Our Explanation of Accounts Payable provides insights on the bill paying process in a large company. Included are discussions of the three-way match, early payment discounts, end of period accruals, and more.
Our Explanation of Accounts Payable provides insights on the bill paying process in a large company. Included are discussions of the three-way match, early payment discounts, end of period accruals, and more.
See accrued rent expense. Also see accrued rent income.
Also referred to as draws. These are a reduction of owner’s equity, but are not a business expense and they do not appear on the sole proprietorship’s income statement.
The contra asset account which accumulates the amount of Depreciation Expense taken on Equipment since the equipment was acquired. As a contra asset account it will have a credit balance.
Sometimes referred to in the context of cost or expense behavior such as “variable expenses increase as volume increases.” In this context volume might be an activity such as the number of machine hours, the...
An asset having accumulated depreciation equal to its depreciable cost (cost minus estimated salvage value). The use of an asset after it is fully depreciated will mean no depreciation expense for those accounting...
A current asset account that reports the amount of future rent expense that was paid in advance of the rental period. The amount reported on the balance sheet is the amount that has not yet been used or expired as of the...
Often a liability representing the differences between the income tax expense associated with the revenues and expenses reported on a corporation’s income statements and the actual income tax appearing on the...
The depreciation method that results in the same equal amount of depreciation expense for each full year over the life of the asset. See Explanation of Depreciation for an illustration and further discussion of...
A current asset that reports the amount paid for advertising that has not yet taken place. When the advertising occurs the prepaid advertising is reduced and advertising expense is recorded.
A miscellaneous expense account used to record the difference between the amount of cash needed to replenish a petty cash fund and the amount of petty cash receipts at the time the petty cash fund is replenished.
An account in the general ledger, such as Cash, Accounts Payable, Sales, Advertising Expense, etc. To learn more, see Explanation of Chart of Accounts.
How do you account for the rebate on an automobile? The rebate on the purchase of an automobile should be recorded as a reduction of the automobile’s cost. The lower automobile cost will result in lower depreciation...
A payment. The expenditure might be for a significant long term asset (capital expenditure), a short term asset (prepaid insurance), a reduction in a liability, or for an immediate expense such as rent.
Operating expenses made to return an asset to its previous condition (rather than to make the asset more than it was originally). The amount is charged to an account such as Repairs and Maintenance Expense in the period...
The cumulative amount of depletion expense pertaining to the natural resources shown on the balance sheet. The account has a credit balance and will be reported on the balance sheet as a contra asset.
Buildings is a noncurrent or long-term asset account which shows the cost of a building (excluding the cost of the land). Buildings will be depreciated over their useful lives by debiting the income statement account...
A word used by accountants to communicate that an expense has occurred and needs to be recognized on the income statement even though no payment was made. The second part of the necessary entry will be a credit to a...
A current asset that reports the amount paid for dues that have not yet expired. As the prepaid dues expire, the account Prepaid Dues is reduced and dues expense is increased.
To report a revenue or expense that has occurred, but has not yet been entered in the accounting records as of the end of the accounting period. To learn more, see Explanation of Adjusting Entries.
A contra liability account arising when the proceeds of a note payable is less than the face amount of the note. The debit balance in this account will be amortized to interest expense over the life of the note.
The result of subtracting operating expenses from gross profit. Income from operations is the amount before non-operating items (such as gains and losses on the sale of assets, interest revenue, and interest expense).
Long term assets that are not classified as investments, property, plant, equipment, or intangible assets. An example is bond issue costs that are amortized to expense over the life of the bonds.
A contra liability account containing the amount of discount on bonds payable that has not yet been amortized to interest expense. To learn more, see Explanation of Bonds Payable.
A liability account containing the amount of premium on bonds payable that has not yet been amortized to interest expense. To learn more, see Explanation of Bonds Payable.
The systematic allocation of the costs incurred to issue bonds (reported in a contra liability account) to Interest Expense over the life of the bonds.
The allocation of one year’s income tax expense to the various sections of the income statement. For example, extraordinary items must be reported after income tax on the income statement, while operating revenues...
An example is the major overhaul of a truck’s engine that will extend the useful life of the truck. This expenditure is recorded on the balance sheet in an asset (or in a contra asset) account and then depreciated...
An amount that should be charged to the current accounting period as an expense.
A revenue, expense, gain, or loss account. To learn more, see Explanation of Income Statement.
A general ledger account which serves to summarize similar transactions. For example, all of the closing entries involving operating expenses might be posted to an operating expense clearing (or summary) account.
A promise to repair, replace, refund, etc. a product during a specified period. The company making the promise has a contingent liability and a warranty expense that should be recorded at the time the product is sold.
An amount that is expensed immediately. For example, routine repair costs on equipment are revenue expenditures because they are charged directly to an income statement account such as Repairs and Maintenance Expense.
An asset’s cost that has been assigned to Depreciation Expense.
The debit or credit balance that would be expected in a specific account in the general ledger. For example, asset accounts and expense accounts normally have debit balances. Revenues, liabilities, and...
A distribution of part of a corporation’s past profits to its stockholders. A dividend is not an expense on the corporation’s income statement.
Where are accruals reflected on the balance sheet? Definition of Accruals The accrual of expenses and liabilities refers to expenses and/or liabilities that a company has incurred, but the company has not yet paid...
, the Cash account (not the Petty Cash account) will be credited. The debits will go to the expense accounts indicated by the petty cash receipts, such as postage expense, supplies expense. In other words, the general...
sales discounts, sales returns, and sales allowances. 11. A company had gross sales of $100,000; sales returns of $1,500; sales allowances of $400; sales discounts $100; bad debts expense of $1,800; cost of goods sold...
to rent some special equipment for $2,000. The contractor will bill the client $19,000 on January 10 and will pay the equipment rental company on January 10. Under the accrual method of accounting the contractor had...
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