Chapter 2: Accounting Final Flashcards

Considering the name, it’s quite obvious that any liability that is not near-term falls under non-current liabilities, expected to be paid in 12 months or more. Referring again to the AT&T example, there are more items than your garden variety company that may list one or two items. Long-term debt, also known as bonds payable, is usually the largest liability and at the top of the list. In short, a company needs to generate enough revenue and cash in the short term to cover its current liabilities. As a result, many financial ratios use current liabilities in their calculations to determine how well or how long a company is paying them down.

The amount of short-term debt as compared to long-term debt is important when analyzing a company’s financial health. For example, let’s say that two companies in the same industry might have the same amount of total debt. Liabilities are defined as debts owed to other companies. In a sense, a liability is a creditor’s claim on a company’ assets. In other words, the creditor has the right to confiscate assets from a company if the company doesn’t pay it debts. Most state laws also allow creditors the ability to force debtors to sell assets in order to raise enough cash to pay off their debts.

C) If it is probable that the loss will occur, and the amount of the loss can be reasonably bookkeeper definition. Prepaid rent is a _________ account and has a normal ______ balance. For instance, a company may take out debt in order to expand and grow its business. Or, an individual may take out a mortgage to purchase a home. Anderson is CPA, doctor of accounting, and an accounting and finance professor who has been working in the accounting and finance industries for more than 20 years. Her expertise covers a wide range of accounting, corporate finance, taxes, lending, and personal finance areas.

Adam received his master’s in economics from The New School for Social Research and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in sociology. He is a CFA charterholder as well as holding FINRA Series 7, 55 & 63 licenses. He currently researches and teaches economic sociology and the social studies of finance at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

The company must recognize a liability because it owes the customer for the goods or services the customer paid for. Generally, liability refers to the state of being responsible for something, and this term can refer to any money or service owed to another party. Tax liability, for example, can refer to the property taxes that a homeowner owes to the municipal government or the income tax he owes to the federal government. When a retailer collects sales tax from a customer, they have a sales tax liability on their books until they remit those funds to the county/city/state.

Example of Liabilities

Accrued expenses use theaccrual method of accounting, meaning expenses are recognized when they’re incurred, not when they’re paid. Ideally, suppliers would like shorter terms so that they’re paid sooner rather than later—helping their cash flow. Suppliers will go so far as to offer companies discounts for paying on time or early.

• For example, in most cases, if a wine supplier sells a case of wine to a restaurant, it does not demand payment when it delivers the goods.
• The equation to calculate net income is revenues minus expenses.
• Short-term debt is typically the total of debt payments owed within the next year.
• However, if one company’s debt is mostly short-term debt, it might run into cash flow issues if not enough revenue is generated to meet its obligations.
• Current liabilities are used by analysts, accountants, and investors to gauge how well a company can meet its short-term financial obligations.
• These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts.

Rather, it invoices the restaurant for the purchase to streamline the drop-off and make paying easier for the restaurant. Current liabilities can be compared with non-current, or long-term liabilities. Arises when a business purchases goods or services on credit. Companies of all sizes finance part of their ongoing long-term operations by issuing bonds that are essentially loans from each party that purchases the bonds. This line item is in constant flux as bonds are issued, mature, or called back by the issuer. In accounting, companies book liabilities in opposition to assets.

Typically, vendors provide terms of 15, 30, or 45 days for a customer to pay, meaning the buyer receives the supplies but can pay for them at a later date. These invoices are recorded in accounts payable and act as a short-term loan from a vendor. By allowing a company time to pay off an invoice, the company can generate revenue from the sale of the supplies and manage its cash needs more effectively. Companies will segregate their liabilities by their time horizon for when they are due. Current liabilities are due within a year and are often paid for using current assets. Non-current liabilities are due in more than one year and most often include debt repayments and deferred payments.

unearned revenue.

The dividends declared by a company’s board of directors that have yet to be paid out to shareholders get recorded as current liabilities. Current liabilities are listed on the balance sheet and are paid from the revenue generated by the operating activities of a company. We will discuss more liabilities in depth later in the accounting course.

Days payable outstanding is a ratio used to figure out how long it takes a company, on average, to pay its bills and invoices. C) women who receive social support during pregnancy experience more positive mental and physical health outcomes. D) research has found that parental support is not related to levels of depression in children. The equipment is being depreciated on a straight-line basis over an estimated life of 15 years with a $10,000 estimated residual value. Liability created when customers pay for goods or services in advance. You are to prepare a job cost sheet for a single-family home under construction.

TRUE OR FALSE Revenues increase owner’s equity, so a revenue account’s normal balance is a credit balance. Expenses decrease owner’s equity, so an expense account’s normal balance is a debit balance. A liability created when a business collects cash from customers in advance of providing services or delivering good is called… «Accounts payable» refers to an account within the general ledger representing a company’s obligation to pay off a short-term obligations to its creditors or suppliers.

tax payable.

Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in oureditorial policy. Liability may also refer to the legal liability of a business or individual. For example, many businesses take out liability insurance in case a customer or employee sues them for negligence.

A) unearned revenues for services to be provided in 16 months. Asset accounts and liability accounts are increased by __________ and __________, respectively. Employees may also have amounts withheld for such things as retirement accounts and health insurance. A liability that occurs when a company receives payment for goods that will be delivered or services that will be performed in the future. Arises when a business borrows money or purchases goods or services from a company that requires a formal agreement or contract. __________________ requires that all expenses required to produce sales revenue for a given period be recorded in that period.

Accounting: What the Numbers Mean

The outstanding money that the restaurant owes to its wine supplier is considered a liability. In contrast, the wine supplier considers the money it is owed to be an asset. Adam Hayes, Ph.D., CFA, is a financial writer with 15+ years Wall Street experience as a derivatives trader. Besides his extensive derivative trading expertise, Adam is an expert in economics and behavioral finance.

A contingent liability is an obligation that might have to be paid in the future, but there are still unresolved matters that make it only a possibility and not a certainty. Lawsuits and the threat of lawsuits are the most common contingent liabilities, but unused gift cards, product warranties, and recalls also fit into this category. For example, if a company has more expenses than revenues for the past three years, it may signal weak financial stability because it has been losing money for those years. Liabilities are a vital aspect of a company because they are used to finance operations and pay for large expansions. They can also make transactions between businesses more efficient. For example, in most cases, if a wine supplier sells a case of wine to a restaurant, it does not demand payment when it delivers the goods.

Tax collections are ______________ until they are paid to the taxing authority. A list of all account titles in numerical order is called… Your grandparents have given you an early college gift of $5,000 that you would like to save to fund a post-graduation trip to Europe in 3 years. How much will you have for your trip in 3 years if you can invest this gift at 5% compounded annually? Find the monthly payment for a 20-year, interest-only balloon mortgage for $275,000 at an APR of 8%.

When the supplier delivers the inventory, the company usually has 30 days to pay for it. This obligation to pay is referred to as payments on account or accounts payable. Like businesses, an individual’s or household’s net worth is taken by balancing assets against liabilities. For most households, liabilities will include taxes due, bills that must be paid, rent or mortgage payments, loan interest and principal due, and so on. If you are pre-paid for performing work or a service, the work owed may also be construed as a liability. An expense is the cost of operations that a company incurs to generate revenue.

A classified balance sheet is used to; A) separate the components of assets and liabilities. The AT&T example has a relatively high debt level under current liabilities. With smaller companies, other line items like accounts payable and various future liabilities likepayroll, taxes will be higher current debt obligations. There are many types of current liabilities, from accounts payable to dividends declared or payable. These debts typically become due within one year and are paid from company revenues.

List four items of both direct materials and direct labor. Contact a builder and compare your job cost sheet to this builder’s job cost sheet. A. Journalize transactions, post to the accounts, prepare a trial balance. Net worth is the value of the assets a person or corporation owns, minus the liabilities they owe. As a practical example of understanding a firm’s liabilities, let’s look at a historical example using AT&T’s balance sheet.

According to FASB, when should a contingent liability be disclosed? A) If it is reasonably possible you will lose the lawsuit. B) Only if the amount can be estimated and the loss is remote.

• Current liabilities are listed on the balance sheet under the liabilities section and are paid from the revenue generated from the operating activities of a company.
• The debt is unsecured and is typically used to finance short-term or current liabilities such as accounts payables or to buy inventory.
• Recognized by adjusting entries and usually represent the completed portion of activities that are in process at the end of the period.
• In effect, this customer paid in advance for is purchase.

Many companies choose to issuebondsto the public in order to finance future growth. Bonds are essentially contracts to pay the bondholders the face amount plus interest on the maturity date. Debt financing is often used to fund operations or expansions. These debts usually arise from business transactions like purchases of goods and services. For example, a business looking to purchase a building will usually take out a mortgage from a bank in order to afford the purchase.

On December 15, Zapp Company paid $1,900 to Sylvan Supply Co. on account. The journal entry to record this transaction would include a __________ to __________. Unearned revenue is slightly different from other liabilities because it doesn’t involve direct borrowing. Unearned revenue arises when a company sells goods or services to a customer who pays the company but doesn’t receive the goods or services. In effect, this customer paid in advance for is purchase.

A) notes payable B) accounts payable C) bonds payable D) All of the above are examples of long-term debt. Since accounting periods rarely fall directly after an expense period, companies often incur expenses but don’t pay them until the next period. The current month’s utility bill is usually due the following month. Once the utilities are used, the company owes the utility company. These utility expenses are accrued and paid in the next period. Many companies purchase inventory on credit from vendors or supplies.