Accounting Chapter 7: Accounting for Receivables

Accounts Receivable

when a company allows a customer to "buy now and pay later

Notes Receivable

notes specifies maturity date, interest rate and other credit terms. Notes mean there is longer time to pay and there is a larger amount

Interest Bearing Note

have to account for the interest on the balance.

Net realizable value

represents the amount of receivables a company estimates it will actually collect. It is the face value less an allowance for doubtful accounts

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

represents a company's estimate of the amount of noncollectable receivables. Contra-ASSET account.

Allowance method of accounting for debt

reporting accounts receivable in the financial statement at net realizable value

Earned on Account

debit accounts receivable and credit revenue

Bad Debt Expense

recognized at the year end of adjusted entry. Debit this and credit allowance for doubtful accounts.

Writing off uncollectible accounts receivable

debit allowance for doubtful accounts, credit accounts receivable.

Reinstate

the process of reversing a previous write off

Income Statement Method

method of estimating uncollectible accounts expense. Use a number off the income statement to compute bad debt expense.

How to do Income Statement Method

Multiply the service revenue by percentage of uncollectible accounts.

Percent of Receivables Method

method of estimating uncollectible accounts by taking a percent of outstanding receivables balance. The percent is frequently based on a combination of factors such as historical experience, conditions of the economy and company's credit policy

Aging of Accounts Receivables

classifying each account receivables by number of days it has been outstanding.

Purpose of the Aging Schedule

to develop a more accurate estimate of uncollectible accounts.

Balance Sheet Method

method of estimating uncollectible accounts by computing the ending balance from the balance sheet and letting in the expenses fall into place

Direct Write off method

accounting practice of recognizing uncollectible accounts on expense when accounts are determined to be uncollectible regardless of the period in which the related sales occurred

Con of Direct Write Off Method

matching doesn't work very well with it

Promissory Note

a legal document representing a credit agreement between a lender and a borrower. Specifies technical details such as the maker, payee, interest rate, maturity date, payment terms and any collateral

payee

the partner collecting notes

principal

the amount of cash that is actually borrowed, to be repaid in the future with interest

interest

Fee paid for the use of funds, represents an expense to the borrower and revenue to the lender

Maturity date

the date that a liability is due to be settled, the day the borrower is expected to repay debt

Collecteral

assets pledged as security for a loan

Interest Payable

a contra-liability account for interest bearing notes

Discount Note

a non-interest bearing note. The interest is being viewed at the front end instead of the back- similar to a bond issued at a discount

Discount on Notes Payable

the contra liability account for non-interest bearing (discount) notes

Accrued Interest

interest of revenue or expense that is recognized before cash has been exchanged

Adjusting Entry

entry that updates account balances prior to preparing financial statements

A/R Turnover Ratio

Sales/Accounts Receivable. Financial ratio that measures how fast A/R are collected in cash. Computed by dividing sales by accounts receivable.

Operating Cycle

the average time it takes a business to convert inventory to accounts receivable plus the time it takes to convert this to cash.

Estimating Uncollectible Expense and Balance sheet

Debit uncollectible accounts expense and credit allowance for doubtful accounts.