balancing the books
Ensuring ledgers match
Balancing the books is the practice of reconciling financial records to ensure that debits and credits match, confirming that accounts are accurate and complete.
The phrase comes from double-entry bookkeeping, where every transaction must be recorded in two places.
More broadly, it can mean settling accounts or making things even: After years of losing money, the company finally started balancing the books.
The expression sometimes carries figurative weight, suggesting justice or payback.
- bookkeepingRecording financial transactions systematically
- reconcileResolve a disagreement
- auditingExamining records for accuracy
- accountingMaintaining financial records
- bean countingPetty financial obsession
number crunching · tally · financials · debits · journal entries · ledger · credits · accounts payable · entries · fiscal responsibility · fiscal year · solvency · making ends meet · spreadsheets · adjustments · auditors · journal · profit and loss
balancing the bookscooking the books
Manipulating financial statements illegally
creative accounting · accounting fraud · embezzlement · fraud · money laundering
balancing the booksembezzlement
Fraudulent taking of entrusted assets
financial fraud · accounting fraud · money laundering · skimming · tax evasion
balancing the booksfinancial mismanagement
Improper handling of funds
overspending · insolvency · bankruptcy · financial ruin · spending spree
balance, balancing, balanced, balancer, balancers, imbalance, imbalanced, unbalanced, counterbalance