Accruals and Deferrals - Adjusting entries

6 important questions on Accruals and Deferrals - Adjusting entries

Four types of adjusting entries

Assets to expenses
Liabilities to revenue (Unearned Revenue, like subscriptions)
Accruing unpaid expenses (e.g. Electric expenses)
Accruing uncollected revenue

If a company debited an entire cash payment to an expense account for some consumable asset (such as office supplies), what adjustment would they make at period end?

Debit the asset account for the value of the unused supplies, and credit the expense account.

Why are assets depreciated?

To follow the matching principle (realization principle) by spreading the expense out over the periods when the asset is generating revenue.
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When cash comes in first and revenue is earned later (or when cash is paid out first and the asset is consumed afterwards), this is called a:

Deferral

Wages, interest paid or electricity would be examples of:

Accruals (cash comes later)

What is the principle of materiality?

The idea that accounting principles only need be followed if there is a meaningful impact of doing so.  Easier methods are acceptable if the consequence to accuracy is negligible.

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