such as prepaid insurance (or prepaid expenses). As the insurance expires, the balance in the account Prepaid Insurance should be decreased and the amount of the decrease should be reported as insurance expense on the...
such as prepaid insurance (or prepaid expenses). As the insurance expires, the balance in the account Prepaid Insurance should be decreased and the amount of the decrease should be reported as insurance expense on the...
What GPA is needed to be hired by a CPA firm? There is no single GPA (grade point average) that assures you of being hired by a CPA firm. I have seen firms pass over a student with a near-perfect GPA (3.97 out of 4.0)...
Can I take the CPA exam without having a bachelor degree? You will need to inquire with your state or jurisdiction about its requirements to take or sit for the CPA Exam. Generally, you will need to have a minimum of 150...
Where can I find free CPA exam questions? We recently learned of the following website that offers free CPA exam questions: www.cpareviewforfree.com. This free CPA review site contains an enormous amount of CPA exam...
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...
Can I capitalize this year's R&D? Generally, R&D costs cannot be capitalized for U.S. financial statements according to the Statement of Financial Accounting Standards No. 2, Accounting for Research and Development...
Which financial statement shows a corporation's worth? Not one of the financial statements will show a corporation’s worth. The balance sheet, income statement, statement of cash flows, and stockholders’ equity...
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 the difference between gross profit and net profit? Definition of Gross Profit Gross profit is defined as net sales minus the cost of goods sold. Example of Gross Profit Assume that a retailer had gross sales of...
What is the maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax in 2022 and 2023? 2022 Annual Earnings Limit for Social Security Payroll Tax The maximum amount of an employee’s 2022 earnings (and a...
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...
Why does LIFO usually produce a lower gross profit than FIFO? Definition of LIFO LIFO (which is the acronym for Last In, First Out) is a cost flow assumption in which the most recent costs of inventory items are the...
What are LIFO layers? Definition of LIFO Layer LIFO is the acronym for Last-In, First-Out. In the context of inventory, it means that the cost of the most recently purchased units will be the first costs to be matched...
What are interim financial statements? Definition of Interim Financial Statements Interim financial statements report amounts for time intervals that are shorter than a company’s annual financial statements. The...
Is the installation labor for a new asset expensed or included in the cost of the asset? Accounting for Labor to Install Asset The definition of an asset’s cost is all costs that are necessary to get an asset in place...
What are net assets? Definition of Net Assets Net assets is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. Examples of Net Assets In a sole proprietorship the amount of net assets is reported as owner’s equity. In a...
Why is Interest Expense Included in the Operating Activities Section of the Cash Flow Statement? Definition of Interest Expense Interest expense is the cost of borrowing money. Under the accrual method of accounting,...
What is the difference between product costs and period costs? A manufacturer’s product costs are the direct materials, direct labor, and manufacturing overhead used in making its products. (Manufacturing overhead is...
What is the cost of goods sold? Definition of Cost of Goods Sold The cost of goods sold is the cost of the products that a retailer, distributor, or manufacturer has sold. The cost of goods sold is reported on the income...
How do you calculate the gain or loss when an asset is sold? Definition of Gain or Loss on Sale of an Asset The gain or loss on the sale of an asset used in a business is the difference between 1) the amount of cash that...
What is the income statement? Definition of Income Statement The income statement is also known as the statement of operations, profit and loss statement, and statement of earnings. It is one of a company’s main...
What is accumulated other comprehensive income? Definition of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income Accumulated other comprehensive income is a separate line within the stockholders’ equity section of the balance...
What is the difference between assessed value and appraised value? Definition of Assessed Value Assessed value will likely be the amount that a local or state government has designated for individual properties. This...
What is the difference between gains and proceeds in terms of long-term assets? Definition of Long-term Assets Long-term assets, which are also referred to as noncurrent assets, are assets that generally are not expected...
What is a financial statement? Definition of Financial Statement Generally, the term financial statement could be referring to: General-purpose, external financial reports that are distributed by a company to people...
Why is interest expense a nonoperating expense? Definition of Interest Expense as a Nonoperating Expense Interest expense is the cost of borrowing money. For most companies the borrowing of money is not part of their...
Are depreciation, depletion and amortization similar? In accounting the terms depreciation, depletion and amortization often involve the movement of costs from the balance sheet to the income statement in a systematic...
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 the fixed asset turnover ratio? Definition of Fixed Asset Turnover Ratio The fixed asset turnover ratio shows the relationship between a company’s annual net sales and the net amount of its fixed assets. The...
What is the gross profit method of inventory? Definition of Gross Profit Method The gross profit method is a technique for estimating the amount of ending inventory. The gross profit method might be used to estimate each...
How do you amortize goodwill? Definition of Amortize Goodwill Prior to 2001, to amortize goodwill meant to consistently and in uniform increments move the reported amount of the intangible asset goodwill from the balance...
What is cost incurred? Definition of Cost Incurred A cost incurred is a cost that a company (or other organization) becomes liable for. Example of Cost Incurred Assume that a retailer begins operations on December 1 and...
What is a lease? Definition of a Lease Typically, a lease is a written agreement between an owner of property (land, building, equipment, vehicle, etc.) and a person or business that will use the property for a stated...
What is the effect on financial ratios when using LIFO instead of FIFO? Definition of Effect of LIFO Instead of FIFO During periods of significantly increasing costs, the LIFO cost flow assumption instead of the FIFO...
Why are the amounts on the financial statements rounded to thousands or millions? Definition of Rounding Amounts on Financial Statements Rounding the amounts on a company’s financial statements means dropping the less...
What is the cost of goods manufactured? Definition of Cost of Goods Manufactured The cost of goods manufactured is a calculation of the production costs of the goods that were completed during an accounting period. In...
What is the difference between expenses and payments? Definition of Expenses and Payments Under the accrual method of accounting, expenses are costs that have been used up or have been incurred in the process of earning...
Why isn't a corporation's dividend shown on its income statement? Definition of Dividend A dividend paid by a corporation on its common stock is a distribution of the corporation’s net income (earnings, profits). The...
Is the sales tax on merchandise purchased for resale included in inventory? In our state, sales tax is paid only by the end customer. In other words, a retailer does not pay sales tax on merchandise that is purchased for...
What is SG&A? Definition of SG&A SG&A is the acronym for selling, general and administrative. SG&A are the operating expenses incurred to 1) promote, sell, and deliver a company’s products and services, and 2) manage...
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