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Fundamentals of Accounting I

INTRODUCTION
The purpose of accounting is to provide a means of recording, reporting, summarizing, and interpreting economic data. In order to do this, an accounting system must be designed. A system design serves the needs of users of accounting information. Once a system has been designed, reports can be issued and decisions based upon these reports are made for various departments. Since accounting is used by everyone in one form or another, a good understanding of accounting principles is beneficial to all.

BASIC ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLES & CONCEPTS
The accounting profession is generally divided into two categories; 1) private accounting and 2) public accounting. Private accountants are employed by a business, while public accountants practice as individuals or as members of an accounting firm. Public accountants are subject to strict government regulations and requirements which are determined by each individual state where a license is granted. Private accountants on the other hand require no licenses. They perform tasks which have been determined by their employer. Accounting fields exist that specialize in very specific areas of a business. Examples are auditing, budgetary, tax, social, cost, managerial, financial and international.

ACCOUNTING FIELDS
Bookkeeping is concerned with the recording of business data, while accounting is concerned with the design, interpretation of data, and the preparation of financial reports. Three forms of business entities exist: 1) sole proprietorship, 2) partnership, and 3) corporations. Corporations have the unique status of being a separate legal entity in which ownership is divided into shares of stock. A shareholder's liability is limited to his/her contribution to capital. Whenever a business transaction is recorded, it must be recorded to accounting records at cost. All business transactions must be recorded. All properties owned by businesses are assets. All debts are liabilities. The rights of owners are equity.

THE ACCOUNTING EQUATION & TRANSACTIONS
Assets, liabilities and owner's equity are the basic elements of the accounting equation. The excess of assets over liabilities is
owner's equity. Thus, assets are equal to liabilities plus owner's equity at all times. Any business transaction has to affect at
least one of these elements.

ACCOUNTING STATEMENTS
There are two basic accounting statements used by most businesses. The balance sheet presents the assets, liabilities and owner's equity. Each account balance in the balance sheet is reported as of the last day of the financial period. The income statement determines whether a net profit or loss was realized by matching total revenue and expenses for a specific time period. A third statement is used by some businesses. It is the statement of owner's equity which presents the changes which have taken place in owner's equity over the period.

CORPORATE ACCOUNTING STATEMENTS
The financial statements of corporations are different from those of other forms of business in several aspects. Instead of having
an owner's equity section in the balance sheet statement, a corporation has a stockholders' equity. Shareholders' equity is composed of capital stock and retained earnings. Capital stock represents the initial investment of the shareholders. Retained
earnings represents accumulated profits. The owner's equity statement is usually called retained earnings statement. The
retained earnings statement will at times have deductions called dividends which represent payments of earnings to shareholders.
Whenever shareholders buy shares of stock from the corporation, assets and stockholders' equity increase. The reverse occurs when dividends are distributed.

INCOME STATEMENTS
The income statement reports the amount of net income or loss determined by subtracting expenses from revenues during a
specific time pe12 income are recognized as expenses. The net income or loss from the income statement is recorded in the statement of owner's equity.

STATEMENT OF OWNER'S EQUITY
The statement of owner's equity records the changes in the value of owner's equity. Additional investments and net profits increase owner's equity. Dividend payments, owner withdrawals, and net losses decrease owner's equity. Net profits or losses are derived from the income statement. The statement of owner's equity (or retained earnings statement for corporations) is the connecting link between the income statement and the balance sheet.

BALANCE SHEET
The balance sheet lists all assets, liabilities, and owner's equity balances as of the last day of the financial period. The balance
sheet always begins with assets, then liabilities and owner's equity. Assets which are listed first are the most liquid, such as cash, accounts receivable and prepaid expenses. Liabilities are grouped by due date, with short-term liabilities listed first.

BUSINESS TRANSACTION & THE BALANCE SHEET
The following is a summary of business transactions and how they affect the items of the balance sheet.
1. Initial and additional investments increase both assets and
owner's equity.
2 Assets purchased on credit increase both assets and
liabilities.
3. When assets are used to purchase other assets,
there is no net change in the amount of total assets.

BUSINESS TRANSACTION & THE BALANCE SHEET
4. Assets used to pay debts decrease assets and liabilities.
5. Net income increases assets and owner's equity.
6. Net losses decrease assets and owner's equity.
7. Assets that are used up for the purpose of the generating
revenue decrease assets and owner's equity.
8. Withdrawals owners and dividends decrease assets and owner's
equity.
9. Expenses reduce assets and owner's equity.

REVIEW
1.When earnings are distributed to shareholders, payments are referred to as ..........Dividends
2. A business decides to pay all its short-term accounts payable. What effect will this have on the accounting equation? ............... Decrease assets
3. On a balance sheet, which assets are listed first? ………...... the most liquid

“ACCOUNTING CYCLE”
INTRODUCTION TO AN ACCOUNT
An account represents a document used to record all similar transactions. It consists of a title, a debit column, and a credit
column. The left side of an account is the debit side, and the right side of the account is the credit side. The balance of an
account is determined by subtracting the smaller sum (debit or credit) from the larger sum. Initially, all transactions are
recorded in a journal in a process known as journalizing. When the information recorded in the journal is transferred to the
individual accounts, this process is known as posting. Total debits and credits of any transaction must always be equal.

RULES FOR INCREASING & DECREASING ACCOUNTS
The following are rules for increasing and decreasing accounts.
1)- Asset accounts normally have debit balances and are increased by debits.
2)- Liability accounts normally have credit balances and are increased by credits.
3)- Owner's equity accounts normally have credit balances and are increased by credits.
4)- Revenue accounts are increased when credited.
5)- Expense accounts are increased when debited.

INCOME STATEMENT ACCOUNTS
Income statement accounts have a direct effect on the balance of owner's equity. Expense accounts decrease owner's equity, while revenue accounts increase owner's equity. The net gain or loss is determined by subtracting expenses from revenues. At the end of a financial period, all expense and revenue accounts are closed to a summarizing account usually called Income Summary. For this reason, all income statement accounts are considered to be temporary or nominal.

NORMAL ACCOUNT BALANCES
Assets, drawing, dividends, and expense accounts normally have debit balances. Liabilities, owner's equity, retained earnings, and revenue accounts normally have credit balances. There can be special circumstances where accounts will not have a normal balance, but this usually is an indication of an error.

CLASSIFYING ACCOUNTS
Balance sheet accounts are classified as assets, liabilities, or owner's equity. Income statement accounts are classified as either
expenses or revenues. Assets are divided into two categories, depending upon their expected life. Current assets are those that
are usually sold or consumed within a year. Fixed assets are held for periods longer than a year. Among fixed assets, plant assets
depreciate, while land does not. Liabilities are also divided into two categories: current, for those payable within a year, and
long-term, for those with maturities beyond one year.

CLASSIFYING ACCOUNTS
Owner's equity is the portion that remains after liabilities are subtracted from assets. For a sole proprietorship or partnership,
capital represents the owner's equity. For a corporation, capital stock is the investment made by stockholders. Retained earnings
represent net income that a corporation retains. Dividends are earnings of a corporation that are distributed to shareholders.
Drawings represent assets taken out by owners of proprietorships or partnerships. Drawings and dividends reduce owner's equity.

CLASSIFYING ACCOUNTS
Revenues increase the value of owner's equity. Revenues include sales, fees earned, services, interest income and rental income.
For businesses with more than one source of income, it is recommended to maintain separate accounts. Expenses vary for different businesses, and they should be classified according to the size and type of expense.

CHART OF ACCOUNTS
All accounts of a business should be listed in a chart of accounts.
Usually the accounts are classified as
1 - assets,
2 - liabilities,
3 - owner's equity,
4 - revenue, and
5 - expenses.
A second number of an account represents a specific category.

THE FLOW OF DATA
The accounting data normally follows a normal pattern of flow.
Its order is
1)- the actual business transaction requires the preparation of documentation,
2)- the entry for the transaction is recorded in the journal, and
3)- the journal entry is posted to the ledger.

THE TWO COLUMN JOURNAL
Of all types of journals, the two column journal is the simplest to use. It has a debit column and a credit column used for recording all initial transactions. Before a transaction is entered into a journal, it is necessary to determine the following:
1)- which accounts will be affected,
2)- whether the affected account increases or decreases, and
3)- whether the transaction should be recorded as a debit or credit.
An explanation of the transaction is desirable.

THREE-COLUMN & FOUR-COLUMN ACCOUNTS
Three-column and four-column accounts are often used instead of two-column accounts. The purpose of the additional columns is to keep running balances of both debits and credits in the four-column account, or a net of the two in the three-column account. All accounts, as well as most accounting forms used to record transactions, often have a posting reference column. In the journal, the posting reference column is used to record the account number. In the individual account, the posting reference (also called journal reference) is used to record the page number of the journal where the entry was made.

THE TRIAL BALANCE & ERRORS
The trial balance is a list of accounts with their debit or credit balances. It is usually prepared at the end of an accounting
period. The advantages of using a trial balance are:
1)- it reveals mathematical errors since total debits must equal total credits, and
2)- it assists in the preparation of financial statements.
It should be noted, however, that trial balances cannot detect every type of error.

What can be done if a trial balance does not prove? The following
steps can generally help discover errors more quickly!
1)- Add columns once more and determine the difference.
2)- Check if the error could be a transposition, slide, or mathematical error.
3)- Compare the balances of the ledger with those of the trial balance.
4)- Recompute each ledger account balance.
5)- Check all postings in the ledger by referring back to the journal.
6)- When an error is found, (or part of it) add again all debits and credits to check is they are now equal.

“COMPLETING THE ACCOUNTING CYCLE”
MATCHING REVENUES & EXPENSES
There are two methods of recording revenues and expenses in the income statement: accrual basis and cash basis. The accrual basis of accounting is a more precise method of matching revenues and expenses, and it is more widely used. It matches revenues and expenses when they are incurred rather than when cash is received or disbursed. The cash basis of accounting records revenues and expenses only when cash is received or disbursed, and this method is often not acceptable for many forms of business.

INTRODUCTION TO THE ADJUSTMENT PROCESS
At the end of a financial period, many balances listed in the trial balance are in need of some adjustment. Common adjustments pertain to prepaid expenses, plant assets, and accrued expenses. If the proper adjusting entries are not made, financial statments will be incorrect. It is not necessary to keep track of transactions that affect revenues and expenses on a day to day basis.
Adjustments should be made at the end of each accounting period.

PREPAID EXPENSES - ADJUSTMENTS
At the end of an accounting period, adjustments must be made to reflect the portion of the asset that has been consumed during the period. The amount of asset or prepaid expense consumed is recorded as a debit to the expense account, and a credit to the asset account. Should an adjusting entry not be made, expenses, net income, owner's equity and assets would all be overstated.

PLANT ASSETS - ADJUSTMENTS
Plant assets represent long-term tangible property owned by the firm. Although it is often not visible, the usefulness of a plant asset declines. This loss of usefulness is known as depreciation, and it requires an adjusting entry periodically. The decline in value requires a debit to Depreciation Expense account, and a credit to Accumulated Depreciation (which is said to be a contra
asset account). The difference between the balances of the asset and contra asset accounts is the book value of the asset. If the
adjusting entry is not made, assets, owner's equity, and net income will be overstated, and expenses will be understated.

LIABILITIES - ADJUSTMENTS
While most expenses are prepaid, a few are paid after a service has been performed. This is the case of wages and salaries. Since
the expense has not been paid but services have been received, an accrued expense and a liability have taken place. The adjusting entry requires a debit to an expense account and a credit to a liability account. Failure to do so will result in net income
and owner's equity being overstated, and expenses and liabilities being understated.

WORK SHEETS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The work sheet is a collection of important data that is used to determine which adjusting entries must be performed. It also
assists in the preparation of financial statements. The first step of preparing a work sheet is the trial balance. Once a trial
balance proves (i.e. total debits equal total credits), adjusting entries can be performed. To make certain all debits and credits
still prove after all adjusting entries, an adjusted trial balance is created. Once the adjusted trial balance proves, if is
separated into an income statement and a balance sheet. All columns of the work sheet should have equal balances for debits
and credits.

PREPARING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The work sheet is used in the preparation of the financial statements. The results of the income statement (net profit or
loss) are transferred to the statement of owner's equity. If additional funds have been invested or withdrawn over the period,
such changes are recorded to the statement of owner's equity. The owner's equity account in the balance sheet is transferred
from the statement of owner's equity. All other balances of the balance sheet are transferred from the work sheet balance sheet
columns.

JOURNALIZING & POSTING CLOSING ENTRIES
After the financial statements are completed, all adjusting entries are recorded in the journal and posted to the ledger so that all
financial statements are in agreement. It is necessary to close all temporary accounts and record the net change to the owner's equity account. This is accomplished by journalizing and posting closing entries for all temporary accounts. An Income Summary account is used to summarize revenue and expense accounts, and establishing the net profit or loss for the period. In addition, any transaction that increases or decreases capital should also be posted to the appropriate capital account.

PROCEDURES TO CLOSE TEMPORARY ACCOUNTS
1)- Debit all revenue accounts, and credit Income Summary.
2)- Credit all expense accounts, and debit Income Summary.
3)- Add debit and credit columns of Income Summary. If the credit balance exceeds the debit balance, a profit has been realized.
4)- Results of the Income Summary should be posted to a capital account (Owner's or Shareholders equity).
5)- If there is activity in the Drawing or Dividend accounts, it is necessary to credit those acounts and debit a capital account.

THE ACCOUNTING CYCLE
The accounting cycle begins with the analysis of all transactions and recording them in the journal. Once all transactions have
been recorded in the journal, they are posted to the ledger and a trial balance is drawn. The trial balance, adjusting entries, and
any additional information for the financial statements are recorded in the work sheet. After the completion of the work
sheet, the financial statements are finalized. All adjusting and closing entries are then journalized and posted to the ledger. To
ensure all entries were correctly made, a post-closing trial balance is prepared to show the equality of debits and credits,
as well to confirm Assets, Liabilities, and Capital accounts with proper open balances.

“MERCHANDISING ENTERPRISE ACCOUNTING”
ENTRIES FOR PURCHASES TRANSACTIONS
ACCOUNTING ENTRIES USED TO RECORD THE PURCHASE AND PAYMENT OF GOODS
1) When goods are purchased with cash, the following entry is necessary: debit Purchases, credit Cash
2) When goods are purchased on credit, the following entry is necessary: debit Purchases, credit Accounts Payable
3) When goods are purchased on credit, but are paid back early due to a cash discount incentive, the following entry is necessary: debit Accounts Payable, credit Cash, and credit Purchases Discount.

PURCHASES DISCOUNTS
A seller will often offer a cash discount to the buyer for an early payment. Credit terms are the conditions for the payment
agreed upon by the buyer and the seller. Cash discounts are stated in a fractional form with the percentage of discount in
the numerator and the number of days in the denominator. The credit period, or number of days a buyer can pay without
incurring a finance charge, is stated in NET days or n/days. Example: terms 3/15, n/60 means a buyer will receive a 3%
cash discount if paid within 15 days of the invoice date, and the buyer has a maximum of 60 days to pay the entire debt amount.

PURCHASES RETURNS AND ALLOWANCES RULES
FOR RECORDING RETURNS AND ALLOWANCES FOR GOODS PURCHASED ON CREDIT
1) If merchandise is returned or a price adjustment is necessary, the buyer should debit Accounts Payable and credit the Purchases Returns and Allowances account.
2) When the returned goods were purchased on credit, and a cash discount for early payment is available, the discount only applies to the price of the goods that are kept, (in addition, discounts are not taken on freight costs).

SALES ACCOUNTING
When goods are sold for cash or on credit, the Sales account should be credited. To encourage early payment of goods purchased on credit, the seller will often offer a cash discount. These discounts are recorded in the Sales Discounts account. When goods are returned or an allowance is requested, the adjustment is made to the Sales. Returns and Allowances account. All sales discounts, returns, and allowances reduce sales revenues.

SALES ACCOUNTING - RULES FOR RECORDING SALES TRANSACTIONS
1- When goods are sold and payment is made in cash, debit Cash and credit Sales.
2- When goods are sold on credit, debit Accounts Receivable and credit Sales.
3- When goods are sold through the use of a credit card, there often will be a service fee. In such circumstances, debit Cash
and Credit Card Collection Expense (for the fee) and credit Accounts Receivable.

SALES ACCOUNTING - RECORDING SALES DISCOUNTS
When a buyer takes advantage of a cash discount, Cash and Sales Discount should be debited, and Accounts Receivable should be credited. Example: Invoice for $950 with terms 3/15, n/30 is paid early by the buyer. Debit Cash $921.50 Debit Sales Discounts $28.50 Credit Accounts Receivable $950

SALES ACCOUNTING - RECORDING SALES RETURNS AND ALLOWANCES
When a seller grants a return or an allowance, Sales Returns and Allowances is debited, and Accounts Receivable is credited. A
buyer of goods can only take a cash discount on the goods that are actually kept (cash discounts do not apply to freight either).
Example: A seller receives a debit memorandum for $70 of goods that were not ordered by ABC company. If the return is granted, the following entry is necessary. Debit Sales Returns & Allowances $70 Credit Accounts Receivable ABC company $70

SALES ACCOUNTING
Manufacturers and wholesalers often reduce catalog list prices by allowing trade (or quantity) discounts. The discounts vary
depending on customer and order size. Trade discounts permit flexible prices without having to print new catalogs. Trade
discounts are not reflected in accounting records, only the agreed upon price between a buyer and seller is recorded.

TRANSPORTATION COSTS
Whenever goods are sold, the buyer and the seller must agree upon who pays shipping costs. When goods are shipped FOB shipping point, the buyer agrees to pay for shipping costs and ownership passes to the buyer when the merchandise is delivered to the shipper. When goods are shipped FOB destination, the seller agrees to pay for transportation costs and ownership of goods passes to the buyer when the goods are delivered.

SALES TAXES
The majority of states in the United States levy a tax on the sale of merchandise. At the moment the sale is competed (whether
payment is received or not) the amount of the sales tax is credited to the Sales Tax Payable in the books of the seller.
Periodically the Sales Tax Payable account will be debited when the tax is remitted to the state tax authority. The buyer of goods
does not record a sales tax expense separately in his/her accounts, it is merely added to the cost of the goods, and the
entire amount is debited to Purchases.

INTERIM REPORTING FOR MERCHANDISING ENTERPRISES
Merchandising enterprises often prepare quarterly or monthly financial reports, called interim financial statements, which are
useful to management. This requires the preparation of a trial balance, and an analysis of accounts to determine what adjustments are necessary. Once adjusting entries are entered on the work sheet, the adjusted trial balance is prepared. Interim financial statements are then prepared based upon the information that is provided by the work sheet.

ACCOUNTING FOR MERCHANDISE INVENTORY
There are two systems commonly used to keep track of inventory: periodic inventory and perpetual inventory systems. In the
periodic inventory system, revenue is recorded each time a sale is made. However, but the cost of goods sold is not
determined until a physical inventory is taken. In the perpetual system, both sales amount and the cost of goods sold are recorded
each time an item is sold. This makes it possible to know quantity and the value of inventory at all times.

DETERMINING THE COST OF GOODS SOLD
The cost of goods sold is usually reported in a separate section of the income statement. In the periodic inventory system, determining the cost of goods sold requires the following steps:
1)- All purchases must be totaled.
2)- Purchases returns & allowances and purchases discounts are deducted from purchases to determine the net purchase balance.
3)- Net purchases plus transportation costs equals cost of goods purchased.
4)- Beginning inventory plus cost of goods purchased equals goods available for sale.
5)- Goods available for sale minus ending inventory equals cost of goods sold.

ADJUSTMENTS FOR MERCHANDISE INVENTORY
The merchandise inventory account only shows the beginning balance of inventory, not any purchases made during the period. It is therefore necessary to remove the beginning inventory balance and replace it with the ending inventory balance. This is performed by the following two adjusting entries:
1- Debit the beginning inventory balance to Income Summary, and credit the Merchandise Inventory account.
2- Debit the ending inventory balance to Merchandise Inventory, and credit the Income Summary account.

ADJUSTMENTS ON THE WORK SHEET
The first step in preparing a work sheet requires a trial balance to be taken. Next, data should be gathered to perform adjusting
entries. Accounts that typically require adjustments are Merchandise Inventory, prepaid expenses, supplies, assets that have to be
depreciated, and outstanding liabilities. All these adjustments are posted to the adjustments column of the work sheet, and the
debit and credit columns must prove. After the adjusting entries have been entered, the adjusted trial balance is prepared. Balances in this column reflect the correct ending balances of the accounts at the end of the fiscal period.

PREPARING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
INCOME STATEMENTS
Income statements are commonly prepared in two formats: multiple-step and single-step. In the multiple-step format revenues
are often presented in great detail, cost of goods sold is subtracted to show gross profit, operating expenses are separated
from other expenses, and operating income is separated from other income. In the single-step format, all expenses are combined in a single section including cost of goods sold.

RETAINED EARNINGS STATEMENT
The retained earnings statement is a summary of what has occurred to the retained earnings account. The retained earnings statement always begins with the ending balance of the past period, then presents net income or loss, dividend payments and other elements affecting the retained earnings account. It is not unusual for the retained earnings statement and the income statement to be combined into one statement. This is primarily done fornsimplicity.

BALANCE SHEETS
Balance sheets can be arranged in two forms: account form and report form. The account form lists all asset accounts on the
left hand side of the balance sheet, and all liabilities and equity accounts are listed on the right-hand side. The report form lists
all accounts in a downward sequence beginning with assets, liabilities, and ending with equity. Both assets and liabilities
should be arranged according to their liquidity or purpose. Assets that are generally liquid and are expected to be held less
than a year are listed under current assets. Assets that are permanent in nature or are expected to be used for a long period of
time are listed under plant assets. Liabilities are classified into short and long term depending on their maturity.

