AccountingQA Latest Questions

Anushka Lalwani
Anushka Lalwani
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  2. Saurav

    Brands can be considered as an Intangible asset as they are a long-term investment done by the company and it gives benefit to an entity in future periods. Like any other intangible asset, brands require long-term investment and will pay over time. Like any other asset, these brands can be bought anRead more

    Brands can be considered as an Intangible asset as they are a long-term investment done by the company and it gives benefit to an entity in future periods.

    Like any other intangible asset, brands require long-term investment and will pay over time. Like any other asset, these brands can be bought and sold. Brands are best used when they serve the vision and mission of the company.

    So, we can definitely consider an organization brand as an intangible as it is expected to increase sales volume in the future period.

    Further, we can understand both terms to get a deep understanding-

     

    BRAND

    Brand means a product, or service which has a unique identification and can be distinct from other products in the market. Branding is a process by which expenditure is incurred by an entity to create awareness towards the product in the customer’s eyes.

    For example- Maggie, Coca-Cola, BMW

    Brands can be created through these elements-

    • Design
    • Packaging
    • Advertisement

     

    INTANGIBLE ASSETS

    Intangible asset are assets that can’t be seen or touched but the benefit of it occur in future periods for the entity. Even though intangible assets have no physical form but their benefits will accrue in future years. Businesses commonly hold intangible assets. Intangible assets can be further bifurcated in

    Definite– Intangible assets that stay and give benefit for a limited or specific period of time covered under this

    For example- An agreement is entered with an entity to patent a product for 5 years so this will stay for a definite period only

    Indefinite– Intangible assets that stay and  give benefit for an unlimited  period of time covered under this

    For example- A brand which is made by an entity will stay for an indefinite period

    Intangible assets can be in various forms these are the following –

    Trademark– A trademark is a sign, design, and expression that distinguish the company’s product or services from other company. Trademark is considered an Intellectual Property Right.

    Goodwill– Goodwill refers to the value of the company that the company gets from its brand, customer base, and brand Reputation associated with its intellectual property.

    Patents– A patent refers to a right reserved for a product exclusively by a person or entity. Under this the right of such making of the product gets reserved by the company and other person or entity can’t make this product.

    Copyright– Copyright refers to an intellectual property right that protects the work of the original owner from being copied by some other person.

    Brand– Brand means a product, or service that has a unique identification and can be distinct from other products in market

    So, we can definitely consider that brand is a subpart of an intangible asset and can be considered as an intangible asset as it also can’t be touched or seen. Still, its benefit will accrue till future time. These both help an entity to grow its business till the future

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Simerpreet
SimerpreetHelpful
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Explain Business entity, money measurement concept, Going concern concept etc.

Accounting ConceptsGAAP
  2. AbhishekBatabyal Helpful Pursuing CA, BCOM (HONS)
    This answer was edited.

    Accounting Concepts Accounting concepts are the rules, assumptions and methods generally accepted by accountants in the preparation and presentation of financial statements of an entity. These concepts have been developed by the accounting profession for a long period. These concepts constitute theRead more

    Accounting Concepts

    Accounting concepts are the rules, assumptions and methods generally accepted by accountants in the preparation and presentation of financial statements of an entity. These concepts have been developed by the accounting profession for a long period.

    These concepts constitute the foundation of accounting and one has to be aware of them to maintain correct and uniform financial statements.

    I have listed and briefly explained the following accounting concepts.

    1. Entity Concept 
    2. Money Measurement concept 
    3. Going on concern 
    4. Periodicity concept 
    5. Accrual concept 
    6. Cost concept 
    7. Realisation concept 
    8. Matching concept 
    9. Dual aspect concept 
    10. Conservatism concept 
    11. Materiality concept 
    12. Consistency concept

     

    #1 Entity Concept 

    As per this concept, the business and its owner are separate entities from the point of view of accounting. It means the assets and liabilities of the business and owner are not the same. 

    However, in the eyes of law, the business and its owner may be a single entity.

     

    #2 Money measurement concept

    This concept states that the transaction which can be measured in terms of money shall only be recorded in the books of accounts.

