AccountingQA Latest Questions

Aditi
Aditi
In: >

  2. Mehak

    The terms outstanding expenses and accrued expenses are two accounting terms which are often used interchangeably. However, these two terms are not the same and have different meanings. The difference between these two terms is given below: What are Outstanding expenses? As the name suggests, outstaRead more

    The terms outstanding expenses and accrued expenses are two accounting terms which are often used interchangeably. However, these two terms are not the same and have different meanings. The difference between these two terms is given below:

    What are Outstanding expenses?

    As the name suggests, outstanding expenses are the expenses that are due but have not been paid yet. It means that the business is supposed to pay the amount due but it has not paid the same at the end of the accounting period.

    Outstanding expenses are recognized as a current liability because the business is liable to pay such expenses. These expenses are recorded in the books of accounts but the payment is still pending.

    Some examples of outstanding expenses are:

    1. The electricity bill is due for the month of January but has not yet been paid on 31st January.
    2. Salaries of employees of 50,000 is due for the month of March but have not been paid yet by the business.

    What are Accrued expenses? 

    Accrued expenses are the expenses that a business has incurred during the accounting period but they have not yet been recorded in the books of accounts because the bill has not yet been received or the payment is not due yet.

    The concept of Accrued expenses helps in complying with the accrual basis of accounting which says that the expense shall be recognised at the time it occurs regardless of the fact that payment is received or not.

    Examples of accrued expenses are:

    1. The electricity bill for December is received in the month of January. However, it shall be recognised as an expense in the month of December.
    2. The salaries of the employees for the month of April are paid in May. However, this expense shall be recognized in April.

     

    Key differences between outstanding expenses and accrued expenses

    To summarise the above discussion, the key differences between outstanding expenses and accrued expenses are given in the table below:

     

    See less
    • 0
Aditi
Aditi
In: >

  2. Mehak
    This answer was edited.

    Assets can be classified as Financial or Non-financial assets. One might wonder why this is necessary.  Let us dive into this concept, beginning with understanding what financial and non-financial assets are and why they are classified as such. What are Assets? Assets are things that have a monetaryRead more

    Assets can be classified as Financial or Non-financial assets. One might wonder why this is necessary.  Let us dive into this concept, beginning with understanding what financial and non-financial assets are and why they are classified as such.

    What are Assets?

    Assets are things that have a monetary value and are beneficial for a business. Assets are commonly classified as tangible, intangible, current, fixed, financial, non-financial, etc.

    Plant and machinery, land, buildings, cash, bank balance, patents, etc are some of the examples of assets that a business has.

    What are Financial Assets?

    Financial assets are the things of value that are held by a person for their underlying value. They are intangible and do not have a physical form. For example – Stocks, bonds, debentures, options, futures, etc.

    The value of these assets may change over time depending upon the market conditions, changes in government policies, fluctuations in interest rates, etc.

    In comparison to non-financial or physical assets, financial assets are more liquid as they can be traded and can be converted into cash.

    What are Non-financial assets?

    Non-financial assets are tangible or intangible assets that have a value but cannot be easily converted into cash. They are not as liquid and generally not traded.

    Examples of such assets are buildings, plant and machinery, patents, trademarks, etc.

    Why do we separate Financial and Non-Financial Assets?

    The following are several important reasons why it is important to segregate the same:

    1. It helps in the proper classification of assets on the Financial Statements.
    2. It helps in liquidity management.
    3. It helps in Risk assessment.
    4. Tax management can be done accurately.

    Difference between Financial and Non – Financial Asset

     

    See less
    • 0
Aditi
Aditi
In: >

  2. Mehak
    This answer was edited.

    Every business requires research and development to create innovative products for consumers. More innovative and creative products and services are more popular among customers, leading to increased revenue and profits for the business. Creating new products or designing changes and testing existinRead more

    Every business requires research and development to create innovative products for consumers. More innovative and creative products and services are more popular among customers, leading to increased revenue and profits for the business.

    Creating new products or designing changes and testing existing products also forms a part of research and development.

