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 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....
If a company issues stocks or bonds to pay outstanding debt, should this noncash transaction be included in the cash flow statement? If a company issues stocks or bonds for cash and then pays off the debt, the...
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...
Where is the premium or discount on bonds payable presented on the balance sheet? Definition of Premium or Discount on Bonds Payable The premium or discount on bonds payable is the difference between the amount received...
What is a nonprofit organization? A nonprofit organization is an organization without commercial owners and which addresses the needs of society. Nonprofit organizations are also known as not-for-profits, NFP’s or...
What is a certificate of deposit? Definition of Certificate of Deposit A certificate of deposit, also referred to as a CD, is a time deposit at a bank, credit union, or other financial institution. A certificate of...
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...
Is contributed capital a noncurrent asset or a current asset, and is it a debit or credit? Definition of Contributed Capital Contributed capital is one of the major components of a corporation’s stockholders’ equity....
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...
Can you help me to understand credit memo and debit memo in the bank reconciliation? Definition of Bank Credit Memo A bank credit memo is an item on a company’s bank account statement that increases a company’s...
How is petty cash reported on the financial statements? Definition of Petty Cash Petty Cash is a small amount of money that a company has available to pay small amounts without writing a company check. The money might be...
What is opportunity cost? Definition of Opportunity Cost Opportunity cost is the profit that was lost or missed because of some action or failure to take some action. Some refer to opportunity cost as opportunity lost....
What is the accounting equation? Definition of Accounting Equation The accounting equation of a sole proprietorship is assets = liabilities + owner’s equity. For a corporation, the accounting equation is assets =...
What is the difference between adjusting entries and closing entries? Definition of Adjusting Entries Adjusting entries are made at the end of the accounting period (but prior to preparing the financial statements) in...
What is a dividend and why is it needed? A dividend paid by a corporation is a distribution of profits to the owners of the corporation. The owners of a corporation are known as stockholders or shareholders. (In a sole...
What is the purpose of subsidiary ledgers? Definition of Subsidiary Ledger A subsidiary ledger contains the details to support a general ledger control account. For instance, the subsidiary ledger for accounts receivable...
What is capital surplus? Definition of Capital Surplus In the past, capital surplus was used to describe what is now referred to as paid-in capital in excess of par or Premium on Common Stock. Example of Capital Surplus...
What is the FUTA tax? Definition of FUTA Tax FUTA is the acronym for the Federal Unemployment Tax Act and is associated with a federal payroll or employment tax paid solely by the employer. (This unemployment tax is in...
What is net income? Definition of Net Income Net income is the positive result of a company’s revenues and gains minus its expenses and losses. A negative result is referred to as net loss. (There are a few gains and...
How do the income statements of a sole proprietorship and a regular corporation differ? Definition of Income Statements of Sole Proprietorship and Regular Corporation The income statement of a sole proprietorship and a...
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 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...
What is accounts payable? Definition of Accounts Payable Accounts payable involves the amounts owed by a company to its suppliers (vendors) for goods or services the company received on credit. Accounts payable is also...
What is gross pay? Definition of Gross Pay Gross pay is the amount an employee is paid before the employer withholds FICA (Social Security and Medicare payroll taxes), income taxes (federal, state, local) if applicable,...
What is an escrow payment? An escrow payment is an amount deposited with another party and it is to be released only for its specified purpose. The following is one example of an escrow payment. A borrower and lender...
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:...
What does a debit signify in bookkeeping? In bookkeeping, a debit can signify an increase in an asset, an expense, and the owner’s draws. A debit can also signify a decrease in a liability, revenues, and owner’s...
Where do preferred stocks go on the P&L? The amount received from issuing preferred stock is reported on the balance sheet within the stockholders’ equity section. Only the annual preferred dividend is reported on the...
What is a long-term asset? Definition of Long-term Asset A long-term asset is an asset that is not expected to be converted to cash or be consumed within one year of the date shown in the heading of the balance sheet....
What is a contra expense account? Definition of Contra Expense Account A contra expense account is a general ledger expense account that will intentionally have a credit balance (instead of the debit balance that is...
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....
What is a post-dated check? Definition of a Post-dated Check A post-dated check (or post-dated cheque) is a check written with a future date. In other words, the date that appears on the check is after the date when the...
Should a retailer's delivery surcharges be reported as revenues or as other income? I believe that a retailer’s delivery surcharges are a price adjustment and should be reported as operating revenues. The surcharges...
Why are sales a credit? Definition of Sales In accounting, sales are revenues earned when a company transfers ownership of its goods to its customers. Under the accrual basis or method of accounting, the sale occurs when...
What is interest payable? Definition of Interest Payable Interest payable is the interest expense that has been incurred (has already occurred) but has not been paid as of the date of the balance sheet. [Interest payable...
What is a special journal? Definition of a Special Journal A special journal (also known as a specialized journal) is useful in a manual accounting or bookkeeping system to reduce the tedious task of recording both the...
Is an automobile loan payment an expense? Only the interest portion of an automobile loan payment is an expense. The principal portion of the loan payment is a reduction of the loan balance, which is reported as a Note...
Are LIFO inventory amounts ever written-up to their market value? LIFO inventory amounts will not be written-up, even when the current market value of the inventory is far greater than the amount reported on the balance...
What is net? In accounting, net usually refers to the combination of positive and negative amounts. For example, the amount of net sales is the combination of the amount of gross sales (a positive amount) and some...
What is a restrictive endorsement? Definition of Restrictive Endorsement A restrictive endorsement or restricted endorsement places a limitation on the use of a check or other negotiable financial instrument. Using a...
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