What is an outstanding check? Definition of Outstanding Check An outstanding check is a check that a company has issued and recorded in its general ledger accounts, but the check has not yet cleared the bank account on...
What is an outstanding check? Definition of Outstanding Check An outstanding check is a check that a company has issued and recorded in its general ledger accounts, but the check has not yet cleared the bank account on...
What is a T-account? Definition of T-Account A T-account is a visual aid used to depict a general ledger account. The account title is written above the horizontal part of the “T”. On the left-side of the vertical...
How can I determine the inventory methods used by other companies in my industry? Definition of Inventory Methods Inventory methods refers to the order or manner in which a company moves its actual costs out of 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...
What is the difference between entries in a general journal versus a general ledger? Definition of General Journal The general journal is described as the book of original entry. Today the general journal is used to...
When do you adjust the amount of prepaid expenses? Definition of Adjusting Prepaid Expenses The balance in the current asset account Prepaid Expenses should be adjusted prior to a company issuing its financial...
How do I learn of new accounting rules? The U.S. accounting rules issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) can be found on its free website www.fasb.org/st/. There you will find: FASB Statements...
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...
Seventeen years ago I earned an accounting degree. How should I proceed to become a CPA? To pass the CPA Exam you will need to review all that you had learned plus get current on accounting and auditing standards that...
What are payroll taxes? Definition of Payroll Taxes The payroll taxes are the federal, state, and local taxes that pertain to the wages, salaries, commissions, bonuses, etc. of a company’s employees. Some of the...
What is discount on bonds payable? Definition of Discount on Bonds Payable Discount on bonds payable (or bond discount) occurs when a corporation issues bonds and receives less than the bonds’ face or maturity amount....
What is DCF? In accounting, DCF refers to discounted cash flows or to the discounted cash flow techniques such as net present value or internal rate of return. DCF is a preferred method for evaluating capital...
Is contribution margin the same as operating income? Definition of Contribution Margin Contribution margin is defined as revenues minus the variable costs and variable expenses. Example of Contribution Margin Assume that...
Why is inventory turnover important? Definition of Inventory Turnover A company’s inventory turnover is often expressed as the company’s cost of goods sold for a year divided by the average cost of inventory during...
How many days after a month ends should the bank reconciliation be done? Definition Bank Reconciliation The bank reconciliation (if prepared or reviewed by someone other than the person with access to the checking...
What is common stock outstanding? Definition of Common Stock Outstanding Common stock outstanding is defined as the shares of common stock that have been issued minus any shares of common stock known as treasury stock....
What is the break-even point? Definition of Break-even Point In accounting, the break-even point refers to the revenues necessary to cover a company’s total amount of fixed and variable expenses during a specified...
What is the meaning of a favorable budget variance? Definition of a Favorable Budget Variance A favorable budget variance means that the actual amount that occurred was better for the company (or organization) than the...
What is the journal entry to record a one-year subscription for a magazine? Ways to Record One-Year Subscriptions Let’s assume that the cost of the one-year subscription for a monthly trade publication is $120. Let’s...
What is the income statement? Definition of Income Statement The income statement is also known as the statement of operations, profit and loss statement, and statement of earnings. It is one of a company’s main...
What is the difference between assessed value and appraised value? Definition of Assessed Value Assessed value will likely be the amount that a local or state government has designated for individual properties. This...
Where does the purchase of equipment show up on a profit and loss statement? Reporting the Purchase of Equipment Assuming that the purchase of equipment is a long-term or noncurrent asset that will be used in a business,...
What is not sufficient funds? Definition of Not Sufficient Funds Not sufficient funds or NSF or insufficient funds is a term to describe a check that has been returned by the bank because the balance in the checking...
How are the balance sheet and income statement connected? Connection between Balance Sheet and Income Statement The connection between the balance sheet and the income statement results from: The use of double-entry...
What is obsolete inventory? Definition of Obsolete Inventory Obsolete inventory refers to products that a company had purchased or produced which cannot be sold. The obsolete items may be the result of one or more of the...
Why would the cost behavior change outside of the relevant range of activity? Cost behavior often changes outside of the relevant range of activity due to a change in the fixed costs. When volume increases to a certain...
What is the difference between a balance sheet of a nonprofit organization and a for-profit business? Definition of Balance Sheet The balance sheet is one of the main financial statements issued organizations. The...
What is accounts receivable? Definition of Accounts Receivable Accounts receivable is the amount owed to a company resulting from the company providing goods and/or services on credit. The term trade receivable is also...
How do you record an asset that was partially financed? Example of Recording an Asset that was Partially Financed Assume that your company purchased a car for $10,000 by paying cash of $4,000 and signing a promissory...
Can I take the CPA exam without having a bachelor degree? You will need to inquire with your state or jurisdiction about its requirements to take or sit for the CPA Exam. Generally, you will need to have a minimum of 150...
What are interim financial statements? Definition of Interim Financial Statements Interim financial statements report amounts for time intervals that are shorter than a company’s annual financial statements. The...
What is the free cash flow ratio? Definition of Free Cash Flow Free cash flow for a year is an amount (as opposed to a ratio or percentage) usually defined as: net cash provided by operating activities for the year minus...
What is bad debts expense? Definition of Bad Debts Expense Bad debts expense is related to a company’s current asset accounts receivable. Bad debts expense is also referred to as uncollectible accounts expense or...
How do I calculate the after-tax cost of debt? Definition of After-Tax Cost of Debt The after-tax cost of debt is the interest paid on the debt minus the income tax savings as the result of deducting the interest expense...
What are sales taxes? In the United States, most of its 50 States assess a sales tax, which is a tax on sales to the end user. For example, in the state of Wisconsin a retailer must collect a 5% sales tax and perhaps...
What is the days' sales in inventory ratio? Definition of Days’ Sales in Inventory The financial ratio days’ sales in inventory tells you the number of days it took a company to sell its inventory during a recent...
How do you calculate the payback period? Definition of Payback Period The payback period is the expected number of years it will take for a company to recoup the cash it invested in a project. Examples of Payback Periods...
What is the statement of cash flows? Definition of Statement of Cash Flows The statement of cash flows (SCF) is one of the required external financial statements. The SCF is commonly referred to as the cash flow...
How do you record an owner's money that is used to start a company? Recording Money to Start a Sole Proprietorship If Amy Ott begins a sole proprietorship by putting money into her business, the sole proprietorship will...
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...
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