<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Hilkey Financial]]></title><description><![CDATA[Hilkey Financial]]></description><link>https://www.hilkeyfinancial.com/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Sat, 30 May 2026 02:19:15 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.hilkeyfinancial.com/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[What Is Retainage and How Should Contractors Track It?]]></title><description><![CDATA[If you're a contractor working on commercial projects, government work, or larger residential jobs, you've almost certainly dealt with retainage. But many contractors don't track it correctly — which means they're underestimating their true accounts receivable, missing release dates, and sometimes leaving money on the table entirely. What Is Retainage? Retainage (also called retention) is a percentage of each invoice that the customer holds back until the project is substantially complete....]]></description><link>https://www.hilkeyfinancial.com/post/what-is-retainage-and-how-should-contractors-track-it</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69c6da9cdd6da1f8275e7b6e</guid><category><![CDATA[Contractor Finance]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 19:35:23 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/599cfc36e9e64341811ef890e64f1c32.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Chris Hilkey</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[13-Week Cash Flow Forecasting — The Tool That Keeps Contractors Out of Trouble]]></title><description><![CDATA[More contractors go out of business from cash flow problems than from lack of work. You can have a full backlog, profitable jobs, and still miss payroll if your cash timing is off. A 13-week rolling cash flow forecast is the tool that prevents this — and most small contractors don't have one. Why Monthly Cash Flow Isn't Enough for Contractors A monthly cash flow statement tells you what happened. A 13-week forecast tells you what's about to happen. For contractors whose revenue comes in large...]]></description><link>https://www.hilkeyfinancial.com/post/13-week-cash-flow-forecasting-the-tool-that-keeps-contractors-out-of-trouble</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69c6d9cb60f0b8e113512911</guid><category><![CDATA[Cash Flow]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 19:27:50 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_de84fbb1b5ee4f4a827fb4f500292d7c~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Chris Hilkey</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Should Your Business Be an LLC or S-Corp? A Plain English Guide]]></title><description><![CDATA[One of the most common questions small business owners ask is whether they should operate as an LLC or elect S-Corp tax status. The answer isn't one-size-fits-all — but understanding the difference can potentially save you thousands of dollars in taxes every year. Here's a plain English explanation of both. First — LLC Is a Legal Structure, S-Corp Is a Tax Election This is the most important thing to understand. An LLC (Limited Liability Company) is a legal entity that protects your personal...]]></description><link>https://www.hilkeyfinancial.com/post/should-your-business-be-an-llc-or-s-corp-a-plain-english-guide</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69c6d864a937958fa7dd5301</guid><category><![CDATA[Tax Planning]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 19:24:23 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_ddb09609a7b04f8f9a9c7cf1ee5d126c~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Chris Hilkey</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The 5 Financial Reports Every Small Business Owner Should Review Every Month]]></title><description><![CDATA[Most small business owners look at their bank balance to decide if they're doing okay financially. That's like driving by only looking in the rearview mirror. There are five financial reports that will give you a complete picture of your business — and you should be reviewing all of them every single month. 1. Profit &#38; Loss Statement (P&#38;L) Your P&#38;L shows your revenue, cost of goods sold, gross profit, operating expenses, and net income for a specific period. It tells you whether your business...]]></description><link>https://www.hilkeyfinancial.com/post/the-5-financial-reports-every-small-business-owner-should-review-every-month</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69c6d70d653657f03d6325f5</guid><category><![CDATA[Small Business Accounting]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 19:18:38 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/e55b24370d50452987eb5c86568e1d3b.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Chris Hilkey</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[How to Calculate Your True Fully-Burdened Labor Rate as a Contractor]]></title><description><![CDATA[Ask most contractors what their labor rate is and they'll tell you their employee's hourly wage. That's not their labor rate — that's their biggest pricing mistake. The true cost of an employee is significantly higher than their wage, and if you're not accounting for all of it in your bids, you're losing money on every job. What Is a Fully-Burdened Labor Rate? Your fully-burdened labor rate is the total cost per hour to employ a worker — including their wage, all payroll taxes, insurance,...]]></description><link>https://www.hilkeyfinancial.com/post/how-to-calculate-your-true-fully-burdened-labor-rate-as-a-contractor</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69c6d4badd6da1f8275e6fd3</guid><category><![CDATA[Contractor Finance]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 19:12:43 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/9e456adff0ee4a2c847cfd67a62454a3.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Chris Hilkey</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[What Is a WIP Schedule and Why Does Your Contractor Business Need One?]]></title><description><![CDATA[If you're a contractor — electrical, plumbing, HVAC, general contracting, or any trade — and you've never heard of a WIP schedule, you're not alone. Most small contractors haven't. But if you want a bank line of credit, contractor bonding, or accurate financial statements, your CPA is eventually going to ask for one. Here's everything you need to know. What Does WIP Stand For? WIP stands for Work in Progress. A WIP schedule is a financial report that shows the current status of every active...]]></description><link>https://www.hilkeyfinancial.com/post/what-is-a-wip-schedule-and-why-does-your-contractor-business-need-one</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69c6c416a937958fa7dd29e5</guid><category><![CDATA[Contractor Finance]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 18:09:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/22553ed11ea647cdaa83b3af08f66f04.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Chris Hilkey</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>