitute the cash flows that accrue to shareholders. Although both growth and dividends are desirable, these goals are in conflict with each other. A higher dividend rate means rate means less retained earnings and consequently slower rate of growth in future earnings and share prices. The finance manager must provide reasonable answer to this conflict.
It should be noted that the theory of corporate finance is based on the assumption that the objective of management is to maximize the market value of the company. More specifically, it is settled in finance that the main objective of a company should be to maximize wealth of its ordinary shareholders.
Personal financial planning is important because it provides you with a method of organising your financial tomorrows for yourself and is unreservedly about planning for the unforeseen and empowering you to have the independence to handle unpredicted events in your life. Successful personal financial planning is therefore, extremely important for anyone who wishes to stay ahead of their finances.
Doubtless personal finance is a demanding subject to grasp and comprehend fully and for that reason an individual as a matter of course is inclined to shy away from it, building defenses in an effort to avoid having to comprehend it’s effectiveness. However, with everything in life effort will equal reward in your courageous attempt to rid yourself of financial constraints. For many persons, your objectives in finance are to achieve financial freedoms. Having a well developed financial plan is central to prosperous personal financial future.
The next action of personal finance planning is to determine where you are today such as how much money you have stored up, the value of your investments and what types of investment vehicles they are. This plan will give you a blueprint directing you towards achieving your goals, what products you should be investing in, for what time period you should invest for, whilst considering your constraints such as your attitude towards risk. Blueprints such as these will provide you with some great quick start methods on how you can begin to better manage your finances beginning today.
It is a reality that one of the largest factors of personal debt is the overuse, abuse and ill-treatment of the credit card. Nevertheless, if you come upon such a position, do not despair, considering with a personal finance schedule you can substantially curtail your liability in 3 simple steps. Firstly you can refinance your credit cards by combining your commitments, or you can even renegotiate your interest rates with your existing credit card institution. In getting ready for a further economical constriction, it is crucial that you take a number of personal financial planning steps. There are the bills you must settle each month, and accordingly, is part of your compulsory personal finance planning routine. Keep in mind that you should endeavor to buy everything ‘on sale’ for intelligent planning. Smart personal finance planning means restricting how frequently you consume food in a restaurant, or pay out money on recreation. For that reason, by acquiring conventional approaches with your personal finance planning now, you can even so set aside crisis funds that will assist your family if times are demanding.
Once you have an precise picture of where you are today, your personal finance planning project can proceed to the next level namely deciding where you wish to be, and how to arrive there. The difficulty is that most individuals compare personal finance budgeting with sacrifices. Target your personal finance planning exploits at liberating yourself to retrain for further satisfying and more financially profitable jobs, and you will turn out to be one of the world’s most productive savers in no time. Debt management strategy tip – observe your interest rates when economical uncertainty is on the skyline given interest rates are the first to respond to making debt control crucial.
In summary therefore, and to address the issue around why is financial planning important, if professions are becoming more unstable, then personal finance planning is becoming more significant than ever, and the earlier you start to get your finances in order, the better.
