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Category: Accounting

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7 Important Concept of Accounting Course in 2022

Learning about accounting concepts such as revenue, expenses, and assets can be a great…

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Learning about accounting concepts such as revenue, expenses, and assets can be a great way to get started in the field. These principles can help you manage your own money, start your own business, or teach others about this discipline.

There are two types of accounting: accounting concepts and principles. In this article, we’ll go over some basic accounting concepts and know about the After Bcom course in Ahmedabad.

What exactly are accounting concepts?

Accounting concepts are the ideas, components, and terms that comprise the accounting, finance, and economic worlds. Individuals, businesses, and organisations can use these terms to record all of their financial information, including transactions. Accountants use these ideas when preparing financial reports and other documents for individuals and businesses.

Knowing common accounting concepts and how to apply them is essential for an accountant to interpret financial situations and track money properly. Learning about these concepts can also assist business owners in organising their business records, preparing for audits, and ensuring they earn enough revenue to sustain operations. Even the average person can benefit from understanding accounting concepts because it can help them save money, avoid debt, keep accurate financial records, and make wise financial decisions.

Accounting concepts and accounting principles are not the same thing.

Accounting concepts and accounting principles are both critical components of accounting because they establish a universal framework for discussing specific financial situations, rules, documents, and theories. While some people use these terms interchangeably, accounting concepts can be thought of as what accountants do and accounting principles as how they do it.

Accounting fundamentals

Accounting principles, also known as “generally accepted accounting principles” (GAAP), are widely accepted accounting laws or standards. These rules are made by groups like the Financial Accounting Standards Board for use by accountants all over the world.

A business can ensure compliance with the law and demonstrate economic growth to external parties by adhering to accounting principles. These principles include accrual, conservatism, and consistency.

Accounting ideas

Accounting concepts are the fundamental components of accounting. Accountants may apply these topics, terms, or theories to different types of money, transactions, and economic functions.

Accounting concepts are used by accountants to understand and explain a company’s operations, cash flows, and financial performance. Accounting, like most other fields, communicates using concepts as its own kind of language.

Accounting fundamentals

Accounting encompasses a wide range of disciplines. Examine the following seven concepts to gain a basic understanding of accounting:

Revenue

Revenue is the total amount of money received or receivable from customers for services and products by a business. Income is a company’s net profit, or the money left over after deducting expenses and taxes from revenue.

Expenses

Expenses are the costs incurred by a business in order to generate revenue. Supply and material costs, rent, advertising, employee salaries, repairs, and taxes are examples of such expenses. A restaurant, for example, may purchase ingredients from a supplier on a regular basis in order to run their business. In order to earn money, a company’s expenses must be lower than its revenue to generate profit.

Assets

Assets are resources that a company owns that provide it with financial benefits. A company’s assets can be calculated by adding its liabilities to its equity. There are two types of assets: current and noncurrent:

  • Current assets include cash, checks, receivables, inventory for sale, and prepaid expenses. These are examples of resources that will be used by the business within a year.
  • Non-current or fixed assets include long-term assets that can provide a company with benefits for more than one year, such as stocks and bonds, land, buildings, equipment, and trademarks.

Liabilities

Liabilities are economic obligations owed by a company to other organisations, such as lenders and creditors. Liabilities, like assets can be:

  • Accounts payable, short-term loans, long-term loan instalments, and tax obligations are all current liabilities, which are payments that must be made this year.
  • Non-current liabilities include long-term bonds, mortgages, and deferred tax obligations, which are examples of payments that are not due within the year.

Capital

Capital is defined as anything that adds value or benefits to a business owner, such as assets, machinery, real estate, inventory, and patents. While cash is a type of capital, the term “capital” is usually used to refer to investments that generate wealth for a company. Here are a few examples of capital:

  • Working capital is calculated by subtracting current liabilities from current assets. Working capital refers to liquid capital assets, or cash assets, that a company uses for day-to-day operations. In the short term, working capital is used to pay debts and bills that are due this year.
  • Equity capital refers to an owner’s stake or share in a company or any asset that they own. If a company liquidated or sold all of its assets for cash and paid off all of its liabilities and debts, the value that each shareholder would receive is their equity. The money that shareholders invest in a company is referred to as its equity capital.
  • Debt Capital: Businesses can obtain debt capital by obtaining loans and bonds from banks and private or public sector organisations. Debt capital, because it provides a large sum of money all at once, can allow a company to invest in its future and expand.

Accounts

An account is a type of transaction, such as a cash transaction or a sales transaction. A general ledger, an accounting book that stores and organises transactions, is used by businesses to record accounts. Customers owe money to a business in exchange for goods and services, which is referred to as accounts receivable. People and businesses who have bought goods and services from businesses have accounts payable. These are the money that the business owes them.

Financial statements

These are the documents that detail a company’s or an individual’s transactions. The following are some examples of financial statements and their definitions:

  • An income statement, also known as a profit-and-loss statement, is a document that provides information about a company’s financial performance by reporting revenues, costs, and expenses over a specific time period.
  • The balance sheet is a financial statement that details a company’s assets, liabilities, and equity.
  • A cash flow statement is a statement that shows how much money a company earned and how much money it spent.
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Qualities Required To Be An Accountant

Introduction An accountant handles one of the most crucial roles in a business regardless…

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Introduction

An accountant handles one of the most crucial roles in a business regardless of it being for a large corporation or a small business. They are the financial backbone of a business and handle monetary records, money transactions, and timely taxes.

There are different types of accountants. Government accountants work for government agencies’ monetary records. Public accountants are either self-employed who work audits, documentation, and tax for clients or they account for firms. Management accountants are employed by a single company and they account for internal financial records of that company only.

Who Is An accountant?

An accountant is a professional who is in charge of the protection and transliteration of technical records and survey of financial statement analysis. They work for firms or big and small companies.

An accountant’s day-to-task mostly depends on their educational background and the designation they hold. Have you ever wondered if there was an accounting centre near me? How wonderful would it be to start your journey towards your dream job!

Most people start their journey by getting themselves into a school followed by a Bachelor’s degree in the same BCom course.

But some firms may demand additional educational certifications after BCom. Some of the common accounting designations are  Certified Internal Auditor (CIA), Certified Management Accountant (CMA), and Certified Public Accountant (CPA). So, for accounting training and placement, one should look for good cl.

What Does An Accountant Do?

Accountant paints a picture of a company’s stand in the global market by using numbers and financial statements. Some of the accountants’ everyday tasks include the following :

  1. Preparation of profit and loss statements and monthly cost accounting reports.
  2. Maintaining and processing monthly payments and stipends.
  3. Completing audits and interacting with auditors.
  4. Analyzing and accounting.
  5. Evaluating and accounting budgets, outlay, payments, and bills.
  6. Settling account discrepancies.
  7. Maintaining computer software and manual filling systems.

Who Hires An Accountant?

Various businesses hire accountants to balance their taxes and audit the financial records. Organizations having complex financial systems and loaded transactions require accountants.

Some examples of such organizations are:

  1. Universities And Schools
    Schools and colleges have complex monetary systems and require professional accountants to manage their profits and expenditures. The accountants hired are supposed to make sure that the capital and funds are sufficient to meet the needs of the institution’s various departments and covers the college tuition expenses.
  2. Hospitals
    Hospitals and healthcare providers work with insurance agencies to help people with medical needs. The job will require working directly with insurance companies and make sure the organization doesn’t exceed its expenses.
  3. Agencies of Government
    This sector needs high-precision accounting and ensuring that the revenue and expenditure get properly recorded. Since the government agencies are so large, the job vacancies are a lot as well. The candidate will be responsible for recordings of various programs and initiatives under the compass of these agencies.
  4. Entertainment and hospitality companies
    These businesses perform thousands of transactions every day and experience a lot of revenue every day. They also need accountants to collect the receipts, records, and tax time rolls. They also involve in managing employee payrolls.

Strengths That An Accountant Should Have

  • Analytical Skills
    “Good accountants can pull the analysis together, great accountants look at the output and judge whether it is reasonable, so as not to waste everyone’s time on an analysis that makes no sense when you take a step back and look at it from a common-sense standpoint.”- Bob Prather

    Accounting is a meticulous task that demands attention and precision. 
  • Organization
    The work of an accountant includes client meetings, deadlines, and following proper guidelines. Each of these works demands a notable amount of documentation and keeping track of all the paperwork. 

    “The best way to stay on top of deadlines is by getting organized”- Logan Alec
  • Critical Thinking
    Critical thinking is an invaluable skill in the accounting profession.
    Accountants face a lot of fallacies, discrepancies, and imprecision in their daily work that needs to be detected and rectified. 
    These fallacies’ can have serious aftermath if not addressed in time. Hence, accountants need to think beforehand and think critically to face all potential risks and solve them in time.
  • Adaptability
    As we know that change is the only constant, it holds for the accounting profession as well.
    It constantly changes and evolves. Accountants should always be ready to readjust to technical advancements, workplace dynamics, and altering standards and protocols.
  • Interpersonal Communication
    Accountants serve as data translators. Accountants work for clients and many of them may not be aware of complex monetary concepts. Thus accountants are required to spell out their work and transform the complex concepts into average peoples’ understanding.
  • Time Management
    “Working on different projects and being able to manage deadlines is a trait that separates passable accountants from their top-shelf peers” – Kyle Bryant

    Multitasking and proper management of all the work are the top skills an accountant should have to provide satisfactory results for their clients in time.
  • IT And Industry Knowledge
    Accountants should understand how software accounting works and how it can be applied to make a change for progress.

