1. Develop a monthly cash budget for James Confectioners for the upcoming year.

2. What recommendations can you offer Telford and Ivey James to improve their company’s cash flow?

3. If you were Claudia Fernandes, the James’s banker, would you be willing to increase the company’s line of credit? Explain.

Telford James and his wife Ivey, the second-generation owners of James Confectioners, a family-owned manufacturer of premium chocolates that was started by Telford’s father, Frank, in

1964 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, have become increasingly concerned that turmoil in the banking and financial industries could have a negative impact on their business. They have read the headlines about bank closures, heightened government scrutiny of the banking industry, and tight credit conditions, especially for small businesses. The company has a $150,000 line of credit with Maple Leaf Bank, but the Jameses want to increase it to $250,000 as a precautionary move. Last week, they contacted Claudia Fernandes, their personal banker at Maple Leaf, about increasing their line of credit.