ADJUSTING AND CLOSING ENTRIES
The work sheet provides the information needed for the adjusting entries. Adjusting entries involve asset, liability, expense, and
revenue accounts. Special adjusting entries are required for Inventory:
- debit Income Summary and credit Inventory for the beginning balance, and
- debit Inventory and credit Income Summary for the ending balance.

ADJUSTING AND CLOSING ENTRIES
After all adjusting entries have been performed, closing entries are required for all temporary accounts. Sales, income accounts,
purchases returns & allowances, and purchases discounts are debited to close, and the Income Summary account is credited for
the total. Expenses, purchases, sales discounts, sales returns & allowances, and transportation in are all credited to close, and
the Income Summary account is debited for the total. The Income Summary debit or credit balance is closed to the Owner's Equity or Retained Earnings account. The Dividends account is credited and Retained Earnings debited if any dividends were paid during the year.

REVERSING ENTRIES
Since some adjusting entries performed at the end of a financial period disrupt routine transactions, they are simply reversed on
the first day of the new period. A reversing entry exact reverses the adjusting entry. An example of an adjusting entry that is
commonly reversed is salary or wages payable. Reversing entries are performed because they reduce errors and save time. Reversing entries are optional and some firms do not perform them.

INTERIM STATEMENTS
Financial statements prepared for a period less than a complete accounting year are referred to as interim statements. Data for
interim statements is obtained from work sheets. Any adjusting and closing entries performed to prepare interim statements are not recorded in the accounts, (this is only necessary at the end of a fiscal year or accounting period).

CORRECTING ERRORS
Depending upon the type of an error and the point in time it is discovered, the correcting procedure differs.
1)- When a journal entry is incorrect and has not yet been posted, a line should be drawn through the error and the correct title or amount should be entered.
2)- When a journal entry has been posted incorrectly, it is necessary to journalize and post a correcting entry.
3)- When a journal entry is correct but has been posted incorrectly, a correcting entry should be posted.

“ACCRUALS AND DEFERRALS”

INTRODUCTION TO DEFERRALS & ACCRUALS
Deferrals and accruals are instrumental in properly matching revenues and expenses. A deferral delays the recognition of either
an expense that has been paid or a revenue that has been collected. An accrual is an expense that has not been paid or a revenue that has not yet been received.

DEFERRALS - PREPAID EXPENSES
Prepaid expenses represent the cost of goods and services purchased that are not entirely used up at the end of the year. Adjusting entries are necessary so that asset and expense accounts have the proper balances. Prepaid expenses can be initially recorded as either an asset or an expense. Either method will yield the same
results, but adjusting entries to obtain the final result differ. The advantage of recording a prepaid expense initially as an asset
is that no reversing entry is necessary.

DEFERRALS - UNEARNED REVENUES
When revenue is received before goods are delivered or services performed, the revenue is said to be unearned. Unearned revenues can initially be recorded as either a liability or a revenue. When unearned revenues are recorded as liabilities, an unearned revenue account is credited. An advantage of this method is that no reversing entry is necessary. When unearned income is recorded as a revenue, a revenue account is credited. This method requires a reversing entry at the beginning of the new period. Both methods produce, however, the same end result.

ACCRUALS - LIABILITIES OR EXPENSES
Many expenses which accumulate on a daily basis are only recorded at set intervals. At the end of an accounting period a portion of such expenses (for instance, salaries) often remains unpaid. Such accruals are considered to be both liabilities or expenses. An
adjusting entry is necessary at the end of an accounting period to properly reflect the portion of the accrued but yet unpaid expense and liability. At the start of the next period, the adjusting entry is reversed to simplify accounting.

ACCRUALS - ASSETS OR REVENUES
Many businesses only record revenues when they are actually received. At the end of an accounting period, all revenues earned
but not yet collected require adjusting entries. The adjustment is performed by debiting an asset account and crediting a revenue
account. As a result, financial statements will be able to properly match revenues and expenses. A reversing entry is performed at the first day of the new period to simplify accounting.

REVIEWING ACCRUALS AND DEFERRALS
Although all accruals and deferrals require adjusting entries at the end of an accounting period, reversing entries are not necessary for all adjustments. Reversing entries should only be performed under the following circumstances:
1) when an accrued asset or an accrued liability is adjusted,
2) when a prepaid expense is initially recorded as an expense,
3) when an unearned revenue is initially recorded as revenue.

“ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS”
PRINCIPLES OF ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS
The accounting system of an organization should provide all necessary information. The type of accounting system used
depends on the information needs of an organization. All accounting systems should have the following characteristics:
1) cost effectiveness,
2) adequate internal controls,
3) flexibility to a changing environment, and
4) compatibility and adaptability to an organization's structure.

INSTALLING & REVISING ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS
The installation and revision of an accounting system requires a complete knowledge of a business operation. The following steps are necessary when installing or changing an accounting system.
1)- Systems analysis: this stage determines data needs, the sources of data and any problem in processing current data.
2)- Systems design: this stage involves designing new or revising current accounting systems based upon the results of the systems analysis.
3)- Systems implementation: this final stage installs and evaluates the new or revised accounting system.

INTERNAL CONTROLS
Internal controls are designed to safeguard assets, check accuracy of accounting data, promote efficiency, and encourage adherence to company policies. Internal accounting controls are specifically concerned with the protection of assets and the reliability of accounting information. Internal administrative controls are concerned with operational efficiency, and help determine whether business goals are being met.

SUBSIDIARY LEDGERS
Subsidiary ledgers are used for accounts that have a large number of individual accounts with common characteristics. Subsidiary ledgers are commonly used for accounts receivable and accounts payable; both consist of a large number of smaller accounts. The general ledger contains all balance sheet and income statement accounts. Every subsidiary ledger has a controlling account which can be found in the general ledger. The sum of the balances of the subsidiary ledger must be equal to the controlling account.

SPECIAL JOURNALS
Special journals are designed to record a specific type of transaction which occurs frequently. The following is a summary of
the four most commonly used special journals:
1)- purchases journal: used to record purchases on credit,
2)- sales journal: used to record all sales made on credit,
3)- cash payments journal: records all cash disbursements, and
4)- cash receipts journal: records all cash receipts.
In certain instances, business documents such as purchases and sales invoices are used instead of special journals to reduce expenses.

PURCHASES JOURNAL
Items commonly purchased on account are goods held in inventory for sale, supplies, and equipment. The accounts payable account is always credited, and an asset account is debited. Assets purchased on a recurring basis have their own column in the journal. Assets purchased less regularly are posted in the sundry accounts section of the journal. At all times, total debits must equal total credits. At the end of an accounting period, all entries should be posted to a subsidiary ledger or the general ledger.

CASH PAYMENTS JOURNAL
When the cash payments journal is used, the cash column is always credited whenever a payment is issued. When a payment is made for goods previously purchased on credit, the accounts payable column is credited. In the event a discount is offered for early payment, the purchases discounts column should be debited. The sundry accounts column is used for debits to accounts which do not have an individual column. At the end of the month, all data from the journal should be posted to subsidiary ledgers or the general ledger. The sum of the accounts payable subsidiary ledger must be equal to the controlling account. In the event it is not, errors must be found and corrected.

SALES JOURNAL
The sales journal is only used to record sales of merchandise on account. A unique feature of the sales journal is that accounts
receivable debits and credits share the same column. A column also often exists to record sales tax payable. Any sales returns or
allowances granted for goods sold on credit require an entry to the general journal. If a cash refund is given, the transaction should be recorded to the cash payments journal.

CASH RECEIPTS JOURNAL
The cash receipts journal is used to record all transactions that increase the cash balance. The most common sources of cash receipts are cash sales and payments for goods on account. When debtors pay for goods purchased on account, the accounts receivable column should be credited. If a cash discount is taken by a customer, the sales discount column should be debited for the cash discount. All accounts in the cash receipts journal are posted periodically to the general ledger. Accounts receivables should be posted monthly to the accounts receivable subsidiary ledger.

“CASH”
BANK ACCOUNTS
The most effective tool used to control cash is a bank account. It provides a double record of all cash transactions. In order to
provide effective controls on the use of bank accounts, special documents are used to evidence transactions. Signature cards are
used by all employees authorized to make withdrawals. Deposit tickets must accompany deposits, and checks must be issued for all payments. A remittance advice is sent with each payment to ensure that proper credit is recorded by creditors. Banks commonly require that a minimum balance (compensating balance) be held.

BANK STATEMENTS
An advantage of using a bank account to control cash is that banks send a bank statement monthly reporting all the transactions in the account. Information normally present in the bank statement consists of the beginning and ending balances, deposits, other credits, withdrawals and other debits. The cancelled checks are enclosed with the statement, as well as debit and credit memorandums (for items processed by the bank usually unknown to the depositor). Rarely will the bank statement balance and the depositor's Cash in Bank account balance be exactly the same, and they must be reconciled.

BANK RECONCILIATIONS
A bank reconciliation is a method used to determine the reasons for discrepancies between the bank statement balance and the Cash in Bank account balance and to calculate an adjusted balance. Discrepancies are usually due to outstanding items which have not yet been recorded by either of the bank or the company, and which typically include checks not yet presented for collection, deposits in transit and bank service charges. Errors are another common cause of discrepancies, which the reconciliation will help correct. Finally, the reconciliation may uncover irregularities.

BANK RECONCILIATIONS
A bank reconciliation is divided into two sections, the balance per bank statement and the balance per depositor's records. Although it is possible to reconcile one balance to the other, common practice adjusts both balances to prove to one another. Outstanding transactions unknown to the depositor discovered when the bank statement was sent require journal entries.

CASH ACCOUNTS
There are often several cash accounts because they serve different purposes. The Cash in Bank account represents the checking account that processes deposits, checks and memorandum items. The Cash Short and Over account is used to record any variance by sales clerks. The Cash on Hand Fund is used to provide change to conduct business with customers. The Petty Cash Fund is used to pay for small items with cash. Each of these cash accounts needs to be strictly controlled to prevent mishandling.

INTERNAL CONTROL OF CASH ACCOUNTS
Numerous procedures are available to control cash accounts. Monthly bank statements help verify the cash account balance. The bank reconciliation is particularly useful in controlling cash receipts. The voucher system is used to control cash payments. Different cash funds exist for specific purposes to keep track of each type of cash transaction. It should be noted that it is of utmost importance to separate cash handling and cash related accounting duties.

THE VOUCHER SYSTEM
One of the most common methods to control cash payments is the voucher system. The components of a voucher system are
1)- vouchers: documents establishing proof of payment,
2)- a voucher register: to record every voucher,
3)- an unpaid voucher file,
4)- a paid voucher file, and the
5)- a check register: to record the payment of each voucher.
The voucher system provides effective accounting controls and aids management decision making.

THE VOUCHER SYSTEM
IMPORTANT FACTS CONCERNING VOUCHERS
1)- Vouchers must be prepared for all payments.
2)- Vouchers represent written authorization of a payment.
3)- Before a voucher can be approved; the receiving report, invoice and purchase order should be compared keeping in mind
possible discounts.
4)- All vouchers should be recorded in the voucher register in a numerical order.

THE VOUCHER SYSTEM
FACTS CONCERNING THE VOUCHER REGISTER
1)- All vouchers must be recorded in the voucher register.
2)- Vouchers are listed in numerical order.
3)- The register records the payee, the date the payment is made and the number of the check issued for payment,
4)- The Accounts Payable account is always credited, but there may be different accounts to be debited.
5)- The Sundry Accounts is used to debit accounts not listed in the other Register columns.

THE VOUCHER SYSTEM
VOUCHER FILES PROCEDURES
1)- Unpaid vouchers are filed in the unpaid voucher file.
2)- Unpaid vouchers should be filed in the order they are due.
3)- Paid vouchers are filed in the paid voucher file.
4)- Paid vouchers are filed in numerical order.
THE VOUCHER SYSTEM
USING THE CHECK REGISTER
1)- When a voucher is paid, it is recorded in the check register.
2)- The check register is similar to the cash payments journal.
3)- All checks should be listed numerically, even those that are voided.
4)- Cash in Bank account should always be credited. If a discount is taken, credit the Purchases Discount account.
5)- Voucher numbers and a running cash balance column are used in the check register.

ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER
The evolution of electronic funds transfer (EFT) will change the way cash transactions are processed. EFT uses electronic impulses that are computerized to perform cash transactions. This eliminates the need for checks and physical money. EFT has a particularly strong presence in retail sales. Point-of-sale systems are used by customers to pay for purchases using credit cards, charge cards, and bank cards. The greatest benefit EFT can provide is reduced costs, and quicker and more accurate information.

“RECEIVABLES”
INTRODUCTION TO RECEIVABLES
Receivables are any monetary claims against debtors. Credit can be granted in two forms: open account or evidenced by a formal instrument. When a formal instrument of credit, that is a promissory note, the creditor has a stronger legal claim and can endorse it to a third party. The party that promises payment is known as the maker, and the party entitled to receive the payment is the payee. Notes receivable can be interest or non-interest bearing. The amount due at maturity, known as maturity value, is equal to the face value plus any accrued interest. Receivables not expected to be collected within the current year, should be listed as investments on the balance sheet.

RECEIVABLE CONTROLS
Receivables require the same internal controls as other assets of a business. Employees responsible for collecting and approving
receivables should not be involved with accounting aspect related to them. All accounting functions should be designed so that the work of one employee can be used as verification of another employee's work. A business that has a substantial amount of notes may find the use of a notes receivable register very helpful. It provides detailed information on each note, and assists in the timely collection of notes. Proper controls of receivables also includes obtaining approval for credit sales, sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

CALCULATING INTEREST
Interest rates are usually stated on an annual basis. The interest is computed by multiplying principal by rate and then by time
(principal x rate x time). The maturity value is determined by calculating interest and adding it to the face value of the note.
When interest is computed for periods of less than a year, time is expressed as a fraction. The numerator of the fraction is the
length of the note and the denominator is the number of days in a year. Government agencies use 365 days in the denominator, while the private sector uses 360 days.

ACCOUNTING FOR NOTES RECEIVABLE
When a note is received from the debtor (i.e. open account customer), a journal entry should be made debiting Notes Receivable
and crediting Accounts Receivable account. Notes receivable that do not mature by the end of a fiscal period, require both adjusting and reversing entries for the accrued interest. This is done so that interest income is allocated to the proper financial periods. When a note matures and is paid, the Cash account is debited and the Notes Receivable and Interest Income accounts is credited.

DISCOUNTING A NOTE RECEIVABLE
In the event a business is in need of cash, it has the option to transfer its notes receivable to a bank, which is known as
discounting. The interest a bank charges on the period it holds a note is known as discount. Depending upon the arrangement with the bank, the company may still be liable in the event a debtor defaults on the payment. It is necessary to disclose these contingent obligations on a firm's Balance Sheet in a foot note. When proceeds are received for the discounted notes, the Cash
account is debited, and the Notes Receivable account credited. If the proceeds exceed the face value of the note, the Interest
Income account is credited. If the proceeds are less than the face value of the note, Interest Expense is debited.

DISHONORED NOTES RECEIVABLE
When the maker of a note fails to pay on the due date, the note receivable is considered to be dishonored. A dishonored note is no longer negotiable. In the books of creditors, the following entry
is made :
Debit Accounts Receivable
Credit Notes Receivable
Credit Interest Income or Interest Receivable
When a note previously discounted with a bank is dishonored, the holder of the note (the bank) notifies the endorser (i.e the company) of non-payment. Protest fees are charged to the endorser for legal fees.

RECEIVABLES WHICH BECOME UNCOLLECTIBLE
No matter what kind of credit policy or collection procedures a business establishes, a certain percentage of receivables will
usually turn out to be uncollectible. When a receivable is determined to be uncollectible, it is written-off as an operating
expense. Strong indications that a receivable may be uncollectibleare the declaration of bankruptcy by the debtor, repeated failures to collect, disappearance of the debtor, and debts that are beyond the statute of limitations. Two methods exist to write-off receivables. The direct write-off method records the expense when the receivable is uncollectible, while the allowance method makes a provision for a portion of the current year sales to become uncollectible throughout the entire year.

THE ALLOWANCE METHOD
The allowance method of accounting for uncollectibles estimates the percentage of accounts that will be uncollectible. Once the
amount is determined, an adjusting entry is made that debits the Uncollectible Accounts Expense and credits the Allowance for
Doubtful Accounts (also known as Allowance for Bad Debt). When a specific account is determined to be uncollectible, the Allowance for Doubtful Accounts is debited and the Accounts Receivable account is credited. The advantage of using the allowance method is it provides a reduction of the value of receivables and recognition of expense in the period the corresponding sales have taken place.

METHODS USED TO ESTIMATE UNCOLLECTIBLES
There are several methods of estimating uncollectible. The most commonly used methods base their estimates on sales data or the age of the receivables. Estimates based on sales figures can be determined by taking a percentage of either total sales or credit sales. An estimate of uncollectable based on an analysis of receivables, classifies accounts into outstanding age groups. The longer a receivable is past due, the higher the probability of nonpayment. If the estimate is larger than the balance of the Allowance for Doubtful Accounts, the excess should be debited to the Uncollectible Accounts Expense and credited to the Allowance for Doubtful Accounts.

THE DIRECT WRITE-OFF METHOD
The direct write-off method only records an uncollectible account expense when an account has been determined to be uncollectible. This method is not recommended the recognition of the expense does always occur in the year the corresponding revenues were recorded. It has, however, the advantage of simplicity since no adjusting entry is necessary at the end of a financial period. The method is best used by businesses that do not have a large number of credit sales. In the event an account needs to be reinstated, the Accounts Receivable account is debited. Uncollectible Accounts Expense should be credited.

“INVENTORY”
INVENTORIES AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Inventories are usually the largest current asset of a business, and proper measurement of them is necessary to assure accurate financial statements. If inventory is not properly measured, expenses and revenues cannot be properly matched. When ending inventory is incorrect, the following balances of the balance sheet will also be incorrect as a result: merchandise inventory, total assets, and owner's equity. When ending inventory is incorrect, the cost of merchandise sold and net income will also be incorrect on the income statement.

INVENTORY ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS
The two most widely used inventory accounting systems are the periodic and the perpetual. The perpetual inventory system requires accounting records to show the amount of inventory on hand at all times. It maintains a separate account in the subsidiary ledger for each good in stock, and the account is updated each time a quantity is added or taken out. In the periodic inventory system, sales are recorded as they occur but the inventory is not updated. A physical inventory must be taken at the end of the year to determine the cost of goods sold. Regardless of what inventory accounting system is used, it is good practice to perform a physical inventory at least once a year.

DETERMINING INVENTORY QUANTITIES & COSTS
All goods owned by a business (whether or not physically present on the business premises), are included in inventory when an inventory is taken. This requires that all shipping documents be examined, and all merchandise out on consignment be identified. Determining the quantity of goods on hand should be performed by at least two individuals, and a third should verify accuracy of the count (especially if the goods have a high monetary value). When determining the cost of goods, all expenses incurred to acquire them are included in the purchase price.

INVENTORY COSTING METHODS - PERIODIC
The periodic system records only revenue each time a sale is made. In order to determine the cost of goods sold, a physical inventory must be taken. The most commonly used inventory costing methods under a periodic system are
1)- first-in first-out (FIFO),
2)- last-in first-out (LIFO), and
3)- average cost or weighted average cost.
These methods produce different results because their flow of costs are based upon different assumptions. The FIFO method bases its cost flow on the chronological order purchases are made, while the LIFO method bases it cost flow in a reverse chronological order. The average cost method produces a cost flow based on a weighted average of unit costs.

COMPARING INVENTORY COSTING METHODS
The choice of inventory costing method affects the balances of
1)- ending inventory,
2)- cost of goods sold, and
3)- gross and net profit.
During periods of rising prices, the FIFO method generally produces a larger ending inventory, a smaller cost of goods sold and a higher profit. During periods of rising prices, the LIFO method produces a smaller ending inventory, a larger cost of goods sold and a smaller profit. During periods of declining prices the effects of the two methods are reversed. The average cost method produces results that are in between the LIFO and FIFO methods.
USING NON-COST METHODS TO VALUE INVENTORY
Under certain circumstances, valuation of inventory based on cost is impractical. If the market price of a good drops below the
purchase price, the lower of cost or market method of valuation is recommended. This method allows declines in inventory value to be offset against income of the period. When goods are damaged or obsolete, and can only be sold for below purchase prices, they should be recorded at net realizable value. The net realizable value is the estimated selling price less any expense incurred to dispose of the good.

PERIODIC VS. PERPETUAL INVENTORY SYSTEMS
There are fundamental differences for accounting and reporting merchandise inventory transactions under the periodic and perpetual inventory systems. To record purchases, the periodic system debits the Purchases account while the perpetual system debits the Merchandise Inventory account. To record sales, the perpetual system requires an extra entry to debit the Cost of goods sold and credit Merchandise Inventory. By recording the cost of goods sold for each sale, the perpetual inventory system alleviated the need for adjusting entries and calculation of the goods sold at the end of a financial period, both of which the periodic inventory system requires.

INVENTORY COSTING METHODS - PERPETUAL
The perpetual inventory system requires that a separate inventory ledger be maintained for each good. Inventory ledgers provide
detailed information on purchases, cost of goods sold, and inventory on hand. Each column gives information on quantity, unit cost, and total cost. When the average cost method is used, an average unit cost of each good is calculated each time a purchase is made. The advantages of the perpetual inventory system is a high degree of control, it aids in the management of proper inventory levels, and physical inventories can be easily compared. Whenever a shortage (i.e. a missing or stolen good) is discovered, the Inventory Shortages account should be debited.

METHODS USED TO ESTIMATE INVENTORY COST
In certain business operations, taking a physical inventory is impossible or impractical. In such a situation, it is necessary to estimate the inventory cost. Two very popular methods are
1)- retail inventory method, and
2)- gross profit (or gross margin) method.
The retail inventory method uses a cost to retail price ratio. The physical inventory is valued at retail, and it is multiplied by the
cost ratio (or percentage) to determine the estimated cost of the ending inventory. The gross profit method uses the previous years average gross profit margin (i.e. sales minus cost of goods sold divided by sales). Current year gross profit is estimated by multiplying current year sales by that gross profit margin, the current year cost of goods sold is estimated by subtracting the gross profit from sales, and the ending inventory is estimated by adding cost of goods sold to goods available for sale.

“FIXED ASSETS”
INTRODUCTION TO PLANT ASSETS
Plant assets are assets that are held for more than one year and are uses in business operations. Land, buildings, equipment,
furniture, and machinery are examples of plant assets. When a plant asset is initially acquired, all costs incurred for acquisition and installation are debited to the plant asset account. Expenditures that are related to land can be debited to either Land, Land
Improvements, or Buildings depending upon how permanent they are and how long they are expected to last.

DEPRECIATION
All plant assets, except land, depreciate. Factors that contribute to depreciation are physical and functional. Physical depreciation
arises from the actual use of a plant asset. Functional depreciation is due to obsolescence factors such as technological
advances and less demand for a product. The purpose of recording depreciation is to show the decline of usefulness of an asset, not a decline in its market value. Depreciation merely reduces the value of plant asset accounts, it does not reduce the cash account or affect cash flows.

DETERMINING DEPRECIATION
Factors that determine depreciation expense are the initial cost, the residual value and the useful life. Depreciation can only be estimated because it depends on several potentially changing elements. Residual value is any value that remains after an asset
has been retired. The calculation of depreciation is based on the initial cost minus residual value. Several methods used to calculate depreciation. The straight-line method is the most popular. Different depreciation methods can be used for financial
statement information and tax purposes.

STRAIGHT-LINE METHOD
The straight-line method of depreciation charges equal amounts of depreciation to each period over the useful life of the asset. It
is determined by subtracting the residual value from the initialcost and dividing it by the number of the years of estimated life.
Due to its simplicity, it is the most widely used method.

UNITS-OF-PRODUCTION METHOD
The units-of-production method determines depreciation expense based on the amount the asset is used. The length of life of an asset is expressed in a form of productive capacity. The initial cost less any residual value is divided by productive capacity to determine a rate of unit-of-production depreciation per units of usage. Units of usage c can be expressed in quantity of goods produced, hours used, number of cuttings, miles driven or tons hauled, for instance. The depreciation expense of a period is determined by multiplying usage by a fixed unit-of-production rate of usage. This depreciation method is commonly used when asset usage varies from year-to-year.

DECLINING-BALANCE METHOD
The declining-balance (also known as double-declining-balance) method is a popular form of accelerated depreciating. The rate
used is usually twice the rate employed by the straight-line method. This method does not consider the estimated salvage value in determining the depreciation rate or in computing the periodic depreciation. However, an asset cannot be depreciated beyond the estimated salvage value. Depreciation expense is highest in the first year, and becomes smaller each subsequent year.
SUM-OF-THE-YEARS-DIGITS METHOD
The sum-of-the-years-digits method is an another form of accelerated depreciation. The annual depreciation is calculated by subtracting salvage value from original cost, and multiplying this figure by a fractional rate of depreciation. The denominator of the fraction is the sum of the years of useful life; for a life of 5 years, the denominator is = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 = 15. The numerator is the year in reverse order. For the first year, the numerator is 5 and the fraction is 5/15.

COMPARING DEPRECIATION METHODS
Different depreciation methods produce different results, and in some circumstances the use of a particular depreciation method is recommended. When the use of an asset fluctuates from period to period, the units-of-production method is recommended. For assets that decline in usefulness early, and are subject to high maintenance costs as they age, a form of accelerated depreciation
should be used, i.e. declining-balance and the sum-of-the-years- digits methods.


DEPRECIATION & INCOME TAXES
For tax purposes, the straight-line, declining-balance, sum-of-the-years-digits, and units-of-production methods of
depreciation were allowed prior to 1981. Between 1980 and 1987, either the straight-line method or the Accelerated Cost Recovery System (ACRS) could be used. The Tax Reform Act of 1986 revised the ACRS by providing a depreciation rate schedule for eight classes of plant assets. The use of an accelerated depreciation method reduces tax liabilities and increases cash flows.

REVISING DEPRECIATION ESTIMATES
Because depreciation is estimated, it often needs to be revised periodically over the life of the asset. An error in estimating the
salvage value, the years of useful life, or both can require a revision. Previously recorded depreciation is not affected by a
revision. The revision of depreciation is only affects future depreciation expenses.

RECORDING DEPRECIATION EXPENSES
When depreciation is to be recorded, a Depreciation Expense account is debited, and Accumulated Depreciation is credited.
Accumulated Depreciation is a contra-asset account that decreases the value of plant assets. The use of a contra-asset account
allows assets to be shown at cost, and thus allows easier computations if a revision is necessary or different depreciation
methods are used. When an asset is sold, all accounts related to the depreciation of that asset are adjusted.

CAPITAL AND REVENUE EXPENDITURES
Expenditures on plant assets fall into two categories:
1)- capital expenditures: these increase the productive capacity, efficiency or useful life of the asset, and
2)- revenue expenditures: these include maintenance and repairs.
If an expenditure increases the efficiency or capacity of a plant asset, that Plant Asset account is debited. If an expenditure
increases the useful life of a plant asset, the Accumulated Depreciation account is debited. Revenue expenditures are
expensed in the year incurred.

DISPOSING PLANT ASSETS
Plant assets can be disposed of by discarding, selling, or trading in for other assets. No matter how plant assets are disposed of, the book value of the asset must be removed from the account. When an asset becomes completely useless, it is taken of the books by debiting the Accumulated Depreciation account and crediting the Equipment account. In the event an asset is discarded before its estimated useful life, the loss must be debited to the Loss on Disposal of Plant Assets account.

DISPOSING PLANT ASSETS
When a plant asset is sold, the Cash and Accumulated Depreciation accounts are always debited, and the Equipment account is credited. In the event there is a loss or gain from the sale, either the Loss on Disposal of Plant Assets or the Gain on Disposal of Plant Assets accounts will have an entry. When old plant assets are exchanged for new plant assets, it is generally accepted that any gains from a trade need not be recognized. The amount that is owed after credit for the trade-in is known as the boot, which is also the required cash payment. The entry is this situation is Debit Accumulated Depreciation (old equipment) Debit Plant Assets (new equipment) Credit Plant Assets (old equipment) Credit Cash.

SUBSIDIARY LEDGERS FOR PLANT ASSETS
When a business has a large number of plant assets to keep track of, the use of a subsidiary ledger is recommended. Detailed information on each plant asset is maintained in the subsidiary ledger. All plant assets can be specifically identified by an assigned number. The first part of the number corresponds to the general ledger account, while the second part of the number represents the identification assigned to the asset. Periodically, it is advisable to compare balances of the subsidiary ledger with the controlling accounts in the general ledger. Subsidiary ledgers are very useful in determining depreciation expenses, filing tax and insurance forms, as well as recording the disposal of plant assets.

COMPOSITE-RATE DEPRECIATION METHOD
The composite-rate depreciation method determines depreciation of a group of similar plant assets by using a single rate. This rate is determined by dividing annual depreciation by the total original cost of assets. Although specific equipment in the group may be added and retired, this method assumes that the mix will remain unchanged. Gains and losses from the retirement or disposal of assets are not realized.

LEASING PLANT ASSETS
A business can rent a property for a specified period of time under a contract known as a lease. The lessor is the owner of the property, and the lessee is the party that has the right to use the property. Leases which extent over most of the asset life, and which transfer ownership to the lessee at the end of the lease, are called capital leases. Assets held under capital lease must be shown on the balance sheet, and therefore, the Plant Assets is debited and a lease liability account is credited. Operating leases tend to be more short-term, and the lessee does not acquire the leased property at the end of the lease.

