How do you calculate the cost of carrying inventory? Definition of Cost of Carrying Inventory The cost of carrying inventory (or cost of holding inventory) is the sum of the following: Cost of money tied up in inventory,...
How do you calculate the cost of carrying inventory? Definition of Cost of Carrying Inventory The cost of carrying inventory (or cost of holding inventory) is the sum of the following: Cost of money tied up in inventory,...
What is work-in-process inventory (WIP)? Definition of Work-in-process Inventory Work-in-process (WIP) inventory pertains to the goods for which the manufacturing has begun, but not yet completed. In other words, WIP is...
What are income statement accounts? Definition of Income Statement Accounts Income statement accounts are one of two types of general ledger accounts. (The other accounts in the general ledger are the balance sheet...
What is a bond? There are several business definitions for bond. A bond could be a formal debt instrument issued by a corporation or government and purchased by investors. This is the meaning when we say that a public...
Can absorption costing cause an increase in net income? Definition of Absorption Costing Absorption costing is a cost accounting method (required by US GAAP) in which a manufacturer must assign fixed manufacturing...
Why would a balance sheet list current liabilities as negative amounts? Reasons for Negative Current Liabilities on a Balance Sheet Some older accounting software used minus signs or parentheses to indicate credit...
Can a fully depreciated asset be revalued? A fully depreciated asset cannot be revalued because of accounting’s cost principle. Definition of a Fully Depreciated Asset A fully depreciated asset is one that has...
What is bad debts? Definition of Bad Debts The term bad debts usually refers to accounts receivable (or trade accounts receivable) that will not be collected. (Bad debts is also used for notes receivable that will not be...
What is a noncurrent asset? Definition of Noncurrent Asset A noncurrent asset is an asset that is not expected to turn to cash within one year of date shown on a company’s balance sheet. (This assumes that the company...
Is sales tax an expense or a liability? Definition of Sales Tax In the U.S., a sales tax is a state tax (and possibly an additional city and/or county tax) that is paid by the buyer at the time of purchase. The sales tax...
What is a general ledger? Definition of General Ledger A general ledger is a grouping of perhaps hundreds of accounts that are used to sort and store information from a company’s business transactions. The general...
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 difference between a bookkeeper and an accounting clerk? I envision a bookkeeper as a person employed by a smaller company and being responsible for recording nearly all of its transactions. Hence, the...
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 the significance of FOB Shipping Point and FOB Destination? Significance of FOB Shipping Point and FOB Destination The terms FOB shipping point and FOB destination have significance in accounting because they...
What is bookkeeping? Definition of Bookkeeping Bookkeeping includes the recording, storing and retrieving of financial transactions for a business, nonprofit organization, individual, etc. Examples of Bookkeeping Tasks...
Is AccountingCoach.com based on GAAP or IFRS? The materials presented on AccountingCoach.com are based on U.S. GAAP. Since the accounting materials on AccountingCoach.com are generally introductory concepts, the...
What is miscellaneous expense? Definition of Miscellaneous Expense In accounting, miscellaneous expense may refer to a general ledger account in which small, infrequent transaction amounts are recorded. The account...
Should receipts be recorded using the date the money was received or the date the money was deposited in the bank accounts? Cash receipts should be recorded with the date the money was received. For example, a church...
What does the term organic growth mean? Organic growth often refers to the growth in a company’s sales that did not occur because of an acquisition of another company. Expressed another way, organic growth is...
What is the stated interest rate of a bond payable? Definition of Stated Interest Rate of a Bond The stated interest rate of a bond payable is the annual interest rate that is printed on the face of the bond and stated...
What are sales discounts? Definition of Sales Discounts Sales discounts (if offered by sellers) reduce the amounts owed to the sellers of products, when the buyers pay within the stated discount periods. Sales discounts...
What is the matching principle? Definition of Matching Principle The matching principle is one of the basic underlying guidelines in accounting. The matching principle directs a company to report an expense on its income...
With regard to depreciation, what does the term mid-month convention mean? Definition of Mid-Month Convention In depreciation, the mid-month convention means that an asset placed into service anytime during a given...
What are the accounting principles, assumptions, and concepts? Definition of Accounting Principles, Assumptions, and Concepts The basic underlying accounting principles, assumptions, and concepts include the following:...
Kindly illustrate various depreciation methods. Definition of Depreciation Depreciation is the systematic allocation of the cost of an asset to Depreciation Expenses over the asset’s useful life. If an asset will have...
What is goodwill? Definition of Goodwill In accounting, goodwill is an intangible asset associated with a business combination. Goodwill is recorded when a company acquires (purchases) another company and the purchase...
What is an account? Definition of Account In accounting, an account is a record in the general ledger that is used to sort and store transactions. For example, companies will have a Cash account in which to record every...
When are expenses credited? Definition of Expenses Credited Normally, the general ledger accounts for expenses are debited and are expected to have debit balances. The reason they are debited is they cause the normal...
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...
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...
What is the difference between the terms capitalize and depreciate? Definition of Capitalize In accounting, the term capitalize refers to adding an amount to the balance sheet as an asset (as opposed to immediately...
Should inventories be reported at their cost or at their selling prices? Definition of Inventory Cost Inventories are reported at cost, not at selling prices. A retailer’s inventory cost is the cost to purchase the...
What is periodicity in accounting? Definition of Periodicity Periodicity is an accounting assumption made by accountants so that a company’s complex and ongoing activities can be divided up into annual, quarterly, and...
What is a controller's cushion? A controller’s cushion or controller’s reserve involves temporarily recording too much expense for an item that the controller calculates. For example, the controller might budget...
What is salvage value? Definition of Salvage Value In accounting, salvage value is the amount that is expected to be received at the end of a plant asset‘s useful life. Salvage value is sometimes referred to as...
What are byproducts? Byproducts, or by-products, are products with relatively little value that emerge from a common process along with the main products. The main products have significant value and are referred to as...
What is a line of credit? In business a line of credit or credit line is an arrangement/commitment by a bank or other creditor with a customer. The agreement specifies an amount that the customer can borrow or use in the...
What is the debt to total assets ratio? Definition of Debt to Total Assets Ratio The debt to total assets ratio is an indicator of a company’s financial leverage. It tells you the percentage of a company’s total...
What are the accounting entries for a fully depreciated car? Definition of a Fully Depreciated Car A fully depreciated car is one where the car’s historical cost has already been allocated to expense (except for the...
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