    Any transaction which cannot be measured in terms of money shall not be recorded.

    #3 Going concern concept 

    Going concern concept is also a fundamental accounting assumption. It assumes that an enterprise will continue to be in business for the foreseeable future.

    It means its accounts will also be prepared to take such assumptions that the business will continue in future.

     

    #4 Periodicity concept 

    The periodicity concept states an entity needs to carry out accounting for a definite period, generally for a year known as the accounting period. The period can also be half-year or a quarter.

    The cycle of accounting restarts at the start of every accounting period.

     

    #5 Accrual concept 

    The word accrual comes from the word

    As per the accrual concept, the expense and incomes are recorded in the books of accounts in the period in which they are expected to incur whether payment in cash is made or cash is received or not.

    For example, the salary to be paid by a business is to be recorded as an expense in the year in which it is expected or liable to be paid.

     

    #6 Cost concept 

    It is concerned with the purchase of the assets of a business. As per the cost concept, a business shall record any asset in its books at the acquisition cost or purchase cost.

     

    #7 Realisation concept 

    This concept is concerned with the sale of assets. A business shall record the sale of the assets in its books only at the realised cost.

     

    #8 Matching concept 

    As per this concept, revenue earned during a period should be matched with the expenses incurred in that period. In short, an entity needs to record the income and the expenses of the same period.

     

    #9  Dual concept 

    This concept is the foundation of double-entry accounting. Dual concepts state that every transaction has two effects, debit and credit. 

    One or more accounts may be debited and other one or more accounts are credited so that the total amount of debit and credit equals.

     

    #10 Conservatism concept 

    The conservatism concept states that an entity has to account for expected losses and expenses but not for future expected profits and gains.

     

    #11 Materiality concept 

    As per this concept, only those items which are material should be shown in the financial statements of an entity. It says that items which are immaterial or insignificant in terms of value or importance to stakeholders can be ignored.

     

    #12 Consistency concept 

    It says that an entity should follow consistent accounting policies every accounting period so that a comparison can be made among the financial statements of different accounting periods.

     

    GAAP 

    Generally Accepted Accounting Principles or GAAP is a combination of authoritative standards which are set by policy boards and commonly accepted methods of recording and presenting accounting information. 

    GAAP or US GAAP is formulated by the Financial Accounting Standards Board or FASB  and almost state in the USA is compliant with GAAP. 

    The main goal of the GAAP is to ensure that the financial statements of an entity are complete, consistent and comparable.

    It can be said accounting concepts are part of GAAP.

     

    Ten key principles of GAAP

    #1 Principle of regularity

    It states that an accountant has to comply with GAAP regulations as a standard.

     

    #2 Principle of Consistency

    Accountants should be committed to applying the same set of standards throughout the accounting and reporting process, from one period to another. This is to be done to ensure comparability of financial statements between periods.  

    Also, the accountants have to fully disclose and explain the reason behind any changed or updated standards in the note of accounts of financial statements.

     

    #3 Principle of sincerity

    It states that the accountant should strive to provide an accurate and unbiased view of the financial situation of a company.

     

    #4 Principle of Permanence of Methods

    As per this principle, a company should be consistent in procedures used in financial statements so that it allows the comparison of the company’s financial information.

     

    #5 Principle of Non-Compensation

    Both negative and positive should be reported with full transparency. There should be no debt compensation i.e. debt should not be set off against any asset or expenses against revenue.

    #6 Principle of Prudence

    It states that financial data presentation should be fact-based. This principle is similar to the conservatism concept.

     

    #7 Principle of Continuity

    This is as same the going concern concept. It states that while valuing assets, it should assume that the business will continue for the foreseeable future.

     

    #8 Principle of Periodicity

    It is the same as the matching concept. It states that the revenue and expenses should be recorded in the period in which they occur.

     

    #9 Principle of Materiality

    Accountants should disclose all the financial information that is significant in the decision-making of the users of financial statements.

     

    #10 Principle of Utmost Good Faith

    It states that all parties to a transaction should act honestly and not mislead or hide crucial information from one another.

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Radha
Radha
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Internal Users
  2. Vijay Curious M.Com
    This answer was edited.