Top Accounting Skills For Success

  • Innovation
    The evolving business world demands an evolving accounting system along its side. Companies often look for candidates assuring to create a change for the better.
  • Enthusiasm
    Enthusiasm is contagious and it brings positive energy to the team. It shows that the candidate is eager to learn his/her trade and believes what he/she is working towards.
  • Trade awareness 
    It is the knowledge of where the company stands in the global market, how it is affected by social, economic, and political issues and how to make progress and move ahead.
  • Integrity
    Building trust and reputation get the job done halfway. Credibility opens the door for new opportunities.
  • Communication
    Accounting systems are not understandable by the common people, this is where communication skills come in. An accountant should be well-versed with the task they are working on and the way they have to translate it for the common people to understand. They have to fill the gap between numbers and stories.
  • Understanding
    Comprehending new statistics and data is crucial.
  • Initiative
    Initiative proves that the candidate is an independent thinker and can work on his own. This welcomes more trust and better opportunities.

Conclusion

Accounting job includes transaction and producing of monetary reports. 

Candidates have to develop problem-solving skills, decision-making, and critical thinking. So if you are someone who is considering venturing into the accounting field, be sure to develop these characters to be the perfect match for what’s expected to come your way in this field.

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Knowledge Series For Commerce Students: Know Your Home Loan

Home Loans cater to your needs or possibly a renovation, construction, or additional repairs…

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Home Loans cater to your needs or possibly a renovation, construction, or additional repairs to your humble abode. It is affiliated with a plethora of facets that the borrower needs to take into consideration before he/she can finally attempt to avail of such a loan.

How Much Of A Loan Amount Are You Eligible To Avail?
The predominant requirement is the eligibility of the borrower in the repayment of the loan that would determine the tenure, interest rates, and down payments attached to the loan amount. Your surplus income will drive the lender to figure out the actual amount of loan that you are eligible for.

So, your total assets, total liabilities, and the apparent stability of income play a pivotal role in gaining the lender’s trust. At the end of the day, a bank needs to ensure that your financial stability will not pose any problem for them in the repayment of the loan amount.

Additional Charges And Figures That You Need To Be Aware Of
Statistically, the bank assumes that as much as 50% of your income would suffice for your loan repayment, furthermore, the desired tenure, as well as pegged interest rate, will also impact the decision of assessing the amount of loan.

The majority of lenders expect around 10 to 20 per cent of the amount of home’s purchase in the form of a down payment on your part, and the remaining portion of the loan is eventually financed by the lender.

Now, this aggregate amount of loan encompasses certain charges, for instance, registration, transfer, stamp duty etc. You may be eligible for a larger amount but it does not necessarily mean that you have to get that much amount financed, even a significantly smaller amount can also be availed which directly relies on your requirement.

It is advisable, however, that keeping the ratio of down payment relatively higher than the ratio of loan amount so that the ultimate cost of interest payable can be mitigated and be kept at the desired level.

The Necessity Of A Co-Applicant
Additionally, having a co-applicant is an indispensable requirement to fulfil, so if you are the only owner of the property under scrutiny, then, in this case, an immediate sibling or any other family member can be anointed as a co-applicant.

What Specific Documents You Will Require For The Loan?
The documentation process is another integral and intrinsic phase where a checklist of specified documents is handed out by the bank which is to be filled accurately to steer clear of future ramifications.

Your unique identity proof, proof of residence, form 16/Income tax returns and recent salary slips which has to be decidedly authenticated by your employer and has to be self-attested.

But generally, in most cases, collateral security is also warranted such as insurance policies, units of mutual funds or any other significant investment. In most cases, the designated property is purposefully mortgaged in favour of the lender in the form of security until the loan has been repaid in its entirety.

Should You Secure Your Home Loan With An Insurance Policy?
It is vehemently advisable to secure insurance in favour of the home loan so that the liability does not fall on anyone else, but you alone will be secured enough to repay it. Now there are two prominent plans which are prevalent in today’s scenario, i.e. pure term insurance and the other one is a Mortgage insurance plan.

Now the loan amount should be equivalent to the insurance amount. As far as the premium is concerned, then a single premium, as well as regular premiums, will be the coveted choice. However, it is not mandatory to avail of insurance cover but a sense of self-assurance is generated by availing of such service.

Disbursement Of Loan
The documentation process is the precursor of the disbursement of the loan. The magnitude of the loan amount is solely scrutinised based on the documentary proof and that entails the procurement of a sanction letter from the bank which explicitly states the final amount of loan, duration, and applicable interest rate etc.

So in a nutshell, when the loan has finally been confirmed from the bank, it is commonly referred to as disbursement of the loan after getting through entire technical and legal or valuation activities and handover the cheque or demand draft in favour of seller after successful execution of sale deed and mortgage deed of the house.

Types Of Interest Rates
Rates of home loan can be distinct in the form of fixed or flexible. Calculation of EMI varies as per the various financial institutions/banks from where your loan has been sanctioned. Underlying additional charges also apply in tandem with the payment of the EMI such as processing fee which is generally about 0.5 to 1% of the loan amount. Now, repayment in the form of EMI begins right after the month when the loan has been disbursed.

Repayment Through ECS
Electronic Clearing System (ECS) is one of the avenues through which the repayment of the loan can be done, which involves direct payment of the loan amount from your salary account on a specific date of the repayment.

If you are eligible to pay higher EMI, then it will certainly benefit you since it acts as a long-term advance. Clearing the obligated amount faster will alleviate and relieve your mental stress easily.

Pre-Closure
The borrower always has this option at his disposal to pre-close his/her loan way ahead of the specified duration. However if the interest on your loan is of floating nature, then you will not be bound to pay additional charges, whereas if it is of a fixed nature, then certain charges may be applicable.

Every financer or lender should explicitly state in their statement the total interest as well as the principal amount payable at the very beginning of the financial year. This will eventually serve as a propellent factor to the department of accounts regarding your proof of investment for necessary tax deductions.

This phenomenon will serve you to reap tax benefits at the end of the year. It is prudent to pick the lender that renders the lowest EMIs option which can mean that you are paying a significantly lesser amount of money in the form of repayments as compared to other applicants from any other financial institution.

How Your Grievances Can Be Addressed
There may be incidences that a borrower may not be satisfied with the services rendered by the bank or some other pertaining relevant problem might occur.

So in that case, you can mention your grievance specifically in writing delineating the factors that displeased you, which needs to be addressed at the concerned branch and if however, the bank does not resolve or overlooks your concern then you have the option at your disposal to lodge your complaint with the ombudsman.

Income Tax Benefit of Housing Loan
Interest payment for housing loan is deductible under the head income from house property. The maximum limit is Rs. 2 Lacs p.a. u/s. 24(b). Moreover, we can also get benefit u/s. 80C of income tax for the principal repayment of housing loan with maximum limit of Rs. 1.50 Lacs. The stamp duty and registration charges paid at the time of registration of sale deed is also deductible u/s 80C of Income Tax Act, 1961.

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Accounting Software For Small Business

Advanced Enterprise Resource Planning(ERP) systems can transform the way you run your business. No…

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Advanced Enterprise Resource Planning(ERP) systems can transform the way you run your business. No matter what service you provide or whatever industry you might be in, proper software can help you manage your processes, help you with communication and also enhance the flexibility you provide to your customers.

ERP is a system that takes care of every possible aspect of your business be it assessing, reviewing, or improving any aspect of your business. ERP keeps you as informed as possible about your business.

So, where do you start?
Considering factors like cost, advancement, elaborate features isn’t unusual while choosing an EPR ERP system. However, you have to be careful so that you don’t end up with a system that has a lot of fancy functionalities but of no use to your business.

You can consider enrolling in a tally institute in Ahmedabad to learn more about accounting processes. It offers classes on various aspects of accounting including accounting software.

A Business Management Software, What Is That?
An application or a set of programs that help businesses support, improve and automate their processes is called a business management software by definition. It is a tool that is built to meet all the requirements of business processes in the most effective way possible.

Features
General features to look for in a business management system:

  • Project & task management
  • Time management & calendar management 
  • Document sharing & collaborating with various other organisations 
  • Sales & CRM
  • Budget management, invoice, and expense management
  • Business intelligence 
  • Accounting and financial reporting
  • Resource management

What Is Accounting Software?
Accounting is a solution to process accounting transactions and manage accounts mainly used by business owners, accounting professionals.

The process of recording, analysing, and interpreting financial transactions and information is called business accounting. In this way, a business keeps tracks of its operations which can become very difficult sometimes and that is where accounting software steps in.

Tally training in Ahmedabad is offered in a lot of different institutes there and it will surely help you know more about these software and accounting processes in details.

Accounting software helps simplify the processes, giving business owners more time to focus on the administration and execution of their strategies.

