Introduction:
Accounting is called the linguistic communication of concern that which communicates the fiscal status and public presentation of a concern to interested users, besides referred to as stakeholders. In order to go effectual in transporting out the accounting process, every bit good as in pass oning the fiscal information of the concern, there is a widely accepted set of regulations, constructs and rules that governs the application of the accounting processs, and it is referred to as the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles or GAAP.
1. Business Entity
A concern is considered a separate entity from the proprietor ( s ) and should be treated individually. Any personal minutess of its proprietor should non be recorded in the concern accounting book, frailty versa. Unless the proprietor ‘s personal dealing involves adding and/or retreating resources from the concern.
Examples
A CPA has 3 suites in a house he has rented for $ 3,000 per month. He has setup a single-member accounting pattern and uses one room for the intent. Under the concern entity construct, merely 1/3rd of the rent or $ 1,000 should be charged to concern, because the other 2 suites or $ 2,000 worth of rent is expended for personal intents.
The CPA received $ 900 measure for public-service corporations. He paid the whole sum utilizing his concern history. $ 600 is to be considered a backdown because merely $ 300 ( 1/3rd ) related to concern and the other $ 600 was for domestic intent.
Assuming each public accounting concern is required to pay $ 100 to a local association of CPAs each month. If the CPA pays that sum from a personal bank account the sum shall be considered extra capital.
2. Traveling Concern
It assumes that an entity will go on to run indefinitely. In this footing, assets are recorded based on their original cost and non on market value. Assetss are assumed to be used for an indefinite period of clip and non intended to be sold instantly.
For Example: – where the venture is for a specific intent like puting up a stall in an exhibition or carnival or the building of a edifice or span etc. under a contract, the concern comes to an terminal on the completion of the undertaking.
Experience indicates that in malice of several concern failures, endeavors have a reasonably high continuation rate ; certain entities have been in being for more than a century even though the proprietors have changed. The concern entities are hence traveling concerns in the bulk of the instances and it has proved utile to follow continuity premise for accounting intents.
3. Monetary Unit of measurement
The concern fiscal minutess recorded and reported should be in pecuniary unit, such as US Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Euro, etc. Therefore, any non-financial or non-monetary information that can non be measured in a pecuniary unit are non recorded in the accounting books, but alternatively, a memoranda will be used.
The pecuniary unit rule provinces that you merely enter minutess that can be expressed in footings of currency. Therefore, you can non enter such non-quantifiable points as employee accomplishment degrees or the quality of client service.
The pecuniary unit rule besides assumes that the value of the unit of currency in which you record minutess remains stable over clip. However, given the sum of relentless currency rising prices in most economic systems, this premise is non right – for illustration, a dollar invested to purchase an plus 20 old ages ago is deserving well more than a dollar invested today, because the buying power of the dollar has declined during the intervening old ages. The premise fails wholly if an entity records minutess in the currency of a hyperinflationary economic system.
4. Historical Cost
All concern resources acquired should be valued and recorded based on the existent hard currency equivalent or original cost of acquisition, non the predominating market value or future value. Exception to the regulation is when the concern is in the procedure of closing and settlement. For illustration:
a company acquires an plus in twelvemonth 1 for $ 100 ;
the plus is still held at the terminal of twelvemonth 1, when its market value is $ 120 ;
the company sells the plus in twelvemonth 2 for $ 115.
At the terminal twelvemonth 1 the plus is recorded in the balance sheet at cost of $ 100. No history is taken of the addition in value from $ 100 to $ 120 in twelvemonth 1. In twelvemonth 2 the company records a sale of $ 115. The cost of gross revenues is $ 100, being the historical cost of the plus. This gives rise to a net income of $ 15 which is entirely recognised in twelvemonth 2.
5. Matching
This rule requires that gross recorded, in a given accounting period, should hold an tantamount disbursal recorded, in order to demo the true net income of the concern.
Examples
$ 2,000,000 worth of gross revenues are made in 2010. Entire purchases of stock list were $ 1,000,000 of which $ 100,000 remained on manus at the terminal of 2010. The cost of net incomes is $ 2,000,000 gross is $ 900,000 [ $ 1,000,000 minus $ 100,000 ] and this should be recognized in 2010 thereby giving a gross net income of $ 1,100,000.
A infirmary pays $ 20,000 per month to 5 of its physicians. Monthly gross revenues are $ 500,000. $ 100,000 worth of monthly wages should be matched with $ 500,000 of gross generated.
6. Accounting Time period
This rule entails a concern to finish the whole accounting procedure of a concern over a specific operating clip period. It may be monthly, quarterly or yearly. For one-year accounting period, it may follow a Calendar or Fiscal Year. Suppose ABC Ltd, a UK occupant company is incorporated on 1 August 20X1. It acquires a beginning of income ( an interest-bearing bank history ) on 1 September 20X1 and commences merchandising on 1 October 20X1 and continues merchandising throughout all other periods under reappraisal. It draws up its histories for the undermentioned periods:
1 August 2001 to 31 December 2001
1 January 2002 to 31 December 2002
1 January 2003 to 30 June 2003
1 July 2003 to 31 December 2004
Then ABC Ltd would hold the undermentioned accounting periods:
1 September 2001 to 30 September 2001 ( from when it came into charge to corporation revenue enhancement to the beginning of trade )
1 October 2001 to 31 December 2001 ( to the terminal of a period of history )
1 January 2002 to 31 December 2002 ( to the terminal of a period of history )
1 January 2003 to 30 June 2003 ( to the terminal of a period of history )
1 July 2003 to 30 June 2004 ( to the termination of 12 months )
1 July 2004 to 31 December 2004 ( to the terminal of a period of history )
7. Consistency
This rule ensures consistence in the accounting processs used by the concern entity from one accounting period to the following. It allows just comparing of fiscal information between two accounting periods. It implies that a concern must forbear from altering its accounting policy unless on sensible evidences. If for any valid grounds the accounting policy is changed, a concern must unwrap the nature of alteration, the grounds for the alteration and its effects on the points of fiscal statements. Consistency construct is of import because of the demand for comparison, that is, it enables investors and other users of fiscal statements to easy and right compare the fiscal statements of a company.
Examples
Company A has been utilizing worsening balance depreciation method for its IT equipment. Harmonizing to consistence concept it should go on to utilize worsening balance depreciation method in regard of its IT equipment in the undermentioned periods. If the company wants to alter it to another depreciation method, say for illustration the consecutive line method, it must supply in its fiscal study, the ground ( s ) for the alteration, the nature of the alteration and the effects of the alteration on points such as accrued depreciation.
8. Accrual
This rule requires that gross should be recorded in the period it is earned, irrespective of the clip the hard currency is received. The same is true for disbursal. Expense should be recognized and recorded at the clip it is incurred, irrespective of the clip that hard currency is paid.
For illustration, when a company sells a Television to a client who uses a recognition card, hard currency and accrual methods will see the event otherwise. The gross generated by the sale of the Television will merely be recognized by the hard currency method when the money is received by the company. If the Television is purchased on recognition, this gross might non be recognized until following month or following twelvemonth.
Accrual accounting, nevertheless, says that the hard currency method is n’t accurate because it is likely, if non certain, that the company will have the hard currency at some point in the hereafter because the sale has been made. Therefore, the accrual accounting method alternatively recognizes the Television sale at the point at which the client takes ownership of the Television. Even though hard currency is n’t yet in the bank, the sale is booked to an history known in accounting slang as “ histories receivable, ” increasing the marketer ‘s gross.
Question2:
Introduction:
As we know there are tonss of different concerns vary in size from the little one-person concern ( newspaper booth ) to the mammoth companies ( Mc Donald ) . But how could the little stores stand following to the giants? We should cognize the conditions. Why is it good for the people to hold a little store if non far from them there is a large supermarket?
Sole Proprietorships
The huge bulk of little concerns start out as exclusive proprietaries. These houses are owned by one individual, normally the person who has day-to-day duties for running the concern. Exclusive owners own all the assets of the concern and the net incomes generated by it. They besides assume complete duty for any of its liabilities or debts. In the eyes of the jurisprudence and the populace, you are one in the same with the concern.
Advantages of a Exclusive Proprietorship:
Easiest and least expensive signifier of ownership to form. Exclusive owners are in complete control, and within the parametric quantities of the jurisprudence, may do determinations as they see fit. Exclusive owners receive all income generated by the concern to maintain or reinvest. Net incomes from the concern flow straight to the proprietor ‘s personal revenue enhancement return. The concern is easy to fade out, if desired.
Disadvantages of a Exclusive Proprietorship:
Exclusive owners have unlimited liability and are lawfully responsible for all debts against the concern. Their concern and personal assets are at hazard. May be at a disadvantage in raising financess and are frequently limited to utilizing financess from personal nest eggs or
consumer loans. May hold a difficult clip pulling high-caliber employees or those that are motivated by the chance to have a portion of the concern. Some employee benefits such as proprietor ‘s medical insurance premiums are non straight deductible from concern income ( merely partly deductible as an accommodation to income ) .
Partnerships
In a Partnership, two or more people portion ownership of a individual concern. Like proprietaries, the jurisprudence does non separate between the concern and its proprietors. The spouses should hold a legal understanding that sets forth how determinations will be made, net incomes will be shared, differences will be resolved, how future spouses will be admitted to the partnership, how spouses can be bought out, and what stairss will be taken to fade out the partnership when needed. Yes, it ‘s difficult to believe about a dissolution when the concern is merely acquiring started, but many partnerships split up at crisis times, and unless there is a defined procedure, there will be even greater jobs. They besides must make up one’s mind up-front how much clip and capital each will lend, etc.
