will be in the corporation's checking account. Often the retained earnings will end up in long-term assets as a profitable corporation seeks to expand or improve its business operations. Some corporations will use...
will be in the corporation's checking account. Often the retained earnings will end up in long-term assets as a profitable corporation seeks to expand or improve its business operations. Some corporations will use...
Our Explanation of Adjusting Entries gives you a process and an understanding of how to make the adjusting entries in order to have an accurate balance sheet and income statement. Eight examples including T-accounts for...
Our Explanation of Debits and Credits describes the reasons why various accounts are debited and/or credited. For the examples we provide the logic, use T-accounts for a clearer understanding, and the appropriate general...
debts expense sooner, and 2) through the Allowance for Doubtful Accounts the net realizable value of the receivables will be reduced sooner. 20. Which of the following methods of reporting bad debts expense is preferred...
Financial Statements Video Training Part 7 Balance sheet: long-term liabilities, stockholders' equity Must-Watch Video Learn How to Advance Your Accounting and Bookkeeping Career Perform better at your current job...
How do you record a dividend payment to stockholders? Definition of Dividend Payment to Stockholders A dividend payment to stockholders is usually a cash payment which reduces the corporation’s asset cash and the...
A corporation has a large balance in retained earnings. Does that mean that its dividends to stockholders will be increasing? Definition of Retained Earnings Retained earnings is one part of a corporation’s...
Our Explanation of Income Statement helps you learn the most important features of a corporation's income statement (also known as the statement of operations or profit and loss statement). We provide more understanding...
Our Explanation of Financial Ratios includes calculations and descriptions of 15 financial ratios. As you calculate the financial ratios you will also gain a deeper understanding of a company's operations and financial...
Our Explanation of Payroll Accounting discusses the taxes and benefits which are withheld from employees' pay as well as the taxes and benefits that are expenses for the employers. Also provided are examples of the...
What is ERP? Definition of ERP In accounting, ERP is the acronym for enterprise resource planning. ERP could be described as a database software package that supports all of a business’s processes and operations...
What accounting entry is made when a company receives an order for its goods or services? Definition of Accounting Entry When an Order is Received At the time when a company receives a customer’s order (without...
What is a standard cost? Definition of Standard Cost A standard cost is described as a predetermined cost, an estimated future cost, an expected cost, a budgeted unit cost, a forecast cost, or as the “should be”...
What is float? Definition of Float In accounting and bookkeeping, float is the time between the writing of a check and the time that the check clears the bank account on which it is drawn. Examples of Float Payer...
Why does a company prepare a bank reconciliation? Reasons for Preparing a Bank Reconciliation There are several reasons for a company to prepare a bank reconciliation: To safeguard the company’s cash. Performing a bank...
What is the difference between accounts payable and accrued expenses payable? Definition of Accounts Payable Accounts Payable is a liability account in which suppliers’ or vendors’ approved invoices are recorded. As...
What is the meaning of systematic and rational allocation? Definition of Systematic and Rational Allocation Systematic and rational allocation is typically included in the definition of depreciation. In this context, it...
What is gross profit? Definition of Gross Profit Gross profit is defined as net sales minus the cost of goods sold. Gross profit is sometimes referred to as gross margin. (However, gross margin can also mean the gross...
How is a short term bank loan recorded? Definition of Short Term Bank Loan When a company borrows money from its bank and agrees to repay the loan amount within a year, the company will record the loan by increasing its...
How do I determine the cost of missing inventory? Definition of Determining the Cost of Missing Inventory The approximate cost of missing inventory is the difference between 1) the cost of the inventory items that are...
How do you calculate an asset's salvage value? Definition of Asset Salvage Value In accounting, an asset’s salvage value is the estimated amount that a company will receive at the end of a plant asset’s useful life....
How do you record a deposit on utilities? Definition of Deposit on Utilities A new customer of a public utility (electricity, natural gas, telephone, etc.) may be required to pay a refundable amount known as a utility...
Why do bonds rarely sell for their maturity value? The reasons why bonds rarely sell for their maturity value are: The interest paid is usually fixed at the interest rate that is stated on the face of the bond. As a...
What is meant by reconciling an account? Definition of Reconciling an Account Reconciling an account is likely to mean proving or documenting that an account balance is correct. Examples of Reconciling an Account When a...
Where is the discount on the purchase of office furniture recorded? Definition of Discount on Purchase of Office Furniture The discount on the purchase of office furniture that will be used by a company (as opposed to...
What is a purchase discount? Definition of Purchase Discount A purchase discount is a deduction that a company may receive if the supplier offers it and the company pays the supplier’s invoice within a specified period...
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...
What does it mean to amortize the premium, discount, and issue costs on bonds payable? Definition of Amortize Premium, Discount, and Issue Costs With regards to bonds payable, the term amortize means to systematically...
When should costs be expensed and when should costs be capitalized? Definition of Costs In the context of the question, costs are the amounts paid in exchange for materials, products, or services. The costs could be:...
Is a postdated check considered to be currency? A postdated check—a check with a date that is later than the current date—is not considered to be currency. Further, the postdated check should not be reported as part...
What is the units of activity depreciation? Definition of Units-of-Activity Depreciation The units-of-activity depreciation is unique among the common methods of depreciation in that the useful life of the asset being...
What is the meaning of pro rata? Pro rata is a Latin term that means in proportion. Pro rata is related to prorate, a term used in cost accounting. To illustrate the term pro rata, let’s assume that a company’s...
What is the purpose of assigning accounts receivable? The purpose of assigning accounts receivable is to provide collateral in order to obtain a loan. To illustrate, let’s assume that a corporation receives a special...
What is meant by owner's draws? Definition of Owner’s Draws Owner’s draws are withdrawals of a sole proprietorship’s cash or other assets made by the owner for the owner’s personal use. The account in which the...
What is COS? Definition of COS In accounting, the acronym COS could indicate either cost of sales or cost of services. The income statement of a manufacturer or a retailer might use the term cost of sales or it might use...
What are accruals? Definition of Accruals The accounting and bookkeeping term accruals refers to adjustments that must be made before a company’s financial statements are issued. Accruals involve the following types of...
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...
Reconciling the Bank Statement When preparing a bank reconciliation, you may find the following tip to be helpful: “Put it where it ain’t.” My now deceased neighbor (Herb) insisted that I share this tip, which he...
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...
Featured Review
"I took an accounting course 30+ years ago but never really used it in my job(s). My job recently expanded into bookkeeping and I want to hone my skills; AccountingCoach is perfect for this - it allows me to move at my own pace, and I love the test quizzes and crossword puzzles - I can really see how I am retaining the information. The price of the course is well worth it!" - Debbie M.
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: