What is working capital? Definition of Working Capital Working capital is the amount of a company’s current assets minus the amount of its current liabilities. Example of Working Capital Let’s assume that a...
What is working capital? Definition of Working Capital Working capital is the amount of a company’s current assets minus the amount of its current liabilities. Example of Working Capital Let’s assume that a...
How do you record a return deposit item on a bank statement? Definition of Return Deposit Item A return deposit item is usually a customer’s check that was part of a company’s bank deposit. When the company’s bank...
In accounting, what is the meaning of cr.? In accounting, cr. is the abbreviation for credit. In accounting and in bookkeeping, credit or cr. indicates an entry on the right side of a general ledger account. Credit...
What is the working capital turnover ratio? Definition of Working Capital Turnover Ratio The working capital turnover ratio is also referred to as net sales to working capital. It indicates a company’s effectiveness in...
What is IFRS? IFRS is the acronym for International Financial Reporting Standards. IFRS is used throughout the world except in the United States where U.S. GAAP (generally accepted accounting principles) is followed....
If a mortgage payment is due on January 1, should the payment be accrued at December 31? The following answer assumes that the accrual basis of accounting (also known as the accrual method of accounting) is being used…...
What is the earnings per share (EPS) ratio? Definition of Earnings per Share The earnings per share ratio, or simply earnings per share, or EPS, is a corporation’s 1) net income (or earnings) after tax that is...
What are dividends? In accounting, dividends often refers to the cash dividends that a corporation pays to its stockholders (or shareholders). Dividends are often paid quarterly, but could be paid at other times. For a...
What is the purpose of the cash flow statement? Definition of Cash Flow Statement The cash flow statement or statement of cash flows or SCF identifies a company’s major cash inflows and outflows that occurred the same...
What is the definition of net sales? Definition of Net Sales Net sales is a company’s gross sales of products minus any sales discounts and sales returns and allowances. When a company makes a sale, the general ledger...
What is a voided check? A voided check is a check written or partially written but then canceled or deleted by the maker of the check. The notation of “void” is used because checks are prenumbered for control...
What is the difference between fixed assets and noncurrent assets? Fixed Assets are Part of Noncurrent Assets Fixed assets are one of several categories of noncurrent assets. Fixed assets are usually reported on the...
What does the term arrears mean in accounting? Definition of Arrears In accounting, the term arrears will be used in the following situations: If a corporation does not declare and pay the dividend on its cumulative...
Are fixed assets the same as plant assets? Definition of Fixed Assets and Plant Assets My experience indicates that people use the term fixed assets to mean the same as plant assets. As a result, I define both fixed...
What is an asset account? Definition of an Asset Account An asset account is a general ledger account used to sort and store the debit and credit amounts from a company’s transactions involving the company’s...
Where are short-term bank loans reported on the statement of cash flows? Definition of Short-Term Bank Loans Short-term bank loans are generally loans that must be repaid within one year of the date of the balance sheet....
Where can I find an illustration of a common size balance sheet? You will find an illustration of a common size balance sheet under AccountingCoach.com’s Explanation of Financial Ratios. The common size balance sheet...
Isn't objectivity violated when estimates are used in bookkeeping and accounting? The use of estimates does not necessarily violate objectivity. If it is not possible to determine the exact amount of an expense and/or...
What is the difference between Notes Payable and Accounts Payable? Definition of Notes Payable The account Notes Payable is a liability account in which a borrower’s written promise to pay a lender is recorded. (The...
What is an outstanding deposit? Definition of Outstanding Deposit An outstanding deposit refers to a company’s receipts (cash, checks from customers, etc.) which have been recorded in the company’s general ledger...
What is the statement of comprehensive income? Definition of Statement of Comprehensive Income The statement of comprehensive income is one of the five financial statements required in a complete set of financial...
Is it possible for owner's equity to be a negative amount? Definition of Negative Owner’s Equity Negative owner’s equity means the amount of a sole proprietorship’s liabilities exceeds the amount of its assets....
What is the meaning of debit? Definition of Debit The term debit is similar to the term used in Italy more than 500 years ago when the double entry accounting system was documented. What you need to know today is that...
What are wages payable? Definition of Wages Payable Wages payable refers to the wages that a company’s employees have earned, but have not yet been paid. Under the accrual method of accounting, this amount is likely...
How do I start a petty cash fund? Definition of Petty Cash Fund A petty cash fund is a small amount of money available to pay small amounts without requiring the processing of a business check. Example of Starting a...
What type of account is the Dividends account? Definition of Dividends Account When a corporation declares a cash dividend, the amount declared will reduce the amount of the corporation’s retained earnings. Instead of...
Why is a negative cash balance reported as a liability? The following will illustrate why a negative cash balance is reported as a liability instead of being reported as a negative asset amount. Company X writes checks...
What is a current liability? Definition of Current Liability A current liability is: An obligation that will be due within one year of the date of the company’s balance sheet, and Will require the use of a current...
What is the provision for bad debts? Definition of Provision for Bad Debts The provision for bad debts could refer to the balance sheet account also known as the Allowance for Bad Debts, Allowance for Doubtful Accounts,...
What is a journal entry? Definition of a Journal Entry In manual accounting or bookkeeping systems, business transactions are first recorded in a journal…hence the term journal entry. Journal entries that are recorded...
What are adjusting entries? Definition of Adjusting Entries Adjusting entries are usually made on the last day of an accounting period (year, quarter, month) so that a company’s financial statements comply with the...
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...
Why is prepaid insurance a short term asset? Definition of Prepaid Insurance as a Short-term Asset Prepaid insurance is usually a short term or current asset because insurance premiums are rarely billed for periods...
Are salaried employees entitled to overtime pay? Some salaried employees are entitled to overtime pay. The salaried employees entitled to overtime pay are referred to as nonexempt employees. Nonexempt means that the...
How do I determine my payroll tax liabilities? Your payroll tax liabilities will include the following: Federal, state, and local income taxes withheld from employees’ wages, salaries, bonuses, etc. but not yet...
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...
Why does an increase in accounts payable appear as an addition on the statement of cash flows? Adjustments from Accrual to Cash on Statement of Cash Flows When the statement of cash flows (SCF, cash flow statement) is...
What is a deferral? Definition of Deferral A deferral often refers to an amount that was paid or received, but the amount cannot be reported on the current income statement since it will be an expense or revenue of a...
What is a current asset? Definition of Current Asset A current asset is a company’s cash and its other assets that are expected to be converted to cash within one year of the date appearing in the heading of the...
Is the reversal of a previous year's accrued expense permanent? Definition of Reversal of Accrued Expense An accrued expense typically requires an accrual adjusting entry recorded at the end of an accounting year (or any...
Featured Review
"I cannot think of another program that I have seen that has given me access to this type of both current and relevant accounting situations. My goal is to prepare myself to return to the workforce and the AccountingCoach program is certainly refurbishing my skill set, providing the confidence that I was hoping to have to be successful. This is so good that I highly recommend this program to anyone who is looking to solidify their skills or just wants to have access to an enormous library of accounting questions and solutions. Thank you AccountingCoach." - Vincent A.
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: