Debtors and Creditors Points of Distinction Debtors Creditors Meaning A debtor is a person or entity that owes money to the other party (the other party is also known as the creditor). A creditor is a person or entity to whom money is owed or who lends money. Nature The debtors will have a debit balRead more
Debtors and Creditors
| Points of Distinction | Debtors | Creditors |
| Meaning | A debtor is a person or entity that owes money to the other party (the other party is also known as the creditor). | A creditor is a person or entity to whom money is owed or who lends money. |
| Nature | The debtors will have a debit balance. | The creditors will have a credit balance. |
| Receipt of payment | The payment or amount owed is received from the debtor. | The payment of the amount owed is made to the creditors. |
| Nature of account | Debtors are account receivables. | Creditors are accounts payable. |
| Status | They are shown under assets in the balance sheet under the head current assets. They are shown as an asset because the amount is receivable from them. | They are shown under liabilities in the balance sheet under the head current liabilities. They are shown as a liability because the amount is payable to them. |
| Credit / Loan period | Debtors are the one who takes a loan or purchase goods on credit and has to pay the money in the agreed time period, with or without interest. | Creditors are the ones who provide loans or extend the duration of the credit period. |
| Discounts | They are the ones who receive discounts. | They can offer discounts to debtors. |
| Provision for doubtful debts | Provision for doubtful debts is created for debtors. | No such provision is created for creditors. |
Example:
Mr. A purchases raw materials from its supplier Mr. D on credit.
Here for Mr. D, Mr. A will be a debtor because the amount is receivable from him.
Similarly, for Mr. A, Mr. D will be his creditor because the amount is payable to him.
Profit and Gain
| Points of Distinction | Profit | Gain |
| Meaning | The excess of revenue of a period over its expenses is termed as profit.
Profit = Total Income-Total Expenses |
Gain means profit that arises from incidental events and transactions, such as capital gain. |
| Generation | It is generated within the operations of a business. | It is generated outside the business operation. |
| Nature of account | Profit calculated will appear in the Profit and Loss A/c. | The gain will appear in the income statement. |
| Types | Gross profit
Net profit Operating profit |
Capital gain Long term capital gain Short term capital gain
|
Example: A company’s sales for the period are $60,000 and expenses incurred are $40,000. Here the profit calculated will be $20,000 because revenue exceeds expenses.
Profit = Total Income-Total Expenses
= 60,000 – 40,000
= $20,000
Mr. X owned land worth $10,00,000 and after 10 years he sold it at a current market value of $14,00,000. So the gain he earned is $4,00,000. This gain of $4,00,000 will be termed as a capital gain since land is a capital asset.
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Accruals are not the same as provisions both are totally different from each other. Accruals and provision both are vital parts of accounts but work differently Accrual Accrual expense means the transaction that takes place in a particular period must be accounted for in that period only irreRead more
Accruals are not the same as provisions both are totally different from each other. Accruals and provision both are vital parts of accounts but work differently
Accrual
Accrual expense means the transaction that takes place in a particular period must be accounted for in that period only irrespective of the fact when such an amount has been paid.
An accrual of the expenditure which is not paid will be listed in the books of accounts. These accruals can be further divided into two parts
Accrual Expense
Accrual Expense means any transaction that takes place in a particular period but the amount for it will be paid on a later period.
For example- 10,000 for the month of March was paid in April month then this rent will be accounted for in the books in March
These are the following accrued expense
Accrual Revenue
Accrual Revenue means any transaction that takes place in a particular period but the amount for it will be received on later period. For example- If interest of 10,000 on bonds for the period of March is received in April months then this amount will be accounted for in March. These are the following accrued revenue
PROVISIONS
Provision refers to making a provision/allowance against any probable future expense that the company might incur in the near future. This amount is uncertain and difficult to predict its surety.
However, as per the prudence concept of accounting a company needs to anticipate the losses that will incur in the near future due to which provision is made.
For example- A company has debtors of 10,000 but as per the company’s previous records company anticipates that 1% of debtors will become bad debts. So in this case company will make a provision of 1% that is 100 on it.
There are various types of provisions which are-
- Provision on Depreciation– Provision for Depreciation means a provision for future depletion of assets has been already created
- Provision for Doubtful Debts– Provision for Doubtful Debts means a provision created against debtors that doesn’t seem to be recovered in the near future
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