What is the difference between the current ratio and the quick ratio? Definition of Current Ratio The current ratio is the proportion, quotient, or relationship between the amount of a company’s current assets and the...
What is the difference between the current ratio and the quick ratio? Definition of Current Ratio The current ratio is the proportion, quotient, or relationship between the amount of a company’s current assets and the...
Is the provision for doubtful debts an operating expense? Definition of Provision for Doubtful Debts Some companies use Provision for Doubtful Debts as the name of the contra-asset account which is reported on the...
What is the difference between gross margin and contribution margin? Definition of Gross Margin Some use the term gross margin to mean the same as gross profit, which is: net sales minus the cost of goods sold. Others...
How does the accounting equation stay in balance when the monthly rent is paid? How a Rent Payment Affects the Accounting Equation A company’s payment of each month’s rent reduces the company’s asset Cash. This is...
What is the difference between Rent Receivable and Rent Payable? Definition of Rent Receivable Rent Receivable is an asset account in the general ledger of a landlord which reports the amount of rent that has been earned...
What is the difference between par and no par value stock? Definition of Par Value Stock Some states’ laws require or may have required common stock issued by corporations residing in their states to have a par value....
In a bank reconciliation, what happens to the outstanding checks of the previous month? Definition of Outstanding Checks Outstanding checks are checks written by a company, but the checks have not cleared the bank...
How do I learn more about the CPA Exam? You can learn more about the Uniform CPA Exam at our free Accounting Career Center. Within our Accounting Career Center are direct links to the state boards of accountancy, CPA...
What is the difference between equity financing and debt financing? Definition of Equity Financing Equity financing involves increasing the owner’s equity of a sole proprietorship or increasing the stockholders’...
What is the proper use of the words lend and borrow? If a company is granted a loan from its bank, the company is borrowing money from its bank, and the bank is lending money to one of its customers. In other words, the...
How are period costs reported in the financial statements? Under the accrual method of accounting, period costs such as selling, general and administrative expenses are reported on the income statement in the accounting...
Does a company have to use the IRS years of useful life for depreciation? For the company’s financial statements, the economic life of the asset should be used—not the years of useful life required for income tax...
What is the difference between unearned revenue and unrecorded revenue? Definition of Unearned Revenue In financial accounting, unearned revenue refers to money received prior to being earned. It is also referred to as...
Can I take the CPA Exam with a bachelor's degree? To be eligible for taking the CPA Exam you must meet the requirements of the board of accountancy in the U.S. state (or jurisdiction) in which you plan to take the CPA...
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 is the accuracy of inventory valuation so important? Definition of Inventory Accuracy Inventory accuracy means the following: Accurate counts of the items in inventory Proper cost of each item in inventory (based on...
What is the difference between Present Value (PV) and Net Present Value (NPV)? Definition of Present Value (PV) Present value or PV is the result of discounting one or more future amounts to the present. The greater the...
What is the difference between stock dividend and cash dividend? Definition of a Stock Dividend A stock dividend is a dividend consisting of additional shares of stock. Assume that before a corporation declares a stock...
What is the employer's Social Security tax rate for 2022 and 2023? Employer’s Social Security Payroll Tax for 2022 The employer’s Social Security payroll tax rate for 2022 (January 1 through December 31, 2022) is the...
Where is a manufacturer's inventory reported in the balance sheet? A manufacturer’s inventory will be reported in the current assets section of the balance sheet and in the notes to the financial statements. In the...
What is the employee's Social Security tax rate for 2022 and 2023? Social Security Payroll Tax for 2022 The employee’s Social Security payroll tax rate for 2022 (January 1 through December 31, 2022) is 6.2% of the...
What is the difference between residual value, salvage value, and scrap value? The terms residual value, salvage value, and scrap value are often used when referring to the estimated value that is expected at the end of...
How do you compute the selling price of a bond? Definition of Selling Price of Bond The selling price (or the market value) of a bond is the present value of the future contractual cash amounts that are going to be...
What is the difference between bad debt and doubtful debt? Definition of Bad Debt and Doubtful Debt In accounting, the terms bad debt and doubtful debt usually refer to the amounts owed by a company’s customers who...
How can a business increase its cash flow from operations? A business can increase its cash flow from operations (or operating activities) by looking closely at each of its current assets and current liabilities. For...
FIFO and LIFO is best with which type of products? Definition of FIFO and LIFO FIFO and LIFO pertain to the flow of products’ costs out of inventory to the cost of goods sold that is reported on the income statement....
Should capital budgeting decisions be based on cash flows or revenues and expenses? Definition of Capital Budgeting Decisions Capital budgeting assists in the investment decisions regarding assets that will have an...
How do you reduce a company's break-even point? Definition of Break-even Point The break-even point is the level of sales where a company’s income statement will report exactly zero net income. The level of sales can...
Are transportation-in costs part of the cost of goods sold? Definition of Transportation-in Costs Transportation-in costs, which are also known as freight-in costs, are part of the cost of goods purchased. The reason is...
Where do I record the refund of a registration fee? If the registration fee refers to a fee expense that you had originally paid but the amount is now being refunded to you, I would credit the same expense account that...
How does one prepare a company's first bank statement reconciliation? To prepare a bank reconciliation for a company that never prepared one previously, I would first make a list of outstanding checks. For example, if...
Where is accrued income reported in the balance sheet? Definition of Accrued Income Accrued income refers to amounts that have been earned, but the amounts have not yet been received. For example, a corporation may have...
What is the difference between prime costs and conversion costs? Cost Categories of a Manufactured Product Prime costs and conversion costs pertain to the three cost categories of a manufactured product: Direct materials...
How do you record the interest that is unpaid on a note payable? Definition of Interest Unpaid on Note Payable Interest that has occurred, but has not been paid as of a balance sheet date, is referred to as accrued...
What is the difference between biweekly and semimonthly payroll? Definition of Biweekly Payroll Biweekly payroll refers to paydays that occur 26 times per year (52 weeks in a year divided by 2 weeks = 26 times per year)....
What is the traditional method used in cost accounting? Definition of Traditional Method in Cost Accounting The traditional method of cost accounting refers to the allocation of manufacturing overhead costs to the...
What is the difference between revenue, income, and gain? Definition of Revenue Revenue is the amount earned from a company’s main operating activities, such as a retailer selling merchandise or a law firm providing...
What is the procedure for preparing a trial balance? Definition of a Trial Balance A trial balance consists of the following information: The title of each general ledger account that has a balance To the right of the...
Why does a company debit Purchases instead of Inventory? Definition of Purchases and Inventory When a company uses the periodic inventory system the amount of the company’s inventory is determined by a physical count...
What is the difference between paid-in capital and retained earnings? Definition of Paid-in Capital Paid-in capital is one of the major categories of stockholders’ equity. Generally, paid-in capital reports the amount...
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