Retained Earnings refer to the total net profits left with the company after deduction of all dividends. This amount is a source of internal finance and can be used for the growth or expansion of the company. Retained earnings are shown under shareholders’ equity in the balance sheet and are calculaRead more
Retained Earnings refer to the total net profits left with the company after deduction of all dividends. This amount is a source of internal finance and can be used for the growth or expansion of the company.
Retained earnings are shown under shareholders’ equity in the balance sheet and are calculated as follows:
Retained earnings at the end of the year = Retained earnings at the beginning of the year + Net Income – Dividend
From the above formula, Yes, it is possible for retained earnings to be negative. Negative earnings occur when the cumulative dividend payout is higher than the earnings made by a company during the year. This results in a negative balance as per the formula.
Negative Retained earnings indicate a number of concerning facts about a company:
- That the company is experiencing Long term losses.
- That there are chances for the company to go into bankruptcy.
- That the company may be paying out dividends to the shareholders from borrowed finance.
Positive Retained Earnings
When a company is said to have positive retained earnings, the company has several advantages. The company has excess profit to hold on to. This helps in expansion and also acts as a safety net in case of unforeseen expenses. Hence if a company shows positive Retained earnings it can be interpreted that the company is profitable.
However, higher retained earnings mean the distribution of lesser dividends to shareholders. This makes the company look less attractive to investors. Another reason for high retained earnings could be that the company has not found any profitable investment for its earnings.
Therefore, there should be adequate retained earnings with the company but at the same time, keep a check that the amount of retained earnings does not exceed a limit.
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Journal Entry Prepaid Rent A/c Dr. To Cash A/C (Being rent paid in advance) "Prepaid Account" is treated as an asset and as per the modern rules debit the increase in the asset. "Cash Account" is an asset and as per the accounting rules credit the decrease in the asset. Adjustment entry: TheRead more
Journal Entry
Prepaid Rent A/c Dr.
To Cash A/C
(Being rent paid in advance)
“Prepaid Account” is treated as an asset and as per the modern rules debit the increase in the asset.
“Cash Account” is an asset and as per the accounting rules credit the decrease in the asset.
Adjustment entry: The prepaid rent entry has an adjustment entry when the rent expense account is due. The journal entry for that is
Rent Expense A/c
To Prepaid Rent A/c
(Being the rent expense due and adjusted from the prepaid expense)
Example: ABC.Ltd signs a one-year lease on an office floor for Rs 10,000 a month. The landlord requires that the Company pays the annual amount Rs 120,000 at the beginning of the year.
The journal entry for Company would be as follows:
At the beginning
Prepaid Rent A/c – 1,20,000
To Cash A/c – 1,20,000
(Being rent paid in advance for the year)
At the time rent was due (Month 1)
Rent Expense A/c – 10,000
To Prepaid Rent A/c – 10,000
(Being the rent expense due and adjusted from the prepaid expense)
The same entry done in month 1 will be repeated in the next 11 months.
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