Financial Reporting is a common practice in accounting where the financial statements of the company are disclosed to present its financial information and performance over a particular period. It is important to know where a company’s money comes from and where it goes. Types of Financial StatementRead more
Financial Reporting is a common practice in accounting where the financial statements of the company are disclosed to present its financial information and performance over a particular period. It is important to know where a company’s money comes from and where it goes.
Types of Financial Statements
There are 4 important types of financial statements such as:
- Income Statement: This statement summarises a company’s revenue, expenses and profits. It is prepared to calculate the net profit of the company.
- Balance Sheet: It portrays the company’s assets and liabilities in a statement. This is used to understand the financial position of the company.
- Statement of Retained Earnings: This statement reveals a company’s changes in equity during an accounting period.
- Cash Flow Statement: It shows the amount of cash flowing in and out of the business. It is helpful in understanding the liquidity position of the business.
Importance of Financial Reporting
- Understanding these financial statements is helpful in making financial decisions. One can identify certain trends and hurdles while analyzing financial statements.
- It helps the top order management to keep a check on its outstanding debt and how to manage them effectively.
- Financial reports are also required to be prepared by law for tax purposes. Therefore these statements have to be prepared to calculate taxable income. It also ensures that the companies are compliant with the required laws and regulations.
- True and accurate financial reporting is also important for potential investors who need to understand the financial performance and position to come to a decision.
See less
Any person, company, or organization that owes us money is a debtor. The amount that is owed to us is called debt. When you are unsure if a debtor is going to pay back the amount owed to you, then a provision for doubtful debts is created. Here, the debtor may or may not pay back the amount owed. WhRead more
Any person, company, or organization that owes us money is a debtor. The amount that is owed to us is called debt. When you are unsure if a debtor is going to pay back the amount owed to you, then a provision for doubtful debts is created. Here, the debtor may or may not pay back the amount owed. When the debts owed to us is irrecoverable, it is termed as bad debts.
Provision for doubtful debts may become a bad debt at some point. Usually, companies keep a small portion of their debtors as a provision for doubtful debts in accordance with the prudence concept that tells us to account for all possible losses. Provision for doubtful debts is a liability whereas bad debts are recorded as an expense.
Journal entries for Doubtful debts and bad debts are as follows:
EXAMPLE
If the balance in the debtors’ account shows an amount of Rs 20,000 and 5% of debtors are treated as doubtful, then Rs 1,000 is recorded as a provision for doubtful debts. This amount is deducted from debtors in the balance sheet.
Now if Rs 400 was recorded as actual bad debts, then it is deducted from the provision for doubtful debts instead of debtors. Further another 400 is added back to provision for doubtful debts to maintain the percentage.
See less