The profits earned by a company are distributed to its shareholders monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, or yearly in the form of dividends. The dividend payable by the company is transferred to the Dividend Account and is then claimed by the shareholders. If the dividend is not claimed by the members aRead more
The profits earned by a company are distributed to its shareholders monthly, quarterly, half-yearly, or yearly in the form of dividends. The dividend payable by the company is transferred to the Dividend Account and is then claimed by the shareholders.
If the dividend is not claimed by the members after transferring it to the Dividend Account, it is called Unclaimed Dividend. Such a dividend is a liability for the company and it is shown under the head Current Liabilities.
The dividend is transferred from the Dividend Account to the Unclaimed Dividend Account if it is not claimed by the shareholders within 37 days of declaration of dividend.
For the Cash Flow Statement, unclaimed dividend comes under the head Financing Activities.
Items shown under the head Financing Activities are those that are used to finance the operations of the company. Since, money raised through the issue of shares finances the company, any item related to shareholding or dividend is shown under the head Financing Activities.
However, there are two approaches to deal with the treatment of Unclaimed Dividend:
First, since there is no inflow or outflow of cash, there is no need to show it in the cash flow statement.
Second, the unclaimed dividend is deducted from the Appropriations, that is, when Net Profit before Tax and Extraordinary Activities is calculated.
Then, it is added under the head Financing Activities because the amount of dividend that has to flow out of the company (that is Dividend Paid amount which has already been deducted from Financing Activities) remained in the company only since it has not been claimed by the members.
The second approach to the treatment of an Unclaimed Dividend is used when the company has not transferred the unclaimed dividend amount from the Dividend Account to a separate account.
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Reserve capital is part of ‘Uncalled capital’. ‘Uncalled capital’ means the outstanding amount on shares on which the call money is not yet called. A company may issue its shares and receive the money either in full or in instalments. The instalments are named: Application money – Received by a compRead more
Reserve capital is part of ‘Uncalled capital’. ‘Uncalled capital’ means the outstanding amount on shares on which the call money is not yet called.
A company may issue its shares and receive the money either in full or in instalments. The instalments are named:
For example, X Ltd issues 1000 shares at a price of Rs. 100 per share which is payable Rs. 25 at application, Rs. 30 at the allotment, Rs. 25 at the first call and Rs. 20 at the second and final call.
The shares at fully subscribed and X Ltd has called and received money till the first call. The second call is not made yet.
This amount of Rs 20,000 (1000 x Rs.20) will be uncalled capital.
Now, It is up to the management when to make the second and final call.
If the management shows no intention of calling the outstanding money on such shares, then the uncalled capital will be called reserve capital.
Such shares which are not fully called are known as party paid shares.
It is ultimately payable to the company by the shareholders of partly paid shares at the time of dissolution.
Reserve capital is not shown either in the balance sheet or in the notes to accounts to the balance sheet. But one can ascertain it just by examining the notes to accounts to the balance. If the shares are partly paid and the management seems to have no intention of calling the outstanding money then such uncalled share capital is reserve capital.
Reserve capital is neither a liability nor an asset for the company.
But at the time of winding up of the company, it becomes a liability for the shareholders to pay the balance amount of their shares.
By now, you must have understood why reserve capital is not part of unsubscribed capital. It is because reserve capital is related to shares that are issued and subscribed.

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