    Examples of Research and Development costs are –

    1. Salaries of employees
    2. Cost of making prototypes
    3. Cost of raw material
    4. Overhead expenses

    Let us now understand how research and development costs are treated in Financial Statements.

    Research and Development Costs are generally shown as an expense in the Income Statement.

    IAS-38

    IAS-38 majorly governs the accounting of research and development costs. There are two phases in R&D:

    • Research: During this phase, costs are incurred for understanding or designing the product. These costs are expensed as incurred costs as there is an uncertainty of a future benefit.
    •  Development: Economic value can be ascertained during this phase and hence, the costs incurred can be capitalized as Intangible assets. To be recognised as intangible assets, the following conditions shall be satisfied:

    1. it is developed with the intention of putting it to use in the future

    2.  the asset shall hold an economic value

    3. the costs can be measured reliably

    Treatment of R&D costs in the Financial statements:

      1. Income statement: Research costs are shown as expenses in the income statement. However, development costs if capitalized as intangible assets can be amortised over time.
      2. Balance Sheet: Capitalised development costs are shown as intangible assets under the Assets head of the Balance Sheet.

    Conclusion

    The above discussion can be summarised as follows:

    1. Research and development is essential for creating innovative and creative products and services.
    2. Accounting standard IAS-38 governs the accounting for Research and Development.
    3. Research costs are usually shown as an expense in the Income statement of the business.
    4.  Development costs when capitalised can be shown as Intangible assets in the Balance Sheet.
    See less
    • 0
Aditi
Aditi
In: >

  2. Mehak
    This answer was edited.

    To understand the accounting treatment of fixed assets under IFRS let us first understand what fixed assets are. What are Fixed Assets? Fixed assets are the assets that are purchased for long-term use by a business and not for resale. Some examples of fixed assets are land, buildings, machinery, furRead more

    To understand the accounting treatment of fixed assets under IFRS let us first understand what fixed assets are.

    What are Fixed Assets?

    Fixed assets are the assets that are purchased for long-term use by a business and not for resale. Some examples of fixed assets are land, buildings, machinery, furniture and fixtures, etc.

    Fixed assets are essential for the smooth operations of the business. It often shows the value of the business. The value of fixed assets usually decreases with time, obsolescence, damage, etc.

    As per IAS-16 Property, Plant and Equipment, an asset is identified as a fixed asset if it satisfies the following conditions:

    • the future economic benefits associated with the asset will probably flow to the entity, and
    • the cost of the asset can be measured reliably.

    What is IFRS?

    IFRS stands for International Financial Reporting Standards. It provides a set of standards to be followed globally by all companies to ensure transparency, comparability, and consistency.

    What is the accounting treatment of fixed assets under IFRS?

    Under IFRS, the first step is to measure the value of the fixed assets on cost. The cost of the fixed assets includes the following:

    1. purchase price
    2. any direct cost related to the asset (such as transportation, installation, etc.)
    3. duties/taxes

    After this step, the entity may choose any one of the following two primary methods:

    1. Cost Model: According to this model the value is first recognized on a cost basis. This includes the purchase price and direct costs attributable to the asset. Subsequently, depreciation is calculated on the cost of the asset. Depreciation spreads the cost of an asset over its useful life. Impairment checks are conducted to ensure the asset’s value on the books doesn’t exceed what it’s worth.

    For example, a company bought a piece of machinery for 60,000. 5,000 were spent on its installation. It has a useful life of 10 years. The machinery would be depreciated over its useful life of 10 years based on its cost which is 65,000.

    2. Revaluation model: As per this model, the fixed assets are valued on their fair value, as on the revaluation date. The amount of depreciation and impairment losses is subtracted from the fair value.

    If the value of an asset increases, the gain goes to equity (revaluation surplus) unless it can be set off with a past loss recorded in profit or loss.
    On the other hand, if the value decreases, the loss goes to profit or loss unless it offsets a past surplus in equity.

    For example, a building was purchased for 100,000. On the revaluation date, the fair value of this building was 150,000. Hence, there is a revaluation surplus of 50,000 which shall be credited to the revaluation surplus account.

    Impact on Financial Statements

    Fixed assets are shown on the Assets side of the Balance Sheet.

    Conclusion

    From the above discussion, it may be concluded that:

    • Fixed assets are the assets that are purchased for long-term use by a business and not for resale.
    • Some examples of fixed assets are land, buildings, machinery, furniture and fixtures, etc.
    • IFRS provides a set of standards to be followed globally by all companies to ensure transparency, comparability, and consistency.
    • Under IFRS, the first step is to measure the value of the fixed assets on cost.
    • After this step, the entity may choose any one of the two primary methods which are cost model and the revaluation model.
    • Fixed assets are shown on the Assets side of the Balance Sheet.

     

     

     

    See less
    • 0
Mehak
Mehak
In: >

  2. Aditi

    Biological Assets comes under International Accounting Standard IAS 41 Agriculture. IAS 41 Agriculture is the first standard that specifically covers the primary sector. The scope of IAS 41 is accounting for agricultural activity. Agricultural Activity- It is the management of biological transformatRead more

    Biological Assets comes under International Accounting Standard IAS 41 Agriculture.

    IAS 41 Agriculture is the first standard that specifically covers the primary sector. The scope of IAS 41 is accounting for agricultural activity.

    • Agricultural Activity- It is the management of biological transformation by an entity and measuring the change in the quality and quantity of biological assets.
    • Biological Transformation- It comprises the process of growth, degeneration, production and procreation that cause qualitative or quantitative changes in a biological asset
    • Biological Asset – They are living plants or animals owned by an entity
    • Agricultural Produce- It is the harvested / detached product of the entity’s biological asset.

    IAS 41 does not apply to

    • Agricultural land
    • Intangible assets related to agricultural activity
    • Products that are the result of processing after the point of harvest, for example, yarn, carpet, rubber, wine, etc
    • The land on which the biological assets grow, regenerate, degenerate.

     

     

    Biological Assets

    Definition

    Biological assets are living plants or animals that go through biological transformation, owned by an entity to prepare agricultural produce for the purpose of agricultural activities only.

    Living plants include plants that are consumable within 1 year and are harvested. It also includes plants that are used for lumbering and wood-cutting activities.

    Examples

    Examples of biological assets are:

    Sheep, pigs, poultry, beef cattle, fish, dairy cows, plants for harvest etc

    Importance

    • Farming: They are key to agriculture and food production.
    • Income: They generate substantial income for businesses in industries such as vineyards, livestock, silviculture, etc.
    • Sustainability: Properly managing them helps the environment.

     

    Accounting & Presentation

    Recognition

    Under IAS 41 biological assets are recognised when

    • The business must have ownership over them from a past event.
    • The future economic benefits are expected to flow to the business from their ownership.
    • The cost or fair value of the asset can be measured reliably.

    Agricultural produce is recognised

    • It is recognised at the point of harvest or detachment.

    Agricultural produce is derecognised when

    • They enter the trading.
    • Enters the production process.

    Measurement

    • Biological assets are measured on initial recognition and at each balance sheet date at their fair value less costs to sell.
    • Costs to sell are incremental costs incurred in selling the asset.
    • Agricultural produce is measured at the point of harvest, at fair value less costs to sell at the point of harvest.
    • Agricultural produce after the point of harvest/ detachment is transferred and treated under the IAS 2 Inventory

    Gains & Losses

    • Gains and losses arising from the initial recognition of biological assets are reported in the statement of profit and loss.
    • The change in fair value less costs to sell of a biological asset between balance sheet dates is reported as gain or loss in the statement of profit and loss.
    • A gain or loss arising on initial recognition of agricultural produce at fair value less selling costs is included in profit or loss for the period in which it arises.

    Treatment

    • The sale of agricultural produce is treated as revenue in the statement of profit and loss.
    • Agricultural produce to be harvested for more than 12 months, livestock to be held for more than 12 months and trees cultivated for lumber are recorded as Biological assets under the Non-current assets head in the balance sheet.
    • Agricultural produce to be harvested within 12 months, livestock to be slaughtered within 12 months and annual crops like wheat, and maize are recorded as Biological assets under the head Current assets in the balance sheet.
    • Inventories produced from agricultural produce are presented as Inventory under the head Current assets in the balance sheet.

    See less
    • 0
Aadil
AadilCurious
In: >

  2. Aditi
    This answer was edited.

    Deferred Tax Liability A deferred tax liability represents an obligation to pay taxes in the future. These taxes are owed by a company but are not due to be paid until a future date. Companies that incur such an obligation prepare and maintain two financial reports every year: a tax statement and anRead more

    Deferred Tax Liability

    A deferred tax liability represents an obligation to pay taxes in the future. These taxes are owed by a company but are not due to be paid until a future date.

    Companies that incur such an obligation prepare and maintain two financial reports every year: a tax statement and an income statement.

    This is because companies maintain their books as per book accounting rules (GAAP/IFRS), but they have to pay taxes according to tax accounting rules, and they each have to follow their own guidelines.

    For example, a tax statement follows the cash basis of accounting, and an income statement follows the accrual basis of accounting.

    Companies calculate their profit as per the accounting rules as well as tax laws known as accounting income and taxable income, respectively. Some differences arise due to the application of different provisions of law.

    These temporary differences are accounted for, recognized, and carried forward in the books of accounts and create deferred tax.

     

    Example

    Here is an example of deferred tax liability.

    In the given example, tax as per income statement is 70,000, whereas as per tax statement it is 56,000. This temporary difference is termed as deferred tax liability of 14,000.

    When accounting income is more than taxable income, it creates Deferred Tax Liability. It will be adjusted in the books of accounts during one or more subsequent year(s).

     

     

    How Does it Arise?

    There are several instances under which a company creates a deferred tax liability. Some other instances are:

    Depreciation Methods

    • One of the most common reasons for deferred tax liability is when a company uses different depreciation methods in the Income and Tax Statement.
    • Assets are depreciated by calculating the straight-line method in the Income Statement, while the written-down value method is used in the Tax Statement.
    • Since the straight-line value method produces lower depreciation when compared to the WDV method, accounting income is temporarily higher than taxable income.
    • The company recognises deferred tax liability as this difference between accounting income and taxable income.

    Treatment of Revenue & Expenses

    • Deferred tax liability can also arise when there is a difference in the way revenue and expenses are treated in books of accounts.
    • As mentioned earlier, accounting rules follow the accrual basis of accounting while tax laws follow the cash basis of accounting.
    • Meaning in the tax statement, income and expenses are recorded when they are received or paid, not when they are incurred or realised.
    • This difference in the treatment of revenue and expenses creates deferred tax liability.

     

     

    Impact on Financial Statements

    Recognising deferred tax liability and its subsequent effect on the company’s financial statement is important as it simplifies the process of auditing and analysing financial reports.

    Balance Sheet

    • Deferred tax liabilities are recorded on the liability side of the balance sheet under non-current liabilities.

    Cash Flow Statement

    • The deferred tax liability is added back to the net income in calculating cash flow from operating activities to show the actual cash flow.
    See less
    • 0
Aadil
AadilCurious
In: >

  2. Mehak
    This answer was edited.

    To understand why we do not record self-generated goodwill in accounting, let us first understand what goodwill is and its accounting treatment. What is Goodwill? Goodwill is an intangible asset of a business.  It represents the reputation and brand value of a business built over time. It is a valueRead more

    To understand why we do not record self-generated goodwill in accounting, let us first understand what goodwill is and its accounting treatment.

    What is Goodwill?

    Goodwill is an intangible asset of a business.  It represents the reputation and brand value of a business built over time. It is a value over and above the tangible assets of the business.

    Goodwill often arises when a business purchases another business and pays a premium, which means a price higher than the fair value of the business.

    Characteristics of Goodwill

    Goodwill has the following characteristics:

    1. It is an Intangible asset, meaning it has no physical existence and cannot be seen or touched.
    2. It is generally recognized during transactions in mergers and acquisitions.
    3. It is the value attributed to the brand value and reputation of the business.
    4. It adds value to a business beyond its tangible assets.

    Example of Goodwill

    Let us take an example to understand the concept of goodwill better.

    Suppose there is a company ABC Ltd. It is planning to acquire XYZ Ltd. The fair value of the assets of XYZ is calculated to be 600,000. However, ABC has agreed to pay a sum of 650,000 to acquire the company. This difference of 50,000 is goodwill.

    Impact on Financial Statements

    Goodwill is shown under the assets side of the Balance Sheet.

    What is self-generated goodwill?

    Self-generated goodwill in simple words means the positive reputation or trust that a business earns over time through their own hard work and decisions. It’s not something bought or inherited but something built from scratch internally, like a brand’s reputation, loyal customers, strong relationships, or unique ideas.

    For example, a small business that goes the extra mile to offer great customer service or always delivers high-quality products over the years will naturally build goodwill.

    It is also known as internally generated goodwill.

    Why do we not record sef-generated goodwill?

    Self-generated goodwill is not recorded in the financial statements because of the following reasons:

    1. Measurement may not be reliable: The measurement of self-generated goodwill is majorly based on the judgment of the managers. It is based on the value creation because of a good reputation or consumer base of the business, which might not be measured accurately.
    2. Conservatism principle: As per the conservatism principle, a business shall not overstate its assets or liabilities. However, self-generated goodwill might be overstated.
    3. Lack of market transaction: There is a lack of a market transaction that ensures verification of the value of goodwill as in the case of purchased goodwill.
    4. Manipulation: There are higher chances of manipulation of financial statements through self-generated goodwill.

    Conclusion

    On a concluding note, self-generated goodwill is something that adds real value to a business, but it’s not something that can easily be measured or captured in financial statements. Accounting is all about providing clear, reliable information, and including goodwill would make things murky and open to manipulation. Even though it doesn’t show up on the books, you can still see its effects in a company’s reputation and success. Maybe in the future, businesses will find a way to highlight it better, but for now, leaving it out helps keep financial reports honest and straightforward.

    See less
    • 0
Anushka Lalwani
Anushka Lalwani
In: >

  2. Kajal

    All expenses whose benefits are received over the years or the expenses or losses that are to be written off over the years are classified as Deferred revenue expenses. It includes fictitious expenses like preliminary expenses, loss on issue of debentures, advertising expenses, loss due to unusual oRead more

    All expenses whose benefits are received over the years or the expenses or losses that are to be written off over the years are classified as Deferred revenue expenses. It includes fictitious expenses like preliminary expenses, loss on issue of debentures, advertising expenses, loss due to unusual occurrences like loss due to fire, theft, and research and development expenses, etc. 

     

    DEFERRED REVENUE EXPENSES

    There are certain expenses which are revenue in nature (i.e. expenses incurred to maintain the earning capacity of the firm and generate revenue) but whose benefits are received over a period of years generally between 3 to 7 years. It means its benefit is received not only in the current accounting period but over a few consecutive accounting periods.

    CHARACTERISTICS

    • Revenue in nature
    • Benefits received for more than one accounting period.
    • Huge expenditure (large amount is involved)
    • Affects the profitability of the business (since a large amount is involved if charged in the same accounting period, then it will decrease the profitability for the year)
    • Written off over the years either partially or entirely.
    • Fictitious asset It doesn’t result in the creation of any asset but is shown as an asset (fictitious asset) on the Balance Sheet till fully written off.

     

    EXAMPLES

     

    ADVERTISING EXPENSES refers to the expenses incurred for promoting the goods or services of the firm through various channels like TV, Social media, Hoardings, etc.

    As the benefit of advertising is not received not only in the period when such expenses were incurred but also in the coming few years, it is classified as Deferred revenue expense.

    For example – Suppose the company incurred $10 lakh on advertising to introduce a new product in the market and estimated that its benefit will last for 4 years. In this case, $250,000 will be written off every year, for 4 consecutive years.

     

    EXCEPTIONAL LOSSES are losses that are incurred because of some unusual event and don’t happen regularly like loss from fire, theft, earthquake, flood or any other natural disaster, confiscation of property, etc.

    Since these losses can’t be written off in the year they occurred they are also treated as Deferred revenue expenditure and are written off over the years.

     

    RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EXPENSES are expenses incurred on researching and developing new products or improving the existing ones. Its benefits are received for many years and thus are classified as Deferred revenue expenses.

    For example – Expenses incurred on the creation of intangible assets like patents, copyrights, etc.

     

    PRELIMINARY EXPENSES are those expenses which are incurred before the incorporation and commencement of the business. It includes legal fees, registration fees, stamp duty, printing expenses, etc.

    These expenses are fictitious assets and are written off over the years.

     

    TREATMENT

    It is debited to the P&L amount (amount written off that year) and the remaining amount on the Aeest side of the Balance Sheet.

    In the above example of advertising expenses, in Year 1, $250,000 will be debited in the P&L A/c and the remaining amount of $750,000 is shown on the Asset side of the Balance Sheet.

    In Year 2, $250,00 in P&L A/c and the remaining $500,000 in Balance Sheet.

    In Year 3, $250,000 in P&L A/c and the remaining $250,000 in the Balance Sheet and in the last Year 4, only the remaining amount of $250,000 in P&L A/c and nothing in the Balance Sheet.

    See less
    • 0
Anushka Lalwani
Anushka Lalwani
In: >

  2. Saurav

    Brands can be considered as an Intangible asset as they are a long-term investment done by the company and it gives benefit to an entity in future periods. Like any other intangible asset, brands require long-term investment and will pay over time. Like any other asset, these brands can be bought anRead more

    Brands can be considered as an Intangible asset as they are a long-term investment done by the company and it gives benefit to an entity in future periods.

    Like any other intangible asset, brands require long-term investment and will pay over time. Like any other asset, these brands can be bought and sold. Brands are best used when they serve the vision and mission of the company.

    So, we can definitely consider an organization brand as an intangible as it is expected to increase sales volume in the future period.

    Further, we can understand both terms to get a deep understanding-

     

    BRAND

    Brand means a product, or service which has a unique identification and can be distinct from other products in the market. Branding is a process by which expenditure is incurred by an entity to create awareness towards the product in the customer’s eyes.

    For example- Maggie, Coca-Cola, BMW

    Brands can be created through these elements-

    • Design
    • Packaging
    • Advertisement

     

    INTANGIBLE ASSETS

    Intangible asset are assets that can’t be seen or touched but the benefit of it occur in future periods for the entity. Even though intangible assets have no physical form but their benefits will accrue in future years. Businesses commonly hold intangible assets. Intangible assets can be further bifurcated in

    Definite– Intangible assets that stay and give benefit for a limited or specific period of time covered under this

    For example- An agreement is entered with an entity to patent a product for 5 years so this will stay for a definite period only

    Indefinite– Intangible assets that stay and  give benefit for an unlimited  period of time covered under this

    For example- A brand which is made by an entity will stay for an indefinite period

    Intangible assets can be in various forms these are the following –

    Trademark– A trademark is a sign, design, and expression that distinguish the company’s product or services from other company. Trademark is considered an Intellectual Property Right.

    Goodwill– Goodwill refers to the value of the company that the company gets from its brand, customer base, and brand Reputation associated with its intellectual property.

    Patents– A patent refers to a right reserved for a product exclusively by a person or entity. Under this the right of such making of the product gets reserved by the company and other person or entity can’t make this product.

    Copyright– Copyright refers to an intellectual property right that protects the work of the original owner from being copied by some other person.

    Brand– Brand means a product, or service that has a unique identification and can be distinct from other products in market

    So, we can definitely consider that brand is a subpart of an intangible asset and can be considered as an intangible asset as it also can’t be touched or seen. Still, its benefit will accrue till future time. These both help an entity to grow its business till the future

    See less
    • 0

Most Helping Users

Astha

Astha

Leader
Simerpreet

Simerpreet

Helpful
AbhishekBatabyal

AbhishekBatabyal

Helpful