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SESSION 4 - ADJUSTING ENTRIES (SAMPLE):
(Exerts from - ADJUSTING ENTRIES)
TUTOR: . . . . . .
Today I will explain
what adjusting entries are, why you make adjusting entries, and
how to do nearly every adjusting entry that will be required of you in your
accounting text.
You will see how important it is to think each adjustment through, and how to
use
T-accounts to aid you in determining how to make the adjustment. You will see
how
important it is to know what the original transaction was and how it was
entered.
(Exerts from - WHAT-WHY-WHEN)
TUTOR: First, let me give you a few terms and
explain their meaning. Here are some of the terms that you will be using when
doing "adjusting entries" (See Fig. 4-1).
Let's go over each of these terms to be sure you know
what they mean, and I will explain
certain facts about them. First, "what are adjusting entries, and why do we make
them"?
We can determine from the definition that adjusting entries are journal entries
made to
adjust the revenue and expenses. They are made at the end of the accounting
period so that
the income statement will reflect a more accurate picture of the net profit. In
nearly all
adjusting entries an expense or an income account will be affected.
(Exerts from - WHAT TO ADJUST)
TUTOR: . . . . . .
Now I understand what adjusting entries are, why I make them, and when to make them. Will you explain to me what accounts I must adjust at the end of the accounting period?
WHAT TO ADJUST
TUTOR: Yes, I will. Here is a list of the items that are normally adjusted (See
Fig. 4-2).
The first item "Depreciation” is an apportionment adjustment. Most businesses
have fixed
assets such as: equipment, furniture, truck or auto, buildings, etc. These fixed
assets lose
some of their value due to the passage of time, or because of usage. When this
happens,
we must show the reduction in value by making an adjusting entry. We do this by
debiting the account "Depreciation Expense", and crediting the account
"Accumulated
Depreciation"-(assets name).
(Exerts from - JOURNALIZING ADJUSTING ENTRIES)
The first adjustment,
adjusting entry (a) is an apportionment adjustment to show the
amount of depreciation taken on the equipment. In analyzing the information
given to
make this adjustment, we see that the amount that should be used to make this
adjustment is
given. Here is the way this adjustment would be journalized, and the T-accounts
show the
effect it has on the ledger accounts (See Illustration 4-1,page 45).
In journalizing the entry, we debited the account
"Depreciation Expense" for the amount
of depreciation for the period and credited the account "Accumulated
Depreciation-
Equipment". The "Depreciation Expense" account is in the "expense" group and
normally has a debit balance and we wish to increase this account. In order to
increase an account that has a debit balance, you must make a debit entry. The
account "Accumulated Depreciation-Equipment" is a "contra account" in the
"Asset" group, and normally has a credit balance. We wish to increase this
account
also. To increase an account that has a credit balance, you must make a credit
entry.