BALANCING BOTH SIDES: USING BOTH SIDES OF YOUR BALANCE SHEET

Download full commentary here: “Neither a borrower nor a bad credit loan lender be, for loan oft loses both itself and friend.” So said William Shakespeare through his character Polonius in Act I Scene III of the play Hamlet. If you are on big debt Use the calculator on the debt payoff guide to see how extra payments can shorten your payoff time. Making extra payments each month on your debt can also lower your credit utilization ratio, which in turn can improve your credit score.

While Shakespeare clearly had a way with words and insight into human psychology, he also was in need of sound financial advice on how to get out of debt. Owners of financial capital are tasked with its prudent deployment so as to earn appropriate return in support of a family’s or institution’s mission. As such, there is much time and devotion spent on the management of assets.

But what about the other side of the balance sheet? After all, many of our clients accumulated significant wealth through business building either as an entrepreneur or as an innovator within a larger organization. In doing so, these business leaders clearly understood the importance of capital structure – that is to say the mix of equity and borrowing that funded the assets needed to achieve their business mission. It is no different after the transition of managing an operating asset to managing financial assets. It is critical to have control over both sides of your balance sheet.