  • Task Automation
    Entering data manually can be tedious and also keeps a lot of space for errors. Accounting software helps you keep manual entry to a minimum and thus increases efficiency. Good software requires you to enter the data just once and extracts that data every time required in the future. 
  • Taxes Made Simpler
    Manually keeping track of all your transactions, calculating all your dues and filling all the returns can be very tedious and painful. Accounting software makes everything a lot easier. Return reports are automatically created and you can file them directly via a third-party app.
  • Easily Accessible Data
    Accessing your financial data anywhere and at any time is even easier now. Cloud accounting software helps you access your data whenever you wish. A suitable device, internet and a browser are all you need. 
  • Data Loss Is Reduced
    Backing up data is very essential especially for important documents. Without a proper back up you could easily lose them but doing it manually is not feasible. Accounting software takes care of that too. They organise and store the data in a way so that you can retrieve them whenever you wish to. Cloud accounting systems back up your data regularly to prevent data loss.

Why Choose Accounting Software?
Being the business owner of a small business, it can be very hectic and stressful to manage a lot of things together at one point in time. It is a huge challenge for a business owner.

Business software is essential in the journey of business growth. It helps you manage complexities and also improves the performance hugely.

A lot of choices may be available at the market but small business accounting software will be the most recommended considering all the needs and requirements along with the business. This software come with a complete solution that manages every aspect of the business like billing, GST, inventory etc in one single software.

This avoids situations of buying separate software and wasting time and resources on maintaining each one separately. It gives you a complete view of the business which in turn helps you make smart business decisions.

A Few Tips To Keep In Mind While Picking The Right Accounting Software For Your Business 

  • The accounting software should have a free trial to allow you to see through all of the features before actually investing in it
  • Accounting itself is complicated and if the system that handles it is complicated too, it defeats the purpose. It should be easy to use
  • The system should have multi-user access
  • Sending out recurring invoices and payments reminders call for automation in the system
  • Online accounting systems also require data security. 
  • You should keep in mind to look for a system that provides you with the maximum features you need for your business at a reasonable price 
  • Your system should also be able to give you technical support in case you need some while working on something

Examples Of Accounting Softwares For Small Business
Accounting software is essential for small businesses. It not only helps in ease of managing an account but also helps in making decisions. At no cost, you can try them for free.

TallyPrime is a complete business management software for small businesses like yours. It provides a complete solution from accounting, banking to payroll in a single software. Institutes provide tally ERP course in Ahmedabad. Enrolling on the same will give you detailed knowledge about these.

The following are the few benefits of trying accounting software for free.

  • Easy accounting and managing of books
  • Printing professional-looking invoices in a jiffy
  • Better control and easy track of payables
  • Business information available easily since the reports are auto-generated
  • Books are accurate and complete
  • Easy management of tax compliance
  • Accurate returns in the preferred format
  • Optimum inventory and stock level
  • Better control of cash flow and the like.

Some examples of free accounting software:

  1. Wave
  2. ZipBooks
  3. Akaunting
  4. SlickPie
  5. GnuCash
  6. CloudBooks
  7. Zoho Invoice
  8. NCH Express Accounts

Conclusion
Now that you have a basic idea about accounting software, it’s time to try out these free software and see which one suits your purpose the best. If you want to go for the paid ones make sure you know what you are investing in because a waste of money is not something you would want, right?

Proper software can lift a heavy burden off of your shoulder and help you in a lot of ways so that you can focus on other important aspects of your business.

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Accounting For Reserves And Surplus

Just the way we categorize our expenditures at the end of every month, various…

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Just the way we categorize our expenditures at the end of every month, various business organisations include Reserves and Surplus in their balance sheet keeping their future needs as an organisation in the picture. In simple words, they are the savings of big corporates which can be used as assets during a crisis.

What Do Reserves And Surplus Mean?
Reserves
A financial accounting Reserve is a part of the shareholder’s equity except for basic share capital. A Reserve is profits that have been appropriated for a particular purpose. In accounting terminology, reserve implies the amount set aside for future activities which include buying assets, paying for bonuses or even legal settlements.

Surplus
Surplus describes the amount of an asset or resource that exceeds the portion that is actively utilised. In the budgetary context, a Surplus occurs when income earned exceeds expenses paid.
Reserves and Surplus, as the name suggests, are the accumulated profits that a company has earned and retained over time. Retained profits are the profits that are left after repaying the shareholders. General Reserves are created out of profits and kept aside for the financial strengthening of the company in bad years.

Difference Between Reserves And Surplus
Reserves are the primary amounts that are earmarked by the organisation for specific purposes. Whereas Surplus is where all the profits of the company reside.

Types Of Reserves And Surplus
Depending on their purpose there are various types of Reserves used in a balance sheet.

Capital Reserve
A Capital Reserve is the type of Reserve that is created from capital profits. Capital Reserve is maintained to prepare the company for sudden hazards like inflation, business expansion and funds for new ventures.

  • Cash received by selling current assets
  • Excess on revaluation of liabilities and assets

are a few examples of Capital Reserves.

Capital Redemption Reserve (CRR) 
Capital Redemption Reserve is created when the preference shares or the capital is redeemed. It is a statutory Reserve. When a company wishes to redeem shares a Capital Redemption Reserve account is created to benefit both the creditors and employees.

A Capital Redemption Reserve comes in handy for the company on a rainy day. Several litigations are attached to this reserve such that the company can open this reserve only under certain circumstances.

Security Premium Reserve
It is the additional amount charged on the face value of any share when the shares are issued, redeemed and forfeited. Security premium account is a part of the Shareholders Fund, it refers to the difference between market value and the face value of a share.

Debenture Redemption Reserve
A Debenture is a debt security that lets the investors borrow money at a fixed rate. A Debenture Redemption Reserve must be created to protect investors from the possibility of a company defaulting.

Debentures are not backed by any kind of asset, lien or collateral. Free Reserves are those Reserves upon which the company can freely draw, Debenture Redemption Fund is one such Reserve.

Revaluation Reserve
Organisations have the freedom to construct line items for assets on the balance sheet when they believe it is a necessity for correct accounting to be presented. Revaluation Reserves are not inherently normal, but they can be used when a business assumes that the value of their assets will fluctuate after a certain time frame.

Other Reserves: Specifying Nature And Purpose

Surplus
Surplus i.e balance in statement of profit and loss disclosing allocations and appropriation such as dividend, bonus, shares and transfer to/from Reserve etc.

Accounting is a part of our daily chores, let it be a multi-crore business or the expenses of a middle-class family accounts play a vital role, here is a link to a certified accounting course in Ahmedabad that will make you a pro at finance and accounting.

Why Are Reserves And Surplus Called Liabilities?
Aren’t Reserves supposed to be good? They are money set aside for future endeavours and hazards, How is being financially safe considered a liability? Isn’t having surplus money a boon?

Well here are the answers to all your queries,

Reserves are considered on the liabilities side of a balance sheet because they are sums of money that have been set aside to be paid out on a future date. To be more precise Reserves are considered a liability keeping the peasant scenarios in mind. Reserve is considered a liability keeping all the future requirements in mind.

Reserves also represent the obligations that the form has, which makes Reserves a liability item. Reserves can be future or potential obligations to various stakeholders or future use of funds to benefit various stakeholders.

For a better understanding, we can compare Reserves to a bank, though the bank is always expected to have money, yet it is considered a liability keeping in mind that money is not for the bank but to meet up with the financial needs of their account holders.

What Is Meant By A Negative Reserve?
Negative Reserves are considered as assets, for example, the money which is due to the policyholders i.e debtors. But these are assets which may be realised or forgetting that the policyholders may withdraw, leading to a policy lapse.

To conclude, accounting at the end of the day is an asset to our lives, it is a massive ocean of its own, here is the address of an Accounting institute in Ahmedabad, they offer various  Accounting Training in Ahmedabad that will turn you from a liability to an asset.

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Fixed Asset Accounting

Accounting involves keeping and maintaining the record of a corporation’s financial transactions in a…

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Accounting involves keeping and maintaining the record of a corporation’s financial transactions in a given year. The annals are further used for analysis by the stakeholders, agencies, and tax collection bodies making accountants a crucial wedge in the company’s innards.

Of the concepts an accountant should be well-versed with, the ones of assets and liabilities are the most basal yet indispensable. Here we introduce you to the fundamentals of fixed assets and their accounting.

What Are Fixed Assets?

Fixed assets are the non-liquid physical possessions an organization holds to generate income over the long haul. They are also referred to as capital assets or property, plant, and equipment (PP&Es). 

Fixed assets are not to be done away with in the same accounting year. The list comprehensively includes land, vehicles, office spaces, computers and software licensing, buildings, etc.

The principal criterion for anything to identify as a fixed asset is that it should be held by the company for more than one accounting year. Also, they are tangible and intangible. Long-term bonds and securities don’t make it to the list.

An esoteric aspect of fixed assets is that their book values usually exceed the capitalization limit as set by the organization. However, a company must be careful while setting a cap limit. A too higher or lower value can have far-reaching impacts on its balance sheet.

How? That requires us to delve deeper into the topic. Here is a verified Accounting Certificate Course in Ahmedabad you can take.

Initial Asset Inclusion

It is done at the time of purchase of an asset. 

Now, before adding to its capital stock, a corporation makes the requisite assessments. It compares the total cost incurred on the asset with the gross amount of cash flow it leads to. If the deal seems profitable, it is sealed. 

The initial recordation incorporates the cost of the assets, their transportation and installation amount, testing and preparation fees, taxes, and other such expenditures. Meanwhile, administrative charges, general overhead costs, and expenses not directly enhancing its utility are not recorded here.

When an asset is purchased at its market value, we note its fair value. On the other hand, the interest amount has to be mentioned while documenting for an asset bought on credit. 

The case of an asset being exchanged for another one calls for recording the fair value of the new body. While if it is not possible to assess its cost, the price of the one given up is considered.

Depreciation of Assets

Assets start losing their productivity or we say, they get used up with time. We need to make allowances for this downturn. In accounting, depreciation is apportioning the cost of an asset over its useful life.

Of all the techniques to account for the depreciation of assets, the written down value method is extensively used. As it shows the fair value of the asset at every end of the year. In this method, depreciation is more in the initial year compares to subsequent years. Another method of depreciation is the straight-line method. Here, the accountants are required to subtract the salvage value of the asset from its cost. The resulting difference is then divided by the number of years the company intends to hold the asset for. The figure they arrive at is the yearly monthly depreciation of the asset. In this method, the Depreciation of asset is uniform during the life of the asset.

Companies can choose their modus operandi. However, as per the caveats of the IAS (International Accounting Standards), they are allowed to change it only once. To know more about the IAS and their impact in the field, you can go for this Accounting Course in Ahmedabad as recommended by our experts.

Disposal Of Assets

After a certain point, when assets cease to be profitable, they are to be exscinded. It is usually done when their useful lives come to an end. Sometimes, an unforeseen circumstance (for instance, unexpected obsolescence) forces the company to discard an asset. 

It is however not necessary to throw a valuable possession away when it can be liquidated. The company can exchange the asset for newer ones. Also, they may sell it off. A price higher than the then book value of the asset marks a profit and a lower one points towards a loss.

Whatever the case may be, the loss of a company’s asset shows on its balance sheet. Fresh investments need to be undertaken.

Asset Impairment

Impairment of an asset is where its current carrying value exceeds the gross profits it is estimated to bring in. It is usually the result of unexpected predicaments. 

In simpler words, asset impairment has to do with the chance that fixed capital may not be as economically viable as it is computed to be. Impairment leads to a radical slump in a business’ profits. Asset impairment on the balance sheet is associated with a corresponding loss in the income statement. 

Intangible holdings such as copyrights and trademarks stand higher chances to get impaired. However, under circumstances like unexpected obsolescence, natural calamities, adverse market fluctuations, judgment failures or may be due to some unaccountable reason, fixed assets may undergo the same fate. 

Accountants are supposed to be on the lookout for such incidents. They must warn the stakeholders and the decision-makers of the company’s state of affairs.

Disclosure Of Assets

A corporation does not want every confidential detail to be presented on its annual financial statements. However, certain norms formulated by the national and international bodies need to be followed. An organization has to make the following disclosures about its fixed assets.

  • The carrying value of the assets at the beginning and the end of each accounting year
  • The useful life of the assets
  • Rate of depreciation and the method used to calculate it
  • The effects of acquisitions, disposals, and net foreign exchange on the value of the assets
  • Impacts of revaluation 

To learn about other disclosures, go to the link for this certified Accounting Training in Ahmedabad and stake in your growing accounting expertise.

The Strict Don’ts

While accounting for fixed assets, you need to eliminate the three commonly made mistakes. 

  • Not considering expense costs transportation charges, taxes, and installation amount while recording the purchase of a new asset
  • Disregarding the alteration in the assets’ use while maintaining them
  • Ignoring record-keeping demands relating to insurance

 

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Accounting Coaching Classes for Upskilling and Training Employees

Today, most businesses will agree that employees are their biggest assets. Companies invest a…

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Today, most businesses will agree that employees are their biggest assets. Companies invest a lot in terms of hiring the right candidates and then retaining them too. At the same time, employees are also very passionate about their careers. They don’t shy to move on if there is stagnancy in terms of career growth or learning new skills of accounting training. Therefore, to align the interests of both, it is essential for businesses to make significant efforts towards constant development of the employees.

What Do You Coach About?
Businesses usually provide training to impart skills that are essential / required to perform existing jobs. Obviously, this is given; considering you would like to ensure that the employee can perform in the best possible manner in his/her current role.

