AccountingQA Latest Questions

A_Team
A_Team
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  2. PriyanshiGupta Graduated, B.Com
    This answer was edited.

    The reserves created for specific purposes in business are called specific reserves. According to the Companies Act, 2013, these reserves cannot be used for any other purposes. However, if the Article of Association of a company allows, these reserves can be used for other purposes as well. Amount tRead more

    The reserves created for specific purposes in business are called specific reserves. According to the Companies Act, 2013, these reserves cannot be used for any other purposes. However, if the Article of Association of a company allows, these reserves can be used for other purposes as well.

    Amount to any specific reserve is generally transferred from the Profit and Loss Appropriation Account.

    Various specific reserves are:

    • Debenture Redemption Reserve

    Debentures are debt instruments of a company and they have to be redeemed, that is, paid back after the expiry of the specified period. According to Accounting Standards, companies are required to set aside a specific amount in Debenture Redemption Reserve, when they are due for redemption.

    • Securities Premium Reserve

    When shares or debentures are issued at a price higher than its book value/face value, the difference between the market value and book value is called Securities Premium. The amount of Securities Premium is transferred to Securities Premium Account. This amount is utilized to issue fully paid bonus shares, write off preliminary expenses, write off commission discounts, etc., to provide a premium on redemption of debentures.

    • Investment Fluctuation Reserve

    The investments made by a company are subject to fluctuations in its market value. Company Law and Accounting Standards require companies to provide for such fluctuations by creating a reserve called Investment Fluctuation Reserve.

    • Dividend Equalisation Reserve

    Companies are required to pay a dividend to their shareholders. It is often difficult for a company to maintain a consistent rate of dividend as the dividend paid is equivalent to the profit made by a company during the financial year which is not consistent. So, Dividend Equalisation Reserve is created to maintain a consistent rate of dividend on shares over time, in the event of both high and low profits.

     

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A_Team
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  2. Pooja_Parikh Aspiring Chartered Accountant
    This answer was edited.

    When a company issues shares to shareholders at a price over the face value (at a premium), that amount is termed as securities premium. This amount is transferred to what we call the securities premium reserve. The company is required to maintain a separate reserve for securities premium. UtilizatiRead more

    When a company issues shares to shareholders at a price over the face value (at a premium), that amount is termed as securities premium. This amount is transferred to what we call the securities premium reserve. The company is required to maintain a separate reserve for securities premium.

    Utilization

    Securities premium reserve can be used for the following reasons:

    • Issue of fully paid Bonus share capital.
    • To cover preliminary expenses of a company.
    • For funding the buy-back of securities.

    Since it is not a free reserve, it can only be used for a few specific purposes. The amount received as securities premium cannot be used to transfer dividends to shareholders

    Treatment

    When a company issues shares at a premium, the securities premium reserve account is credited along with share capital as an increase in capital is credited according to the modern rule of accounting.

    For example,
    Sonly Ltd. issues 1,000 shares of $10 face value at $15. Here, the amount of premium would be $5 (15 – 10) per share. Therefore, the journal entry would show:

    Bank a/c (15 x 1,000)        Dr                                                15,000
    To Share Capital (10 x 10,000)                                                             10,000
    To Securities Premium Reserve a/c (5 x 10,000)                                   5,000

    From the above example, we can see that the company receives $15,000, but transfers $10,000 to share capital and the excess $5,000 to securities premium reserve.
    In the balance sheet, this securities premium reserve is shown under the title “Equity and Liabilities” under the head ‘‘Reserves and Surplus”.

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Aadil
AadilCurious
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A. For a certain given period B. At a particular point of time C. After a fixed date D. None of the above

  2. Ayushi Curious Pursuing CA

    The correct option is Option (b) at a particular point of time. A balance sheet discloses the financial position of an entity at a particular point of time. The particular point of time is generally the last date of an accounting year. Most of the business concerns follow an accounting year ending oRead more

    The correct option is Option (b) at a particular point of time.

    A balance sheet discloses the financial position of an entity at a particular point of time. The particular point of time is generally the last date of an accounting year. Most of the business concerns follow an accounting year ending on 31st March and prepare their balance sheet as at 31st March.

    By financial position, it means the value of assets and liabilities of the entity. As an entity may enter into monetary transactions every day, the values of the assets and liabilities may also vary every day. Hence, to prepare the balance sheet of an entity, a particular point of time is to be chosen which is generally the last date of an accounting year

    Option (a) for a given period of time is incorrect.

    It is because the values of assets and liabilities of concern may differ daily, a balance sheet cannot be prepared to disclose the financial position of an entity for a given period of time.

    The statement of profit or loss is prepared for a given period of time as it discloses the overall performance of an entity for a given period of time.

    Option (c) after a fixed date is also incorrect.

    The phrase, “after a fixed date” does not indicate a particular point of time. It may mean any day after a fixed date. For example, if there is an instruction to prepare a balance sheet that discloses the financial position of a concern after 30th March, it may mean 31st March, 1st April or any day thereafter.

    As we know that a balance can be prepared for a particular point of time, this option seems wrong.

    Option (d) None of these is incorrect too as Option (b) is the correct one.

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Aadil
AadilCurious
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  2. Rahul_Jose Aspiring CA currently doing Bcom

    A statutory reserve is any reserve that has to be maintained by an Act or law. When it comes to insurance, a statutory reserve is a reserve that an insurance company is legally bound to maintain to ensure that the company is able to meet its policy obligations. In India, as per the Banking RegulatioRead more

    A statutory reserve is any reserve that has to be maintained by an Act or law. When it comes to insurance, a statutory reserve is a reserve that an insurance company is legally bound to maintain to ensure that the company is able to meet its policy obligations. In India, as per the Banking Regulations Act, every banking company has to maintain at least 25% of its net profits as statutory reserves.

