Basics Flashcards
What is accounting?
The process of identifying, recording, and communicating financial information to help users make informed decisions.
What is the Accounting Equation?
Assets = Liabilities + Equity
Define Accrual Basis Accounting.
An accounting method that recognizes revenues when they are earned and expenses when they are incurred.
What are accrued expenses?
Expenses that have been incurred during a period but have not yet been paid or recorded.
What are accrued revenues?
Revenues that have been earned during a period but have not yet been recorded or received in cash.
What is the Acid-Test Ratio?
(Cash + Short-Term Investments + Receivables) / Current Liabilities
What is an adjusting entry?
An entry made at the end of an accounting period to update account balances to reflect the correct amounts for the period.
What is the Allowance for Doubtful Accounts?
A contra-asset account used to reduce the carrying amount of accounts receivable.
What is the Allowance Method?
An accounting method for bad debts that estimates and records bad debts expense in the same period when the related sales are recorded.
Define amortization.
The process of allocating the cost of an intangible asset over its useful life.
What are assets?
Resources owned by a company that have future economic value.
What is a Balance Sheet?
A financial statement that presents a company’s assets, liabilities, and equity at a specific point in time.
What is Bad Debts Expense?
The expense recognized when it is estimated that some accounts receivable will not be collected.
True or False: The Banker’s Rule uses a 360-day year for interest calculation.
True
What is the Business Entity Assumption?
The accounting principle that assumes that the business is a separate entity from its owner and other businesses.
Define Cash Basis Accounting.
An accounting method that recognizes revenues when cash is received and expenses when cash is paid.
What is a Chart of Accounts?
A list of all the accounts used by a company in its accounting system.
What is a Classified Balance Sheet?
A balance sheet that groups assets and liabilities into categories such as current and non-current.
What are Closing Entries?
Entries made at the end of an accounting period to transfer the balances of temporary accounts to the owner’s capital account.
Define Commercial Substance.
Exists if the company’s future cash flows are expected to change as a result of an exchange of plant assets.
Who is a Consignee?
The party who receives goods on consignment from the consignor to sell on their behalf.
Who is a Consignor?
The owner of goods who delivers them to a consignee to sell on their behalf.
What is the Consistency Principle?
The accounting principle that requires a company to use the same accounting methods from period to period.
What is a Contra Asset Account?
An account that is offset against an asset account to reduce its value.
What is the Cost Principle?
The accounting principle that requires assets to be recorded at their historical cost.
Define Credit in accounting.
An entry on the right side of a T-account.
What are Current Assets?
Assets that are expected to be converted to cash or used up within one year.
What are Current Liabilities?
Liabilities that are expected to be paid within one year.
What is the Current Ratio?
Current Assets / Current Liabilities
Define Debit in accounting.
An entry on the left side of a T-account.
What is the Debt Ratio?
Total Liabilities / Total Assets
What is the Declining-Balance Depreciation Method?
An accelerated depreciation method that depreciates an asset at a faster rate in the early years of its life.
What is Depletion?
The process of allocating the cost of a natural resource over its estimated useful life.
What is Depreciation?
The process of allocating the cost of a tangible, long-lived asset over its useful life.
What is the Direct Write-Off Method?
A method of accounting for bad debts that recognizes bad debt expense only when a specific account is deemed uncollectible.
What is a Dishonored Note?
A note receivable that the maker fails to pay at maturity.
Define Double-Entry Accounting.
A system of accounting in which every transaction is recorded in at least two accounts.
What is Equity?
The residual interest in the assets of a company after deducting liabilities.
What is Ethics in accounting?
Beliefs that distinguish right from wrong and guide behavior.
What are Expenses?
Costs incurred by a company in the process of generating revenue.
What are Financial Statements?
Formal reports that communicate a company’s financial information to stakeholders.
What is First-In, First-Out (FIFO)?
An inventory costing method that assumes that the first goods purchased are the first ones sold.
What does FOB Destination mean?
The seller bears the cost of shipping and ownership transfers to the buyer when goods reach their destination.
What does FOB Shipping Point mean?
The buyer bears the cost of shipping and ownership transfers when goods leave the seller’s shipping point.
What is the Fraud Triangle?
A model describing the three factors that contribute to fraudulent behavior: opportunity, pressure, and rationalization.
What is the Full Disclosure Principle?
The principle that requires companies to disclose all information that is relevant and material to users of financial statements.
What are Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)?
The set of accounting standards, conventions, and rules that guide the preparation of financial statements.
What is a General Ledger?
A record containing all of a company’s accounts, organized by account number.
What is the Going-Concern Assumption?
The principle that assumes that the business will continue to operate in the foreseeable future.
What are Goods in Transit?
Goods that have been shipped but not yet received by the buyer.
Define Goodwill.
An intangible asset representing the excess of the purchase price of a business over the fair market value of its identifiable net assets.
What is the Gross Margin Ratio?
Gross Profit / Net Sales
What is an Income Statement?
A financial statement that reports a company’s revenues and expenses over a period.
What are Installment Accounts Receivable?
Amounts owed by customers for purchases made on credit, with payments made in installments.