Balance Sheet Report
Quicken Business & Personal only
Overview
The Balance Sheet Report shows your business’s financial position at a single point in time—what you own, what you owe, and what’s left over.
Instead of tracking activity over time (like a Profit & Loss report), the Balance Sheet answers a different question:
“Where does my business stand right now?”
It’s built on a simple idea:
What you own (assets)
What you owe (liabilities)
What belongs to you (equity)
Why the Balance Sheet Report Matters
The Balance Sheet helps you quickly understand whether your business is financially stable—and what decisions you can make next.
You can use it to:
Check your financial health
Do you have enough assets to cover your debts?Understand your true business value
What would be left if you paid everything off today?Make confident decisions
Can you afford to invest, hire, or purchase equipment?Prepare for conversations with accountants or lenders
This is one of the first reports they’ll ask for.
When to Use a Balance Sheet Report
Use the Balance Sheet anytime you need a snapshot of your business:
At the end of the month or quarter
Before making a large purchase or investment
When reviewing business performance beyond profit
During tax preparation or financial reviews
What Your Balance Sheet Report Shows
Your Balance Sheet is organized into three sections:
Assets (What you own)
These are the resources your business has available.
Examples:
Cash in checking accounts
Savings or brokerage balances
Undeposited funds
Equipment or other tracked assets
Why it matters:
Assets show what you have available to run and grow your business.
Liabilities (What you owe)
These are your business obligations.
Examples:
Credit card balances
Loans or lines of credit
Other outstanding obligations
Why it matters:
Liabilities show what your business needs to pay back.
Equity (What’s yours)
This is the difference between assets and liabilities.
Examples:
Owner contributions
Retained earnings (profits kept in the business)
Current year profit or loss
👉 Why it matters:
Equity reflects the true value of your business.
How to Read Your Balance Sheet
When reviewing your Balance Sheet, look for:
Positive equity
→ Your business owns more than it owes (generally healthy)Negative equity
→ Your liabilities exceed your assets (a signal to review debt or cash flow)Cash position
→ Do you have enough in checking to cover short-term needs?Debt levels
→ Are your liabilities manageable compared to your assets?
Examples
Rideshare Driver (Uber/Lyft)
A rideshare driver checks their Balance Sheet and sees:
$8,500 in checking
$18,000 vehicle value (asset)
$10,000 remaining on a car loan (liability)
What this tells them:
They own a valuable asset (their car), but a large portion is still financed. Their cash position is strong, and their equity (what they truly own) is positive.
Why it matters:
Before upgrading their vehicle or taking on new expenses, they can see whether they have enough equity and cash to support the decision.
Therapist in Private Practice
A therapist running a solo practice reviews their Balance Sheet and sees:
$12,000 in checking
$2,500 on a business credit card
Minimal other liabilities
What this tells them:
They have strong cash reserves and low debt, meaning their practice is financially stable.
Why it matters:
They can confidently decide to invest in things like office upgrades, marketing, or continuing education—knowing they have the resources to support it..
Airbnb Owner with Multiple Properties
An Airbnb host with three rental properties reviews their Balance Sheet and sees:
Assets
$25,000 in checking
$450,000 combined property value (3 homes/condos)
$15,000 in furnishings and equipment
Liabilities
$320,000 in mortgages across properties
$8,000 in credit card balances
What this tells them:
They own significant assets, but a large portion is financed through mortgages. Their equity (what they truly own) is the difference between total assets and liabilities—and it’s growing as they pay down loans.
Why it matters:
They can quickly assess:
Whether they have enough cash to maintain multiple properties
How leveraged they are (how much debt vs. ownership)
Whether they’re in a position to purchase another property
Real-world decision:
If their cash is strong and equity is growing, they may decide to:
Expand to a fourth property
Reinvest in upgrades to increase nightly rates
Pay down debt to reduce risk
Optional add-on (if you want a stronger teaching moment)
Tip:
For property-based businesses, the Balance Sheet helps you separate cash flow (income from bookings) from overall financial position (property value, debt, and equity)—so you don’t mistake strong bookings for long-term financial strength.
How to Run a Balance Sheet Report
Go to Reports → Balance Sheet
From here, you can:
Adjust what you’re seeing
Filter by accounts to include or exclude specific accounts
Customize the report (gear icon)
Switch between Cash basis and Accrual basis
Adjust display settings (hide cents, expand/collapse, row height, etc.)
Save or share your report (⋯ three-dot menu)
Save as a new report for quick reuse later
Export your data for spreadsheets or tax tools
Print a copy for sharing or recordkeeping
Tips
Review your Balance Sheet regularly
Monthly check-ins help you spot trends earlyKeep accounts accurate
Make sure balances reflect real-world accountsCategorize transactions correctly
Assign transactions to the right accounts so assets and liabilities are reflected accurately.Watch cash closely
Profit doesn’t always mean cash is availableUse it with your Profit & Loss report
Together, they give you the full picture:Profit & Loss → performance over time
Balance Sheet → position at a point in time