Advantages of a Partnership:
Partnerships are comparatively easy to set up ; nevertheless clip should be invested in developing the partnership understanding. With more than one proprietor, the ability to raise financess may be increased. The net incomes from the concern flow straight through to the spouses ‘ personal revenue enhancement returns. Prospective employees may be attracted to the concern if given the inducement to go a spouse. The concern normally will profit from spouses who have complementary accomplishments.
Disadvantages of a Partnership:
Spouses are jointly and separately apt for the actions of the other spouses.
Net incomes must be shared with others. Since determinations are shared, dissensions can happen. Some employee benefits are non deductible from concern income on revenue enhancement returns. The partnership may hold a limited life ; it may stop upon the backdown or decease of a spouse.
Types of Partnerships that should be considered:
1. General Partnership
Spouses divide duty for direction and liability every bit good as the portions of
net income or loss harmonizing to their internal understanding. Equal portions are assumed
unless there is a written understanding that states otherwise.
2. Limited Partnership and Partnership with limited liability
Limited means that most of the spouses have limited liability ( to the extent of their
investing ) every bit good as limited input sing direction determinations, which
by and large encourages investors for short-run undertakings or for puting in capital
assets. This signifier of ownership is non frequently used for runing retail or service
concerns. Forming a limited partnership is more complex and formal than that of a
general partnership.
3. Joint Venture
Acts like a general partnership, but is clearly for a limited period of clip or a individual undertaking. If the spouses in a joint venture repeat the activity, they will be recognized as an on-going partnership and will hold to register every bit such every bit good as distribute accumulated partnership assets upon disintegration of the entity.
Question 3:
Definition of the Accounting Equation
In kernel, the accounting equation is:
Assetss = Liabilitiess + Shareholders ‘ Equity
The assets in the accounting equation are the resources that a company has available for its usage, such as hard currency, histories receivable, fixed assets, and stock list. The company pays for these resources by either incurring liabilities ( which is the Liabilities portion of the accounting equation ) or by obtaining support from investors ( which is the Shareholders ‘ Equity portion of of the equation ) . Therefore, you have resources with countervailing claims against those resources, either from creditors or investors. All three constituents of the accounting equation appear in the balance sheet, which reveals the fiscal place of a concern at any given point in clip.
The Liabilities portion of the equation is normally comprised of histories collectible that are owed to providers, a assortment of accumulated liabilities, such as gross revenues revenue enhancements and income revenue enhancements, and debt payable to loaners.
The Shareholders ‘ Equity portion of the equation is more complex than merely being the sum paid to the company by investors. It is really their initial investing, plus any subsequent additions, minus any subsequent losingss, minus any dividends or other backdowns paid to the investors.
Accounting Equation Example
ABC International engages in the undermentioned series of minutess:
ABC sell portions to an investor for $ 10,000. This increases the hard currency ( plus ) history every bit good as the capital ( equity ) history.
ABC buys $ 4,000 of stock list from a provider. This increases the stock list ( plus ) history every bit good as the payables ( liability ) history.
ABC sells the stock list for $ 6,000. This decreases the stock list ( plus ) history and creates a cost of goods sold disbursal that appears as a lessening in the income ( equity ) history.
The sale of ABC ‘s stock list besides creates a sale and countervailing receivable. This increases the receivables ( plus ) history by $ 6,000 and increases the income ( equity ) history by $ 6,000.
ABC collects hard currency from the client to which it sold the stock list. This increases the hard currency ( plus ) history by $ 6,000 and decreases the receivables ( plus ) history by $ 6,000.
These minutess appear in the undermentioned tabular array:
( Asset )
( Asset )
( Asset )
( Liability )
( Equity )
( Equity )
Item
Cash
Receivabless
Inventory
=
Payabless
Capital
Income
( 1 )
10,000
=
10,000
( 2 )
4,000
=
4,000
( 3 )
( 4,000 )
=
( 4,000 )
( 4 )
6,000
=
6,000
( 5 )
6,000
( 6,000 )
=
Sums
16,000
0
0
=
4,000
10,000
2,000
Note how every dealing is balanced within the accounting equation – either because there are alterations on both sides of the equation, or because a dealing cancels itself out on one side of the equation ( as was the instance when the receivable was converted to hard currency ) .
Recording accounting minutess with the accounting equation means that you use debits and credits to enter every dealing, which is known as double-entry clerking. See the debits and credits article for more information about double-entry clerking.
You can see this relationship between assets, liabilities, and stockholders ‘ equity in the balance sheet, where the sum of all assets ever equals the amount of the liabilities and stockholders ‘ equity subdivisions.
The ground why the accounting equation is so of import is that is ever true – and it forms the footing for all accounting minutess. At a general degree, this means that whenever there is a recordable dealing, you picks for entering it all involve maintaining the accounting equation in balance.