    One of the main purposes of accounting is to provide financial data to its users so that decisions are taken at an appropriate time. These users of accounting information are broadly classified into (a) internal users and (b) external users. Since the question concentrates on internal users I’ll beRead more

    One of the main purposes of accounting is to provide financial data to its users so that decisions are taken at an appropriate time. These users of accounting information are broadly classified into (a) internal users and (b) external users. Since the question concentrates on internal users I’ll be explaining internal users of accounting information in detail.

    Internal users are people within an organization/business who need accounting information to make day-to-day decisions.

    The various internal users of accounting information include:

    • Owners/Promoters/Directors:

    Owners are the people who contribute capital to the business and therefore they are interested to know the profit earned or loss incurred by the business as well as the safety of their capital. In the case of a Sole Proprietorship, the proprietor is the owner of the business. In the case of a Partnership, the partners are considered as the owners of the firm.

    The use for them: To know how the business is doing financially, owners need to know the profit and loss reflected in the financial statements.

    • Management:

    Management is responsible for setting objectives, formulating plans, taking informed decisions, and ensuring that pre-planned objectives are met within the stipulated time period.

    The use for them: To achieve objectives, management needs accounting information to make decisions related to determining the selling price, budgeting, cost control and reduction, investing in new projects, trend analysis, forecasting, etc.

    • Employees/Workers:

    Employees and workers are the ones who implement the plans set by the management. Their well-being is dependent on the profitability of the business.

    The use for them: They are interested to check the financial statements so that they can get a better knowledge of the business. Some organizations also give their employees a share in their profits in the form of a bonus at the year-end. This also creates an interest in the employees to check the financial statements.

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A_Team
A_Team
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  2. Manvi Pursuing ACCA
    This answer was edited.

    International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is a not-for-profit, public interest organization. The main objective of the IFRS Foundation is to raise the standard of financial reporting and bring about global harmonization of accounting standards. IFRS was established to develop high-quality,Read more

    International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is a not-for-profit, public interest organization. The main objective of the IFRS Foundation is to raise the standard of financial reporting and bring about global harmonization of accounting standards.

    IFRS was established to develop high-quality, understandable, enforceable, and generally accepted accounting standards. International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) develops IFRS. There are currently 16 IFRSs in issue.

    Benefits of IFRS Standards:

    1. It brings transparency by international comparability and quality of financial information.
    2. It strengthens accountability by reducing the information gap between providers and users of the capital.
    3. It contributes to economic efficiency by improving capital allocation and, helps investors in identifying opportunities and risks across the world.

     

    Following are the uses of IFRS:

    1. As national requirements.
    2. As the basis for all or some national requirements.
    3. As an international benchmark for those countries which develop their own requirements.
    4. By regulatory authorities for domestic and foreign companies.
    5. By companies themselves.

     

    Challenges faced by companies if IFRS is not implemented:

    1. The financial statements will differ for the companies who have offices worldwide and use only national accounting standards.
    2. Increased complexity while preparing financial statements.
    3. Difficulty in comparing and verifying financial statements.
    4. Accounting of transactions will differ from country to country if IFRS is not implemented.
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Manvi
Manvi
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  2. Karan B.com and Pursuing ACCA
    This answer was edited.

    Discount received is the reduction in the price of the goods and services which is received by the buyer from the seller. It is an income for the buyer and is credited to the discount received account and credited to the seller/supplier’s account. Journal entry for discount received as per modern ruRead more

    Discount received is the reduction in the price of the goods and services which is received by the buyer from the seller. It is an income for the buyer and is credited to the discount received account and credited to the seller/supplier’s account.

    Journal entry for discount received as per modern rules:

    Creditor’s A/c Debit Decrease in liability
            To Cash A/c Credit Decrease in asset
            To Discount Received A/c Credit Increase in income
    (Being goods purchased and discount received)

    Discount allowed is the reduction in the price of the goods which is granted by the seller to the buyer on prompt payment of their account. It is an expense for the seller and is debited to the discount allowed account and credited to the buyer’s account.