INTANGIBLE ASSETS
Intangible assets do not have physical substance. They are not held for sale, and they are usually highly valuable to the
business. They include patents, copyrights, trademarks, goodwill, and franchises. Except for goodwill, most intangible assets receive legal protection of exclusive use. The cost of obtaining legal protection for the intangible asset should be debited to the
intangible asset account. The periodic loss of value of the intangible asset is called amortization, and is expensed annually.
Research and development costs are treated as expense in the year incurred, and are not treated as intangible assets because it is
their future success is uncertain.

DEPLETION
The periodic allocation of the use of natural resources is a called depletion. Mineral deposits, coal, timber, natural gas, and
petroleum are all subject to depletion. Depletion Expense is debited and Accumulated Depletion is credited for the amount of
usage during the period. The usage is based on current year production as a fraction of total capacity, and the determination
is essentially identical to the unit-of-production depreciation
method.


“CURRENT LIABILITIES”
INTRODUCTION TO PAYROLLS
Payrolls represent the entire amount paid to all employees over a given accounting period. Because employees are very sensitive to payroll errors or any irregularities, payroll systems should assure accurate and timely payments. Accurate records are also
required by federal and state government agencies. Payroll expenditures typically have a significant impact on the income
statement of a firm. Manual labor, whether skilled or unskilled usually receives renumeration in the form of wages. Wages are
usually stated in terms of an hourly rate, weekly rate, or on a piecework basis.

DETERMINING EMPLOYEE EARNINGS
1) Earnings are computed by multiplying hours worked by a hourly rate.
2) When hours worked is less than or equal to 40, Earnings = Hours * Rate (E = H * R).
3) When a employee works more than fourty hours and is entitled to time and a half for each hour worked over fourty, the
following formula should be used: E = 40R + 1.5(H - 40).


INTRODUCTION TO PAYROLLS
Salaries are paid to those individuals that hold administrative, executive, managerial or sales positions. Their pay is usually
stated on a monthy or annual basis. Payment for work can take the form of property, shelter, food, services, securities, or
promissory notes. Salaries and wages are often supplemented by commissions, bonuses, cost-of-living adjustments, profit
sharing and/or pension plans. Employers and employees typically meet and agree on a fair salary or wage rate.


PROFIT-SHARING BONUSES
Bonuses are usually based upon the productivity of an individual. Today's companies are relying less on salary and more on bonuses to attract and reward executives. Bonuses can be computed in several different ways, each yielding a different amount. The bonus percentage can be based on income
1)- before deducting the bonus and income taxes,
2)- after deducting the bonus, but before deducting income taxes,
3)- before deducting the bonus, but after deducting income taxes,
4)- after deducting the bonus and income taxes.


CALCULATING A BONUS BASED ON INCOME BEFORE DEDUCTING A BONUS OR TAXES
1) Formula: bonus = bonus rate * income (B = BR * Y)
2) Example: income = $75,000, bonus rate = 15%, and tax rate = 43%.
3) Solution: B= .15($75,000) = $11,250
EMPLOYEE EARNINGS DEDUCTIONS
Gross pay is total earnings of an employee before any deductions. Net pay is the amount an employee receives after all deductions. Deductions are commonly made for federal, state, and local income taxes. While state and local income taxes vary from state to state, all employers must withhold federal income and FICA taxes. Deductions can be made for voluntary items such as health insurance, charitable contributions, pension fund contributions and union dues.


FICA TAXES
The Federal Insurance Contributions Act requires most employers to withhold FICA taxes from their employees. The purpose of
FICA taxes is to use them for federal programs that provide medicare benefits, old-age and disability benefits, and survivor benefits. The amount of FICA taxes that may be collected is subject to a ceiling, making it necessary for the employer to keep track of cumulative earnings of each employee.

EMPLOYER'S PAYROLL TAX LIABILITIES
Employers can be subject to both federal and state taxes based on the amount of compensation paid to their employees.
FICA taxes by the employer are equal to the payments made by an employee. Federal Unemployment Compensation Tax is levied on employers only, and the funds collected are used to provide a temporary relief to individuals unemployed as a result of economic forces beyond their control. State Unemployment Compensation Taxes are paid by employers only.


INCOME TAXES
Most employers are required to withhold federal income taxes. State and local income taxes do not exist everywhere. In areas
where they do exist, income taxes should also be withheld. Factors that influence the amount of income tax deductions are: gross pay, estimated deductions, exemptions claimed, and marital status.


PAYROLL ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS
The three major components of a payroll system are:
1)- payroll register: it is used to assemble and summarize data for each payroll period,
2)- employee's earnings record: it provides detailed information for each employee, and
3)- payroll checks, direct ATM deposits or cash, usually accompanied by a statement showing all the deductions.


PAYROLL REGISTER
The payroll register is a multicolumn journal used to assemble and summarize payroll data. Information that can typically be found is the following: employee names, total hours worked, regular earnings, overtime earnings, total earnings, tax deductions, net amount paid, check number, and a debit to an expense account. Checks are recorded in the payroll register so no other records need to be maintained on payments. The accuracy of the payroll register can be determined by cross-verification of its columns. The regular and overtime pay columns should always be equal to the salary and wage expense columns.

COMPONENTS OF THE PAYROLL SYSTEM
The payroll register consists of constant and variable elements. Wage rate are typical constant element. Hours worked vary.
Information obtained from the payroll register is used for general ledger entries, to issue payroll checks and statements, and to update employees' earnings records. Data from the employees' earnings records are used to prepare wage and tax statements and payroll tax returns. Entries recorded in the general ledger are used to prepare the income statement and balance sheet.


PAYROLL SYSTEM CONTROLS
Internal controls for payroll systems are similar to those for cash disbursements. A voucher system is recommended. When names are to be deleted or added to the payroll register, they should be supported by a written statement from personnel. Attendance records are taken by personnel to ensure accurate determination of pay, vacation benefits and sick leave benefits. As an extra measure of safety, employee identification cards are often issued and must be presented by employees when receiving paychecks.


LIABILITIES FOR EMPLOYEE FRINGE BENEFITS
When employers agree to pay part or all of the costs of fringe benefits, they incur an expense and a liability. Fringe benefits
commonly offered by employers are vacations, health insurance, pension plans, life insurance and disability insurance. The cost
of the fringe benefits should be properly matched to the period an employee has worked. If the employee has not received the
fringe benefit, a liability remains. Depending on when the liability is expected to be paid, it may be classified as either short-term or long-term on the balance sheet.

NOTES PAYABLE & INTEREST EXPENSE
Promissory notes are commonly issued for goods purchased on account or when a bank extends a short-term loan. Notes issued
by banks can be interest-bearing or non-interest bearing. Non-interest bearing notes deduct the interest from the face value (or maturity value) of the note from the amount loaned to the borrower. An interest bearing note requires payment of both the principal and interest accrued at maturity. An adjusting entry is necessary whenever interest is paid a day other than the end of the financial periods.


PRODUCT WARRANTY LIABILITIES
To record a product warranty liability, Debit Product Warranty Expense and credit Product Warranty Payable. When a product is
repaired or replaced, debit Product Warranty Payable and credit Inventory or an expense account. The amount recorded for product warranty liabilities is estimated, and adjustments may be necessary if more or less goods are actually replaced or repaired.