    The companies are required to maintain such reserves to guarantee the availability of cash when it is required by the customer. Common examples of statutory reserves are Cash reserve ratio (CSR), Statutory Liquidity Ratio (SLR).

    Treatment

    • Statutory reserves are shown in the Profit and Loss account under the head “appropriations”.
    • It is also shown under the head Reserves and Surplus (Schedule 2) in the Balance Sheet.

    Method

    Rule-Based Approach – The company calculates the amount required by using standard formulas. However, since they are pre-determined formulas, it does not cover all risk determining factors.

    Principle-based approach – This method is used to protect customers and ensure that the company stays solvent. They hold a higher amount of reserves than required after predicting all possible risks.

    Statutory reserves are different from general reserves as general reserves are maintained voluntarily by the company. A company that does not follow statutory requirements will face financial penalties. These reserves are mostly maintained in the form of cash.

    Maintenance of reserves gives confidence to investors that their money is secure. However, funds from these reserves can be used only for specific purposes. They should also maintain such reserves whether or not they earn profits.

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Karan
Karan
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  2. PriyanshiGupta Graduated, B.Com
    This answer was edited.

    The debts that have a higher chance of not being paid are called doubtful debts. They are a part of the regular dealing of the company and may arise due to disputes or treachery on the part of debtors. Bad debts refer to the doubtful debts that no longer seem to be recoverable from the business. WriRead more

    The debts that have a higher chance of not being paid are called doubtful debts. They are a part of the regular dealing of the company and may arise due to disputes or treachery on the part of debtors.

    Bad debts refer to the doubtful debts that no longer seem to be recoverable from the business.

    Written off means an expense, income, asset, liability is no more recorded in the books of accounts because they no longer hold relevance for the business.

    When doubtful debts turn into bad debt, they are written off from the books after a stipulated time as they no longer seem recoverable.

    If any cash is received against such bad debts that were written off, it is known as cash received against bad debts written off. Cash is received against bad debts usually when the debtor is declared insolvent and money is recovered from its estate.

    Bad debts recovered are considered an income for the company as they were previously written off as a loss and any cash received against it is considered as income.

    Journal entry for such situation is:

    Cash or Bank A/c (Dr.)

    To Bad Debts Recovered A/c

    We debit the increase in assets, and since cash is coming into the business it is debited.

    We credit the income, and since bad debts recovered is an income to the business it is credited.

     

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Karan
Karan
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  2. PriyanshiGupta Graduated, B.Com
    This answer was edited.

    The profits earned by a company are mainly divided into two parts: Dividend, and Retained Earnings The part of profit distributed to its shareholders is called a dividend. The part of the profit that the company holds for future expansion or diversification plans is called retained earnings. As theRead more

    The profits earned by a company are mainly divided into two parts:

    • Dividend, and
    • Retained Earnings

    The part of profit distributed to its shareholders is called a dividend. The part of the profit that the company holds for future expansion or diversification plans is called retained earnings.

    As the name suggests, retained earnings are the profit that is retained in the company. Retained earnings can be used for various purposes:

    • To distribute as dividends to shareholders
    • Expansion of business
    • Diversification
    • For an expected merger or acquisition

    As the profits of the company belong to shareholders, retained earnings are considered as profits re-invested in the company by the shareholders.

    The formula to calculate the cost of retained earnings is:

    (Expected dividend per share / Net proceeds) + growth rate

    • Expected dividend is the dividend an investor expects for his investment in the company’s shares based on the last year’s dividend, trends in the markets, and financial statements presented by the company.
    • Net proceeds is the market value of a share, that is, how much an investor would get if he sells his shares today.
    • Growth rate represents growth of company’s revenue, dividend from previous years in the form of a percentage.

    The expected dividend per share is divided by net proceeds or the current selling price of the share, to find out the market value of retained earnings.

    The growth rate is then added to the formula. It’s the rate at which the dividend grows in the company.

    For example:

    The net proceeds from share is Rs 100, expected dividend growth rate is 2% and expected dividend is 5.

    Cost of retained earnings

    = (Expected dividend per share / Net proceeds) + Growth rate

    = (5 / 100) + 0.02

    = 0.07 or 7%

     

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Karan
Karan
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  2. Pooja_Parikh Aspiring Chartered Accountant
    This answer was edited.

    Retained earnings are kept with the company for growth instead of distributing dividends to the shareholders. Therefore the cost of retained earnings refers to its opportunity cost which is the cost of foregoing dividends by the shareholders. Therefore the cost of retained earnings is similar to theRead more

    Retained earnings are kept with the company for growth instead of distributing dividends to the shareholders. Therefore the cost of retained earnings refers to its opportunity cost which is the cost of foregoing dividends by the shareholders.

    Therefore the cost of retained earnings is similar to the cost of equity without tax and flotation cost. Hence, it can be calculated as

    Kr = Ke (1 – t) (1 – f),

    Kr = Cost of retained earnings
    Ke = Cost of equity
    t = tax rate
    f = flotation cost

    Here, flotation cost means the cost of issuing shares.

    EXAMPLE

    If cost of equity of a company was 10%, tax rate was 30% and flotation cost was 5%, then
    cost of retained earnings = 10% x (1 – 0.30)(1 – 0.05) = 6.65%.

    From the above example and formula, it is clear that the cost of retained earnings would always be less than or equal to the cost of equity since retained earnings do not involve flotation costs or tax.

    A company usually acquires funds from various sources of finance rather than a single source. Therefore the cost of capital of the company will be the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) of each individual source of finance. The cost of retained earnings is thus an important factor in calculating the overall cost of capital.

    Another important factor of WACC is the cost of equity. The cost of equity is sometimes interchanged with the cost of retained earnings. However, they are not the same.

     

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