Explain the concept of depreciation. What is the need for charging depreciation and what are the causes of depreciation?
Depreciation may be described as a permanent, continuing and gradual shrinkage in the book value of fixed assets. It is based on the cost of assets consumed in a business and not on its market value.
Every business acquires fixed assets for its use in the business over a period of time. As the benefits of these assets can be availed over a long period of time (due to their regular use), there exists continuous wear and tear and consequently fall in their value. This fall in the value of fixed assets (due to regular use or expiry of time) is termed as depreciation. A machinery that costs Rs 1,00,000 and its useful life of 10 years, its depreciation will be calculated as:
To ascertain true net profit or net loss: Correct profit or loss can be ascertained when all the expenses and losses incurred for earning revenues are charged to the profit and loss account. Assets are used for earning revenues and its cost is charged in the form of depreciation from profit and loss accounts.
To show a true and fair view of financial statements: If depreciation is not charged, assets are shown at higher value than their actual value in the balance sheet; consequently, the balance sheet does not reflect the true view of financial statements.
For ascertaining the accurate cost of production: Depreciation on plant and machinery and other assets, which are engaged in production, is included in the cost of production. If depreciation is not included, cost of production is underestimated, which will lead to low sale price and thus lead to low profit.
Distribution of dividend out of profit: If depreciation is not charged, which leads to over estimating of profit & consequently more profit is distributed as dividend, out of capital instead of the profit. This leads to the flight of scarce capital out of the business.
To provide funds for replacement of assets: Unlike other expenses, depreciation is not a cash expense. So, the amount of depreciation charged will be retained in the business and will be used for replacement of fixed assets after its useful life.
Consideration of tax: If depreciation is charged, then the profit and loss account will disclose less profit as to when the depreciation is not charged. This depicts reduced profit and thus the business will be liable for lesser tax amount.
The causes for depreciation:
Constant use: Due to constant use of the fixed assets there exists normal wear and tear that leads to fall in the value of fixed assets.
Expiry of time: With the passage of time, whether assets are used or not, its effective life decreases. The natural forces like rain, weather, etc. lead to deterioration of the fixed assets.
Obsolescence: Due to the fast technological innovations and inventions today’s assets may be outdated by tomorrow’s sophisticated assets. This leads to the obsolescence of fixed assets.
Expiry of legal rights: If an asset is acquired for a specific period of time, then, whether the asset is put to use or not, its value becomes zero at the end of its useful life.
Accident: An asset may lose its value and damage may happen to it due to mishaps such as a fire accidents, theft or a natural calamity. The loss due to accidents is permanent in nature.
State whether the following statements are true or false:
State briefly the need for providing depreciation.
Give four examples each of ‘revenue reserve’ and ‘capital reserves’.
Give four examples each of ‘provision’ and ‘reserves’.
What are the effects of depreciation on profit and loss account and balance sheet?
Name and explain different types of reserves in detail.
State with reasons whether the following statements are True or False ;
(i) Making excessive provision for doubtful debits builds up the secret reserve in the business.
(ii) Capital reserves are normally created out of free or distributable profits.
(iii) Dividend equalisation reserve is an example of general reserve.
(iv) General reserve can be used only for some specific purposes.
(v) ‘Provision’ is a charge against profit.
(vi) Reserves are created to meet future expenses or losses the amount of which is not certain.
(vii) Creation of reserve reduces taxable profits of the business.
Discuss in detail the straight line method and written down value method of depreciation. Distinguish between the two and also give situations where they are useful.
Basaria Confectioner bought a cold storage plant on July 01, 2014 for ₹ 1,00,000. Compare the amount of depreciation charged for first three years using:
Distinguish between ‘general reserve’ and ‘specific reserve’.
Name any two types of commonly used negotiable instruments.
Why is it necessary to record the adjusting entries in the preparation of final accounts?
State the meaning of incomplete records?
Briefly state how the cash book is both journal and a ledger.
State the meaning of a trial balance?
State the four basic requirements of a database applications.
Define accounting.
State the different elements of a computer system.
Why is it necessary for accountants to assume that business entity will remain a going concern?
State the need for the preparation of bank reconciliation statement?
The primary qualities that make accounting information useful for decision-making are :
(a) Relevance and freedom from bias
(b) Reliability and comparability
(c) Comparability and consistency
(d) None of the above
What are closing entries? Give four examples of closing entries.
Briefly state how the cash book is both journal and a ledger.
Name the various categories of accounting package.
The journal entry to record the sale of services on credit should include:
(a) Debit to debtors and credit to capital.
(b) Debit to cash and Credit to debtors.
(c) Debit to fees income and Credit to debtors.
(d) Debit to debtors and Credit to fees income.
Give example of the relationship between a Human Resource Information System and MIS.
Describe how debits and credits are used to analyse transactions.
State the nature of accounting information required by long-term lenders.
State whether the following statements are True or False :
(a) Journal is a book of secondary entry.
(b) One debit account and more than one credit account in a entry is called compound entry.
(c) Assets sold on credit are entered in sales journal.
(d) Cash and credit purchases are entered in purchasejJournal.
(e) Cash sales are entered in sales journal.
(f) Cash book records transactions relating to receipts and payments.
(g) Ledger is a subsidiary book.
(h) Petty cash book is a book having record of big payments.
(i) Cash received is entered on the debit side of cash book.
(j) Transaction recorded both on debit and credit side of cash book is known as contra entry.
(k) Balancing of account means total of debit and credit side.
(l) Credit purchase of machine is entered in purchase journal.
Fill in the blanks :
(i) Passbook is a copy of.............as it appears in the ledger of the bank.
(ii) When money is with drawn from the bank, the bank ............. the account of the customer.
(iii) Normally, the cash book shows a debit balance, passbook shows .............balance.
(iv) Favourable balance as per the cash book means .............balance in the bank column of the cash book.
(v) If the cash book balance is taken as starting point the items which make the cash book balance smaller than the passbook must be .............for the purpose of reconciliation.
(vi) If the passbook shows a favourable balance and if it is taken as the starting point for the purpose of bank reconciliation statement then cheques issued but not presented for payment should be .............to find out cash balance.
(vii) When the cheques are not presented for payment, favourable balance as per the cash book is .............than that of the passbook.
(viii) When a banker collects the bills and credits the account passbook overdraft shows .............balance.
(ix) If the overdraft as per the passbook is taken as the starting point, the cheques issued but not presented are to be .............in the bank reconciliation statement.
(x) When the passbook balance is taken as the starting point items which makes the passbook balance .............than the balance in the cash book must be deducted for the purpose of reconciliation.