Reading Financial Reports For Dummies
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Reports to the government are more extensive than the glossy reports sent to shareholders. Although many different types of forms must be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, you can get most of the juicy information from just a few:

  • 10-K: Annual report that provides a comprehensive overview of the corporation’s business

  • 10-Q: Quarterly report that describes key financial information about the prior three months

  • 8-K: Shows any major events that could impact the financial position of the company

  • Forms 3 to 5: Reflect changes in ownership of stock by directors, officers, and major stockholders, giving you an idea of the view from the inside

About This Article

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Lita Epstein, who earned her MBA from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School, enjoys helping people develop good financial, investing and tax-planning skills.
While getting her MBA, Lita worked as a teaching assistant for the financial accounting department and ran the accounting lab. After completing her MBA, she managed finances for a small nonprofit organization and for the facilities management section of a large medical clinic.
She designs and teaches online courses on topics such as investing for retirement, getting ready for tax time and finance and investing for women. She’s written over 20 books including Reading Financial Reports For Dummies and Trading For Dummies.
Lita was the content director for a financial services Web site, MostChoice.com, and managed the Web site, Investing for Women. As a Congressional press secretary, Lita gained firsthand knowledge about how to work within and around the Federal bureaucracy, which gives her great insight into how government programs work. In the past, Lita has been a daily newspaper reporter, magazine editor, and fundraiser for the international activities of former President Jimmy Carter through The Carter Center.

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