    Journal entry for discount allowed as per modern rules:

    Cash A/c Debit Increase in asset
    Discount Allowed A/c Debit Increase in expense
        To Debtor’s A/c Credit Decrease in asset
    (Being goods sold and discount allowed)

    For example, A Ltd. offers a 10% discount to the customers who settle their debts within two weeks. Mr.B a customer purchased goods worth Rs.20,000.

    According to modern rules, A Ltd will record this sale as:

    Particulars Amt Amt
    Cash A/c                                    Dr. 8,000
    Discount Allowed A/c             Dr. 2,000
                To Mr.B’s A/c 10,000

     

    Mr.B will record this purchase as:

    Particulars Amt Amt
    A Ltd A/c                                    Dr. 10,000
       To Cash A/c 8,000
       To Discount Received A/c 2,000

    For a business, the discount received is an income, and the discount allowed is an expense. In the above example, A Ltd has granted a discount and B is the receiver of the discount. Hence, for A Ltd discount allowed is an expense and for B discount received is an income.

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Jayesh Gupta
Jayesh GuptaCurious
In: >

  2. Spriha Sparsh
    This answer was edited.

    Liabilities are obligations which a business owes to external or internal parties.As per the accounting equation liabilities are equal to the difference between assets and capital. Total Outside Liabilities  in relation to the Borrower can be all secured and unsecured loans, including current liabilRead more

    Liabilities are obligations which a business owes to external or internal parties.As per the accounting equation liabilities are equal to the difference between assets and capital.

    Total Outside Liabilities  in relation to the Borrower can be all secured and unsecured loans, including current liabilities of the Borrower.

    External Liability or outside liability is an obligation which a business has to pay back to external parties i.e. lenders, vendors, government, etc. Payable to Sundry creditors for the supply of any goods for the business or payable to any contractors for receiving any services or payable to the Govt. or other departments for any statutory payments like taxes or other levies. All these liabilities are known as an external liability to the business and are shown on the liability side of the Balance sheet after charging into the profit & loss account of that period.

    Where, Internal Liability – All obligations which a business has to pay back to internal parties such as promoters, employees, etc. are termed as internal liabilities. Example – Capital, Salaries, Accumulated profits, etc.

    Example – Borrowings, Creditors, Taxes, etc.

    Where, 1) Person A takes a loan from person B (person not associated with the company), person B is an external liability to person A.
    2) Person A has a tax liability of Rs.1000, here the government is an external liability to whom A has to pay the liability amount.

    3) Person A got goods on credit from person C for 60 days, C is an external liability to A, which A has to pay within the time period.

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Karan
Karan
In: >

  2. Pooja_Parikh Aspiring Chartered Accountant
    This answer was edited.

    Retained earnings are kept with the company for growth instead of distributing dividends to the shareholders. Therefore the cost of retained earnings refers to its opportunity cost which is the cost of foregoing dividends by the shareholders. Therefore the cost of retained earnings is similar to theRead more

    Retained earnings are kept with the company for growth instead of distributing dividends to the shareholders. Therefore the cost of retained earnings refers to its opportunity cost which is the cost of foregoing dividends by the shareholders.

    Therefore the cost of retained earnings is similar to the cost of equity without tax and flotation cost. Hence, it can be calculated as

    Kr = Ke (1 – t) (1 – f),

    Kr = Cost of retained earnings
    Ke = Cost of equity
    t = tax rate
    f = flotation cost

    Here, flotation cost means the cost of issuing shares.

    EXAMPLE

    If cost of equity of a company was 10%, tax rate was 30% and flotation cost was 5%, then
    cost of retained earnings = 10% x (1 – 0.30)(1 – 0.05) = 6.65%.

    From the above example and formula, it is clear that the cost of retained earnings would always be less than or equal to the cost of equity since retained earnings do not involve flotation costs or tax.

    A company usually acquires funds from various sources of finance rather than a single source. Therefore the cost of capital of the company will be the weighted average cost of capital (WACC) of each individual source of finance. The cost of retained earnings is thus an important factor in calculating the overall cost of capital.

    Another important factor of WACC is the cost of equity. The cost of equity is sometimes interchanged with the cost of retained earnings. However, they are not the same.

     

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