How do you record a payment for insurance? Definition of Payment for Insurance A company’s property insurance, liability insurance, business interruption insurance, etc. often covers a one-year period with the cost...
How do you record a payment for insurance? Definition of Payment for Insurance A company’s property insurance, liability insurance, business interruption insurance, etc. often covers a one-year period with the cost...
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...
The accounting method under which revenues are recognized on the income statement when they are earned (rather than when the cash is received). The balance sheet is also affected at the time of the revenues by either an...
Depreciation(Quick Test #2) Download PDF After you have answered all 20 questions, click "Grade This Quick Test" at the bottom of the page to view your grade and receive feedback on your answers. Note: Some of the...
Since our Explanation of Cash Flow Statement illustrates how the amounts are determined, you will get a better understanding of this very important financial statement. No longer will you look at only the income...
If an accrual adjusting entry increases an expense and a liability, how does the balance sheet remain in balance? An expense is a temporary account which reduces owner’s equity or stockholders’ equity. The decrease...
Is a manufacturer's product warranty part of its manufacturing overhead or is it part of its SG&A expense? The costs associated with a manufacturer’s product warranty are part of its selling expenses and therefore part...
Our Explanation of Nonprofit Accounting includes a chart that contrasts the financial statements of a nonprofit (or not-for-profit) organization with those of a for-profit business corporation. There are many examples to...
What are mixed costs? Definition of Mixed Costs In accounting, the term mixed costs refers to costs and expenses that consist of two components: A fixed component, the total of which does not change as the volume of...
A current asset which indicates the cost of the insurance contract (premiums) that have been paid in advance. It represents the amount that has been paid but has not yet expired as of the balance sheet date. A related...
A cost or expense where the total changes in proportion to changes in volume or activity. For example, if a company pays a sales commission on all of its sales, commission expense is a variable expense because...
A method for recognizing bad debts expense arising from credit sales. Under this method there is no allowance account. Rather, an account receivable is written-off directly to expense only after the account is determined...
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.
What is the interest coverage ratio? Definition of Interest Coverage Ratio The interest coverage ratio is a financial ratio used as an indicator of a company’s ability to pay the interest on its debt. (The required...
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 a variable cost? Definition of Variable Cost A variable cost is a constant amount per unit produced or used. Therefore, the total amount of the variable cost will change proportionately with the change in volume...
Why are loan costs amortized? Definition of Loan Costs Loan costs may include legal and accounting fees, registration fees, appraisal fees, processing fees, etc. that were necessary costs in order to obtain a loan. If...
Adjusting Entries(Quick Test #4 with Coaching) Download PDF This Quick Test with Coaching includes a “View Coaching” button to the right of each answer box. If you choose to click the button, an explanation for the...
What to do with the balance in Allowance for Doubtful Accounts? Definition of Allowance for Doubtful Accounts The Allowance for Doubtful Accounts is a contra asset account that is used with the balance in Accounts...
Does paying an account payable affect net income? Definition of Paying Accounts Payable Under the accrual basis of accounting, expenses are recorded when they have occurred, not when they are paid. Therefore, if an...
What are the effects of depreciation? Definition of Depreciation Depreciation is the systematic allocation of the cost of a company’s assets used in its business from the balance sheet to the income statement (as an...
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...
Are earnings different from profits? Earnings and profits are often used interchangeably. Others might make a distinction between the two words. In the case of earnings per share, earnings means a corporation’s net...
Operating Budgets(Quick Test) Download PDF After you have answered all 25 questions, click "Grade This Quick Test" at the bottom of the page to view your grade and receive feedback on your answers. Note: Some of the...
Bonds Payable (Flashcards) Download Single-Sided PDF Download Double-Sided PDF All Cards (40) Marked Wrong (0) Marked Right (0) bonds payable These long-term debt securities are likely to require semiannual interest...
What does capitalize mean? Definition of Capitalize In accounting, the word capitalize means to record an expenditure as an asset. The cost of this asset is then allocated to expense over its useful life. (If the...
What is zero-based budgeting? Definition of Zero-Based Budgeting Zero-based budgeting, or ZBB, is a rigorous budgeting process that requires that every dollar of every expense in the budget be justified, even if the...
Why would Prepaid Insurance have a credit balance? Definition of Prepaid Insurance Generally, Prepaid Insurance is a current asset account that has a debit balance. The debit balance indicates the amount that remains...
What is the direct write-off method? Definition of Direct Write-off Method The direct write-off method is one of the two methods normally associated with reporting accounts receivable and bad debts expense. (The other...
How does the purchase of a new machine affect the profit and loss statement? Definition of New Machine’s Effect on Profit The purchase of a new machine that will be used in a business will affect the profit and loss...
What does amortization mean? Definition of Amortization In general, the word amortization means to systematically reduce a balance over time. In accounting, amortization is conceptually similar to the depreciation of a...
Does sales commission get reported in the income statement? Definition of Sales Commissions Sales commissions are amounts earned by selling another company’s goods or services and paid by the company whose goods or...
Usually a change in the estimated useful life of an asset or a change in the estimated salvage value. The change usually causes a change in the depreciation expense for the current year and subsequent years. The...
A financial ratio that compares a company’s interest expense to the company’s income before interest expense and income taxes. It is an indicator of the likelihood that interest payments will be made in the...
Repairs that do not improve an asset or extend the asset’s life. These repairs are charged to Repairs Expense or Maintenance Expense when incurred. Major repairs such as a complete engine overhaul that extends the...
Our Explanation of Working Capital and Liquidity provides you with an in-depth look at the components of working capital and the challenges of converting current assets to cash before obligations come due. You will see...
What is the tax advantage when bonds are issued instead of stock? Definition of Bonds and Stock In this context, bonds refers to bonds payable, a form of long-term debt that typically promises to pay interest every six...
What is a deferral adjusting entry? Definition of Deferral Adjusting Entry A deferral adjusting entry (one of three types of adjusting entries) pertains to a transaction that has already been recorded in the general...
What are the various types of adjusting entries? Types of Adjusting Entries Adjusting entries, which are required in order to have a company’s financial statements comply with the accrual method of accounting, are...
Our Explanation of Bonds Payable covers the recording of bonds, the accrual of interest expense, and the amortization of the discount and premium on bonds payable. You gain an understanding on why the market value of...
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