What is a compilation? Definition of Compilation A compilation refers to a company’s financial statements that have been prepared or compiled by an outside accountant. A compilation is usually part of an accounting...
What is a compilation? Definition of Compilation A compilation refers to a company’s financial statements that have been prepared or compiled by an outside accountant. A compilation is usually part of an accounting...
What are marketable securities? Marketable securities are unrestricted financial instruments which can be readily sold on a stock exchange or bond exchange. Marketable securities are often classified into two groups:...
What is inventory? Definition of Inventory Inventory is a very significant current asset for retailers, distributors, and manufacturers. Inventory serves as a buffer between 1) a company’s sales of goods, and 2) its...
Is the current portion of long term debt adjusted monthly? A monthly adjustment to the current portion of long term debt is necessary when: 1. the company issues monthly balance sheets, and 2. the amount to be paid on a...
Why is there a difference in the amounts for Bad Debts Expense and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts? Amount Reported as Bad Debts Expense The amount reported in the income statement account Bad Debts Expense pertains to...
What are balance sheet accounts? Definition of Balance Sheet Accounts Balance sheet accounts are one of two types of general ledger accounts. (The other accounts in the general ledger are the income statement accounts.)...
What is the cost of capital? Definition of Cost of Capital The cost of capital is the weighted-average, after-tax cost of a corporation’s long-term debt, preferred stock (if any), and the stockholders’ equity...
What is burn rate? In business, burn rate is usually the monthly amount of cash spent in the early years of a start-up business. Burn rate is an important metric since the new business must spend time and money...
Are estimates allowed in bookkeeping? While bookkeeping involves mostly precise amounts from sales and purchase invoices, cash receipts and checks written, etc. there are situations when estimates need to be entered....
What is principles of accounting? Three meanings come to mind when you ask about principles of accounting… Principles of accounting was often the title of the introductory course in accounting. It was also common for...
What to do with the balance in Allowance for Doubtful Accounts? Definition of Allowance for Doubtful Accounts The Allowance for Doubtful Accounts is a contra asset account that is used with the balance in Accounts...
What is the difference between book depreciation and tax depreciation? Definition of Book Depreciation Book depreciation is the amount recorded in the company’s general ledger accounts and reported on the company’s...
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...
Where does the interest paid on bank loans get reported on the statement of cash flows. Definition of Interest on Bank Loans The interest on bank loans is usually an expense of the accounting period in which the interest...
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...
At what point are revenues considered to be earned? Revenues, which are derived from an entity’s main activities such as the sale of merchandise or the performance of service, are considered to be earned when the...
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...
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 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...
What is a plant asset? What is a Plant Asset A plant asset is an asset with a useful life of more than one year that is used in producing revenues in a business’s operations. Plant assets are also known as fixed...
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 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 a general ledger? Definition of General Ledger A general ledger is a grouping of perhaps hundreds of accounts that are used to sort and store information from a company’s business transactions. The general...
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 the free cash flow ratio? Definition of Free Cash Flow Free cash flow for a year is an amount (as opposed to a ratio or percentage) usually defined as: net cash provided by operating activities for the year minus...
What is bank balance and book balance? Definition of Bank Balance The term bank balance is commonly used when reconciling the bank statement. It is also known as the balance per bank or balance per bank statement....
What is a defined contribution pension plan? A defined contribution pension plan is one in which the employer contributes an amount into each eligible employee’s account within an established plan. The employee decides...
What is work-in-process inventory (WIP)? Definition of Work-in-process Inventory Work-in-process (WIP) inventory pertains to the goods for which the manufacturing has begun, but not yet completed. In other words, WIP is...
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 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 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...
If a company earns a profit, which balance sheet items change? Definition of Profit Profit is the result of revenues minus expenses. How Profits Change the Balance Sheet Since all business transactions affect at least...
What are some examples of investing activities? Definition of Investing Activities Investing activities often refers to the cash flows from investing activities, which is one of the three main sections of the statement...
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:...
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...
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 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...
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 a favorable variance? Definition of a Variance In accounting the term variance usually refers to the difference between an actual amount and a planned or budgeted amount. For example, if a company’s budget for...
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...
Featured Review
"I have been doing bookkeeping for over 20 years, mostly for easy clients with no assets. Becoming a PRO user helps me when I occasionally take on a client with a more complex business. With one client in particular, I came across a situation I was not quite sure how to handle. I was able to go to AccountingCoach and quickly resolve my dilemma! The platform is awesome. It is so easy to maneuver around. I love being able to take the ‘Quick Tests’, which are a great refresher. I love the ‘Questions Answered’ portion as well. This is a great program for not only the seasoned bookkeepers, but also for the ones just breaking into the business." - Deborah R.
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: