What is owner's equity? Definition of Owner’s Equity Owner’s equity is one of the three main sections of a sole proprietorship’s balance sheet and one of the components of the accounting equation: Assets =...
What is owner's equity? Definition of Owner’s Equity Owner’s equity is one of the three main sections of a sole proprietorship’s balance sheet and one of the components of the accounting equation: Assets =...
Is the deposit for a booth at a future trade show an asset? The deposit for a booth at a future trade show is an asset until the trade show occurs. Once the trade show occurs the deposit amount should be moved from the...
What is an irrevocable letter of credit? Definition of Irrevocable Letter of Credit An irrevocable letter of credit is a financial instrument used by banks to guarantee a buyer’s obligations to a seller. It is...
What is the direct write-off method? Definition of Direct Write-off Method The direct write-off method is one of the two methods normally associated with reporting accounts receivable and bad debts expense. (The other...
Where can I find a sample of a cash flow statement? A cash flow statement or statement of cash flows should be presented with a U.S. corporation’s annual financial statements. If a corporation’s stock is publicly...
What is not sufficient funds? Definition of Not Sufficient Funds Not sufficient funds or NSF or insufficient funds is a term to describe a check that has been returned by the bank because the balance in the checking...
What is the cash flow statement? Definition of Cash Flow Statement The cash flow statement (officially known as the statement of cash flows) is one of the required financial statements issued by U.S. businesses (and by...
What is LIFO? Definition of LIFO LIFO is the acronym for last-in, first-out, which is a cost flow assumption often used by U.S. corporations in moving costs from inventory to the cost of goods sold. Under LIFO, the most...
What is the double-entry system? Definition of Double-Entry System The double-entry system of accounting or bookkeeping means that for every business transaction, amounts must be recorded in a minimum of two accounts....
What is a temporary account? Definition of Temporary Account A temporary account is a general ledger account that begins each accounting year with a zero balance. Then at the end of the year its account balance is...
Are sales discounts reported as an expense? Definition of Sales Discounts Sales discounts are also known as cash discounts or early payment discounts. Sales discounts (along with sales returns and allowances) are...
What is a fiscal year? Definition of Fiscal Year A fiscal year is an accounting year that does not end on December 31. (Accounting years of January 1 through December 31 are known as calendar years.) A fiscal year could...
What does it mean to rotate stock? Definition of Rotating Inventory Stock To rotate stock means to arrange the oldest units in inventory so they are sold before the newer units. The goal is to avoid losses due to getting...
In bookkeeping, why are revenues credits? In bookkeeping, revenues are credits because revenues cause owner’s equity or stockholders’ equity to increase. Recall that the accounting equation, Assets = Liabilities +...
What is inflation accounting? In the U.S., inflation accounting has resulted in optional supplementary disclosures on the effects of 1) general inflation, and 2) changes in the prices of specific types of assets. In...
What is the effective interest rate for a bond? Definition of Effective Interest Rate of a Bond The effective interest rate of a bond is usually the market interest rate and the bond’s yield-to-maturity (as opposed to...
How do you calculate the cost of carrying inventory? Definition of Cost of Carrying Inventory The cost of carrying inventory (or cost of holding inventory) is the sum of the following: Cost of money tied up in inventory,...
What is a fringe benefit rate? Definition of Fringe Benefit Rate A fringe benefit rate is a percentage that results from dividing the cost of an employee’s fringe benefits by the wages paid to the employee for the...
How do you balance a checkbook? Definition of Balance a Checkbook To balance a company checkbook means comparing the amounts on the bank statement (or other bank account detail) to the amount in the company’s...
What is an intangible asset? Definition of Intangible Asset An intangible asset is an asset that you cannot touch, since it lacks physical substance. Accountants record intangible assets at their cost when they are...
What is self-insurance? Self-insurance means no insurance. For example, if a retailer decides to self-insure its buildings, the retailer will not have an insurance policy to pay for losses that may occur to its...
What is the employer matching of FICA? Definition of FICA FICA is the acronym for Federal Insurance Contributions Act, which requires employers to withhold the following from each employee’s paycheck: Social Security...
What is an uncleared cheque? Definition of Uncleared Cheque An uncleared cheque is a cheque (check) that has been written and recorded in the payer’s records, but has not yet been paid by the bank on which it is drawn....
What is the accrual basis of accounting? Definition of Accrual Basis of Accounting Under the accrual basis of accounting (or accrual method of accounting), revenues are reported on the income statement when they are...
What is a memorandum entry? Definition of Memorandum Entry A memorandum entry is a short message entered into the general journal and also entered into a general ledger account. It is not a complete journal entry because...
What is the entry when a company lends money to an employee? Definition of Employee Loan When a company lends money to one of its employees, the company is reducing its Cash and increasing another asset such as Other...
What is cycle counting? Cycle counting refers to physically counting a portion of the inventory items on many days throughout the year instead of counting all of the items on a single day near the end of the year. For...
What is the difference in salaries between a bookkeeper and an accountant? I estimate that a bookkeeper’s salary will be less than half of an accountant’s salary. For example, an accountant with a year or two of...
What causes a corporation's market value to be greater than its book value? One cause of a corporation’s market value being greater than its book value is the accountant’s cost principle. In order for an item to be...
What is the difference between receivables and accounts receivable? Definition of Accounts Receivables Accounts receivable are usually current assets that result from selling goods or providing services to customers on...
Which financial ratios are considered to be efficiency ratios? I consider the efficiency ratios to be the ratios also known as asset turnover ratios, activity ratios, or asset management ratios. These efficiency ratios...
Why are assets and expenses increased with a debit? Definition of Debit In accounting the term debit indicates the left side of a general ledger account or the left side of a T-account. (The right side of an account or a...
How are the balance sheet and income statement connected? Connection between Balance Sheet and Income Statement The connection between the balance sheet and the income statement results from: The use of double-entry...
What is the difference between loan interest and bank loan repayment? Definition of Loan Interest Loan interest is the expense a borrower incurs for using a lender’s money. Loan interest is also the income earned by a...
What is a suspense account? Definition of Suspense Account A suspense account is a general ledger account in which amounts are temporarily recorded. The suspense account is used because the appropriate general ledger...
What is the cost of goods available? Definition of Cost of Goods Available For non-manufacturing companies using the periodic inventory system in its general ledger, the cost of goods available (COGA, or cost of goods...
What is a condensed income statement? A condensed income statement is one that summarizes much of the income statement detail into a few captions and amounts. For example, a retailer’s condensed income statement will...
What is the advantage of issuing bonds instead of stock? Definition of Bonds Bonds payable are a form of long-term debt, which include a formal agreement to pay interest semiannually and the principal amount at maturity....
What is a liability? Definition of Liability A liability is an obligation arising from a past business event. It is reported on a company’s balance sheet. Liabilities are also part of the basic accounting equation:...
Is it a requirement for a small business to have a CPA? Generally, a small business is not required to have a CPA or certified public accountant. A CPA would be needed if the small business must have its financial...
Featured Review
"I am an entrepreneur who strives to grow and diversify my business by expanding the knowledge and skills I need to reach my highest potential. This is the reason why I became a PRO user at AccountingCoach. The provided materials make it easy for anyone to learn the basics of accounting, as well as apply them to succeed in independently managing your finances to ensure that you make the best decisions for your business." - Shanelle S.
Join PRO or PRO Plus and Get Lifetime Access to Our Premium Materials
Read all 2,645 reviews
For the past 52 years, Harold Averkamp (CPA, MBA) has
worked as an accounting supervisor, manager, consultant, university instructor, and innovator in teaching accounting online. He is the sole author of all the materials on AccountingCoach.com.
We now offer 10 Certificates of Achievement for Introductory Accounting and Bookkeeping: