AccountingQA Latest Questions

Spriha Sparsh
Spriha Sparsh
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  2. Pooja_Parikh Aspiring Chartered Accountant
    This answer was edited.

    Retained Earnings refer to the total net profits left with the company after deduction of all dividends. This amount is a source of internal finance and can be used for the growth or expansion of the company. Retained earnings are shown under shareholders’ equity in the balance sheet and are calculaRead more

    Retained Earnings refer to the total net profits left with the company after deduction of all dividends. This amount is a source of internal finance and can be used for the growth or expansion of the company.

    Retained earnings are shown under shareholders’ equity in the balance sheet and are calculated as follows:
    Retained earnings at the end of the year = Retained earnings at the beginning of the year + Net Income – Dividend

    From the above formula, Yes, it is possible for retained earnings to be negative. Negative earnings occur when the cumulative dividend payout is higher than the earnings made by a company during the year. This results in a negative balance as per the formula.

    Negative Retained earnings indicate a number of concerning facts about a company:

    • That the company is experiencing Long term losses.
    • That there are chances for the company to go into bankruptcy.
    • That the company may be paying out dividends to the shareholders from borrowed finance.

     

    Positive Retained Earnings

    When a company is said to have positive retained earnings, the company has several advantages. The company has excess profit to hold on to. This helps in expansion and also acts as a safety net in case of unforeseen expenses. Hence if a company shows positive Retained earnings it can be interpreted that the company is profitable.

    However, higher retained earnings mean the distribution of lesser dividends to shareholders. This makes the company look less attractive to investors. Another reason for high retained earnings could be that the company has not found any profitable investment for its earnings.

    Therefore, there should be adequate retained earnings with the company but at the same time, keep a check that the amount of retained earnings does not exceed a limit.

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A_Team
A_Team
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  2. SidharthBadlani CA Inter Student
    This answer was edited.

    Prepaid expense means a service to be rendered in the future period for which the business has already paid the remuneration. Prepaid expenses are classified as assets. The benefits of this payment will accrue to the business at a later period.  For example, insurance is often paid for annually on tRead more

    Prepaid expense means a service to be rendered in the future period for which the business has already paid the remuneration. Prepaid expenses are classified as assets. The benefits of this payment will accrue to the business at a later period. 

    For example, insurance is often paid for annually on the basis of the calendar year. A business may pay insurance every year on 1st January for that entire year. While preparing the financial statements on 31st March, it will recognize the insurance premium for the period 1st April to 31st December of the next financial year as a prepaid insurance expense. 

    Why are prepaid expenses classified as assets? 

    First of all, let us understand what an asset is. An asset is anything over which the business has ownership rights and which it can sell for money. The benefits of this asset should accrue to the business. 

    In light of this definition, let us analyze prepaid expenses as an asset. As the business has already paid for these goods or services, it becomes a legal right of the business to receive the relevant goods or services at a later date. As the benefit of this expense would accrue to the business only at a later date, the prepaid expenses are classified as an asset. 

    Some examples of prepaid expenses are prepaid insurance, prepaid rent etc

    Treatment of Prepaid Expenses

    Prepaid expenses are recorded in the balance sheet under the heading “Current Assets” and sub-heading “Other Current Assets”

    As per the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles or GAAP, expenses must be recognized in the accounting period to which they relate or in which the benefit due to them is likely to arise. Thus, we cannot recognize the prepaid expenses in the accounting period in which they are incurred. 

    Prepaid assets are classified as assets and carried forward in the balance sheet to be debited in the income statement of the accounting period to which they relate. 

    Adjusting Entries

    Adjusting entries are those entries that are used to recognize prepaid expenses in the income statement of the period to which they relate. These entries are not used to record new transactions. They ensure compliance with GAAP by recognizing the expenses in the period to which they relate. 

    Conclusion

    The GAAP and basic definition of an asset govern the treatment of prepaid expenses as an asset. The business incurs them in an accounting period different from the accounting period in which their benefit would accrue to the business. The business has a legal right to receive those goods or services. 

    The business carries them as a current asset on the balance sheet. In the relevant accounting period, they are recognized in the income statement. 

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Jasmeet_Sethi
Jasmeet_SethiCurious
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Current AssetsLoose Tools
  2. Karan B.com and Pursuing ACCA
    This answer was edited.

    Current assets are all the assets of the company which are expected to be used, sold, or consumed within one year. Current assets are those assets that can be converted into cash easily. For example - Inventory, Accounts Receivable, Cash, and Cash Equivalents. Loose tools are parts of machinery or sRead more

    Current assets are all the assets of the company which are expected to be used, sold, or consumed within one year. Current assets are those assets that can be converted into cash easily.

    For example – Inventory, Accounts Receivable, Cash, and Cash Equivalents.

    Loose tools are parts of machinery or spare parts of machinery. Loose can be classified on the nature of use whether it is a fixed asset or a current asset. If loose tools are used regularly or within one accounting year, it is classified as a current asset.

    Loose tools are usually classified as a current asset, however, there is one exception i.e it is excluded from the current ratio.

    They are excluded from the current ratio because the current ratio takes into account only current assets, and the nature of loose tools is either a fixed asset or a current asset and can’t be converted into cash easily.

    The current ratio is calculated to check the liquidity of the company.

    Loose tools appear in the Asset Side of the Balance Sheet under the head Current Asset, subhead Inventories.

    The extract of the Balance Sheet is as follows:

    When the balance sheet prepared under Schedule III loose tools is shown under notes to accounts under sub-head Inventories on the asset side.

    When the balance sheet is in a T format loose appears as a current asset after recording fixed assets on the asset side.

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Radha
Radha
In: >

  2. Rahul_Jose Aspiring CA currently doing Bcom
    This answer was edited.

    Capital Work in Progress refers to the total cost incurred on a fixed asset that is still undergoing construction as on the balance sheet date. These costs are not allowed to be used as an operating asset until the asset is ready to use. Until the construction of the asset is completed, the costs arRead more

    Capital Work in Progress refers to the total cost incurred on a fixed asset that is still undergoing construction as on the balance sheet date. These costs are not allowed to be used as an operating asset until the asset is ready to use. Until the construction of the asset is completed, the costs are recorded as capital work in progress.

    Depreciation is the systematic allocation of the cost of an asset over its useful life. Depreciation is charged on an asset from the date it is ready to use. Since Capital Work in Progress is not yet ready to use, depreciation cannot be charged on it.

    Example

    If a company owns a Machinery worth Rs. 45,000 out of which Rs. 15,000 is part of capital work in progress, then depreciation on such machinery would be calculated only on the part of machinery that is ready to use that is Rs. 30,000 (45,000-15,000).

    When an asset is undergoing construction, the journal entry for each expense would be recorded as

    Further, when all construction of the above asset is completed, it is transferred to fixed asset account. This would be recorded as

    After transfer to Fixed Asset account, depreciation can be calculated and shown as below

    If the construction of an asset is complete but has not been put to use till now, depreciation is still calculated as it is ready for use. It can be done through various methods like straight-line method, written down value method etc.

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SidharthBadlani
SidharthBadlani
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  2. Ishika Pandey Curious ca aspirant
    This answer was edited.

    Definition Gross profit is the excess of the proceeds of goods and services rendered during a period over their cost, before taking into account administration, selling, distribution, and financial expenses. Gross profit and net profit are gross profit estimates of the profitability of a company. WhRead more

    Definition

    Gross profit is the excess of the proceeds of goods and services rendered during a period over their cost, before taking into account administration, selling, distribution, and financial expenses.

    Gross profit and net profit are gross profit estimates of the profitability of a company.

    When the result of this computation is negative it is referred to as gross loss

    Formula :

    Total Revenues – Cost Of Goods Sold

    Net profit is defined as the excess of revenues over expenses during a particular period.
    Net profit is to show the performance of the company.

    When the result of this computation is negative it is called a net loss.

    Net profit may be shown before or after tax.

    Formula :

    Total Revenues – Expenses
    Or
    Total Revenues – Total Cost ( Implicit And Explicit Cost )

    Examples

    Now let me explain to you by taking an example which is as follows :

    In a business organization there were the following data given as purchases made Rs 73000, inventory, in the beginning, was Rs 10000, direct expenses made were Rs 7000, closing inventory which was Rs 5000, revenue from operation during the period was Rs 100000.
    Then,

    COST OF GOODS SOLD = Purchases + Opening Inventory + Direct Expenses – Closing Inventory.

    = Rs ( 73000 + 10000+ 7000- 5000)
    = Rs 85000

    GROSS PROFIT = REVENUE – COST OF GOODS SOLD

    = Rs ( 100000 – 85000 )
    = Rs 15000

    Now from the above question keeping the gross profit same if the indirect expenses of the organization are Rs 2000 and the other income is Rs 1000.
    Then,

    NET PROFIT = GROSS PROFIT – INDIRECT EXPENSES + OTHER INCOMES

    = Rs ( 15000 – 2000 + 1000)
    = Rs 14000

    Treatment

    Treatment of gross profit and net profit is given as follows :

    Gross profit

    • Gross profit appears on the credit side of the trading account.
    • Gross profit is located in the upper portion beneath revenue and cost of goods sold.

    Net profit

    • Net profit appears on the credit side of the profit and loss account.
    • It is treated directly in the balance sheet by adding or subtracting from the capital.

    Here is an extract of the trading and profit/loss account and balance sheet showing GROSS PROFIT & NET PROFIT :

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Naina@123
Naina@123
In: >

  2. prashant06 B.com, CMA pursuing

    A cash discount is a discount allowed to customers when they make payments for the items they purchased. This type of discount is generally based on time. The early the payment is made by the debtors, the more discount they earn. To be more precise cash discount is given to simulate or encourage earRead more

    A cash discount is a discount allowed to customers when they make payments for the items they purchased. This type of discount is generally based on time. The early the payment is made by the debtors, the more discount they earn. To be more precise cash discount is given to simulate or encourage early payment by the debtors.

    Trade discount is a discount allowed by traders on the list price of the goods to the customer at specified rate. Unlike cash discount, trade discount is based on number of sale i.e, more the sale more the discount earned. This is mainly given on bulk orders by the customers.

    To understand trade discount and cash discount let me give you simple example

    Mr. X purchased goods from Mr. Y of list price Rs 10,000. Mr. Y allowed a 10% discount to Mr.X on the list price for purchasing goods in bulk quantity. Further, he was provided with cash discount of Rs 500 for making an immediate payment. Therefore the entry for the above transaction in the books of Mr. X would be

    Purchase A/c                                                        ……Dr 9,000
               To Cash A/c 8,500
               To Discount received 500
    (Being goods purchased from Mr. Y worth Rs. 10,000@ 10% trade discount and cash discount of Rs. 500)
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Bonnie
BonnieCurious
In: >

Debited to P&L A/C Credited to P&L A/C Debited to Capital A/C None

  2. GautamSaxena Curious .
    This answer was edited.

    Interest on Drawings  Interest on drawings is debited to the capital account. As Interest on drawings is charged on the drawings made by partners/proprietors from their respective capital accounts in a partnership firm or proprietary concern. Drawings refer to the amount withdrawn by an owner or parRead more

    Interest on Drawings 

    Interest on drawings is debited to the capital account.

    As Interest on drawings is charged on the drawings made by partners/proprietors from their respective capital accounts in a partnership firm or proprietary concern.

    Drawings refer to the amount withdrawn by an owner or partner for his personal use. Thereby, interest on drawings is an income of a firm payable by the owner hence, it’s deducted/debited.

    The Profit and Loss Account, on the other hand, shows the income and expenses of a business incurred over an accounting period. Accounts like interest on drawings and capital are not shown in the P&L a/c because they are internal transactions and P&L a/c focuses only on the financial statement that summarizes the revenues, costs, and expenses incurred during a specified period.

     

    Partners’ Capital A/c

     

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Mehak
Mehak
In: >

  2. Mehak

    Everyone must have heard about the term “cooking the books”. This term is generally associated with Creative accounting. In simple words, Creative accounting is a method of accounting in which the management tries to show a better picture of the business than the reality. Let us now understand thisRead more

    Everyone must have heard about the term “cooking the books”. This term is generally associated with Creative accounting. In simple words, Creative accounting is a method of accounting in which the management tries to show a better picture of the business than the reality. Let us now understand this concept in detail.

    What is Creative accounting?

    Creative accounting is a method of accounting in which the management manipulates the books of accounts by finding loopholes to showcase a better image of the business.

    It is a practice of using accounting loopholes to make a company’s financial position look better than it really is. It is not exactly illegal but it is more of a gray area.

    For example, a business may delay reporting expenses to increase the profits to present a better short-term position.

    The goal of creative accounting is to impress the shareholders, investors, get loans or boost stock prices.

    However, this can also be very risky and have serious consequences. It can reduce the trust of the investors and customers. In some cases, like Enron and WorldCom the world has seen how creative accounting lead to legal consequences.

    Common Techniques of Creative Accounting

    Some of the common techniques used by the business to manipulate the financial position are as follows:

    1. Revenue Recognition: Techniques such as recognizing revenue before it is actually earned is a method of creative accounting.
    2. Expense manipulation: Delaying the recognition of expenses to show a better position of the business in a short-term.
    3. Undervaluing liabilities: Undervaluing the liabilities of the business by not recognizing any future costs such as insurance or warranty etc.
    4. Asset Valuation: Overstating the value of asses or high amount of depreciation can be some ways of manipulating the value of assets.
    5. Tax avoidance: This is a way of reducing the tax liability by manipulating the financial statements to lower the profits.
    6. Cookie jar accounting: This is a method in which profits in the good years are saved in excess to use in the years of difficulty.