However, organizations today also invest in ‘Upskilling’. Upskilling refers to the process of teaching new skills to existing employees through academies like Super 20 Training Institute. Such upskilling could also be essential, or in other cases, desirable for employees; which are discussed below.

Is Upskilling Required In Accounting?
Absolutely! In this constantly evolving business environment, accounting concepts and methods are being updated too. Entire accounting framework is being rejigged and new accounting standards are becoming applicable to the business. Fo example, accounting software (like Tally) is being updated to incorporate changes in laws like GST and so on. In such a scenario, providing training to employees is definitely the need of the hour! Training academies offers excellent accounting coaching classes in Ahmedabad, suitable to different coaching needs.

Whom To Upskill In Accounting?
Upskilling could be classified into two categories. One, teaching those skills which are essential to the changing work environment. For instance, training the existing accounting personnel about the new accounting standards applicable to the organization would be absolutely essential.

Second category could be teaching those skills that may not appear exactly essential to the existing role at hand, but could go a long way in improving efficiencies. For example, familiarizing tax team about the new accounting concepts, accounting software offering Tally courses, would help them in gaining a better understanding. And this will eventually reduce their dependence on accounting team. Sometimes, it could be essential too, say when the tax team needs to understand the applicability of ICDS and how they diverge from accounting standards that the organization follows. In either case, it improves employee morale as he feels he is learning something new and challenging.

A lot of corporates have in-house L&D (Learning & Development) team. Others may tie up with a dedicated accounting academy for this purpose. In either case, the importance of upskilling employees cannot be emphasized enough.

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Adjustment entries in Tally for accruals and advances

As most of us would be aware, matching principle is one of the most…

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Adjustment entries in Tally for accruals and advances

As most of us would be aware, matching principle is one of the most important principles of accounting. In simple words, it prescribes that all expenses and revenues related to the accounting period should be mapped / accounted for in that accounting period itself. (You could learn in more detail in accounting classes at S20). 

Having said that, there are times when expenses may be paid in advance or revenues may not have been booked. This calls for adjusting the books of accounts with appropriate accounting entries to reflect the true picture that pertains to that particular accounting period. It is here that the adjustment entries come into play. 

Adjustment entries could be on account of two factors: Accruals and Advances. These instances are explained below, alongwith accounting entries to be passed for the same in Tally. These adjustment entries are passed as Journal Vouchers in Tally.

  1. Accruals
    • Expense Accruals
      This represents expenses incurred (say on account of goods purchased or services availed), however not yet accounted for (maybe because invoice has not been received). For example, accounting period is April – March. Electricity bill for March is received in April of the following year. Since electricity has been consumed and expenses have been incurred in the true sense, the same should be accounted for in that year ending 31 March as well. When accruing expenses, the expense account would be debited and instead of sundry creditors, credit is taken to provision for expense account / expense payable account. Thus, accounting entry in Tally would be:
    • Income Accruals
      This represents income accrued/ earned but not recorded, mostly because it is not due.For example, billing cycle agreed with the customer is 3-monthly beginning February. Therefore, while services would have been rendered for February and March, but invoice cannot be raised until April as the right to collect arises only then. As per matching principle, revenue corresponding to the months of February and March should be accounted for. When accruing income, the income account would be credited and instead of sundry debtors, asset account namely income accrued but nor due is created. Thus, accounting entry in Tally would be:

      Having passed afore-said entries, the profit and loss account would now truly reflect the revenue and expense for the accounting period.

  2. Advances
    • Expenses Paid In Advance
      When expenses are paid for a period falling outside the accounting period, books should be adjusted to capture only the amount that pertains to the accounting period for which books are being prepared.For example, annual insurance of Rs. 12,000 is paid in December while the accounting period followed is April – March. In that case, Rs. 8,000 pertaining to April – November of the following year should be excluded from the profit and loss account. This could be done as under:

      Thus, net insurance debited to P/L for the year would be Rs. 4,000 only, pertaining to the period December – April.

    • Incomes Received In Advance
      Contractual terms may require the customer to pay advances upfront. In case where such advances do not get settled within the accounting period under consideration, they should appear as liability account. For example, for a contract signed in March, advance received from customer for the quarter is Rs. 30,000. Assuming April – March year is followed, once services are rendered in March, proportionate part would go to revenues. However, remaining advance should continue to stand as a liability in the books. Entries would be as under:

      Thus, at year-end, only revenue of Rs. 10,000 would go to P/L while net advance of Rs. 20,000 would appear as a liability in the Balance Sheet.

      While this is the gist of the journal entries, a more step by step approach for accounting in Tally can be learnt at accounting classes at Super 20 Training Institute in Ahmedabad.