    Ethical implications of Creative Accounting

    There are several ethical implications with respect to creative accounting. Some of these are discussed below:

    1. Misleading Stakeholders: Creative accounting is a method to mislead the stakeholders including the investors, creditors, government, etc. This can lead to loss of trust.
    2. Loss of trust: The shareholders will lose trust over the company if the manipulation is discovered. Creative accounting breaches the fundamental of honesty.
    3. Non – compliance: Creative accounting leads to the non-compliance of the rules and regulations of the country which requires the businesses to follow certain accounting and reporting standards.
    4. Unfair competition: Creative accounting can make a company look more profitable and stable than it actually is, misleading investors and customers. This can leave honest businesses, who follow the rules, at a disadvantage.
    5. Moral responsibility: Management and business has the moral responsibility of working in the best interest of the society and the stakeholders.

    Conclusion

    The key takeaways from the above discussion are as follows:

    1. Creative accounting is the practice of using accounting loopholes to make a company’s financial position look better than it really is.
    2. The goal of creative accounting is to impress the shareholders, and investors, get loans, or boost stock prices.
    3. Revenue recognition, expense manipulation, and asset valuation are some of the common techniques of Creative accounting.
    4. The ethical implications of creative accounting include misleading stakeholders, eroding trust, compromising regulatory compliance, promoting unfair competition, neglecting moral responsibility, etc.

     

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Spriha Sparsh
Spriha Sparsh
In: >

  2. Radhika
    This answer was edited.

    Working Capital is the capital used in the daily operations of the business. It is calculated as the difference between current assets and current liabilities. Gross working capital means current assets and net working capital means the difference between current assets and current liabilities. WorkRead more

    Working Capital is the capital used in the daily operations of the business. It is calculated as the difference between current assets and current liabilities. Gross working capital means current assets and net working capital means the difference between current assets and current liabilities.

    Working Capital indicates the short-term liquidity of its business. It means the ability of a company to meet its daily requirements through short-term financing.

    Working Capital can be;

    • Positive
    • Zero, or
    • Negative

    Positive or negative working capital follows a simple rule of math. If current assets are more than current liabilities, working capital is positive and if current assets are less than current liabilities, working capital is negative. When current assets are equal to current liabilities, working capital is zero.

    Negative working capital for a short period means that the company has made a big payment to its vendors, or a significant increase in the creditor’s account because of credit purchases.

    However, if working capital is negative for a longer period it indicates that the company is struggling with its operating requirements or that it has to finance its daily operations through long-term borrowings.

    The current ratio for a company is calculated as: 

    Current Assets divided by Current Liabilities.

    Working Capital and Current Ratio are interrelated. If the Current Ratio is more than 1, it means current assets exceed current liabilities and Working Capital is positive. However, if the Current Ratio is less than 1, it means current liabilities exceed current assets and Working Capital is negative.

    For example-

    If Current Assets are Rs 50,000 and Current Liabilities are Rs 70,000 then

    Working Capital= Current Assets – Current Liabilities

    WC           =        Rs 70,000   –     Rs 50,000

    WC           =                   Rs. 20,000

    Current Ratio = Current Assets / Current Liabilities

    CR        =         Rs.50,000/ Rs. 70,000

    CR        =                           0.71< 1

     

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Vijay
VijayCurious
In: >

Companies Act
  2. Naina@123 (B.COM and CMA-Final)
    This answer was edited.

    Simply explaining the meaning of the useful life of an asset, it is nothing but the number of years the asset would remain in the business for purpose of revenue generation, making it more simple, the amount of time an asset is expected to be functional and fit for use.  It is also called economic lRead more

    Simply explaining the meaning of the useful life of an asset, it is nothing but the number of years the asset would remain in the business for purpose of revenue generation, making it more simple, the amount of time an asset is expected to be functional and fit for use.  It is also called economic life or service life

    It is a useful concept in accounting as it is used to work out depreciation. By knowing this useful life of an asset an entity can easily analyze how to allot the initial cost of an asset across the relevant accounting period rather than doing it unfairly manner.

    How do we calculate the useful life of an asset?

    The useful life of an asset is not an accounting policy, but an accounting estimate. calculating useful life is not an exact phenomenon but an estimate that is done because it directly impacts how much an asset is to expense every year.

    Factors affecting “how long an asset is expected to be useful” depends on some stated points as below:

    1. Usage, the more the assets are used, the more quickly it will deteriorate.
    2. Whether the asset is new at the time of purchase or reused model.
    3. Change in technology.

    As per the companies act 2013, some of the useful life of assets are stated below

    To know more about the different categories of assets you can follow the given link useful life of assets.

    POINT TO BE NOTED:- There lies a huge difference in the useful life v/s the physical life of an asset. It is very important to note that amount of time an asset is used in a business is not always be same as an asset’s entire life span.

     

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