Financial Accounting

Definition of Accrual Basis of Accounting

Under the accrual basis of accounting, revenues are recognized and recorded in the accounting period in which they are earned (when performance obligations are satisfied), and expenses are recognized in the period in which they are incurred (when goods or services are consumed), regardless of when cash is actually received or paid. This satisfies the matching principle under Nepal Accounting Standards (NAS / NFRS).

Purpose of Preparing a Trial Balance

1. Verifying Arithmetical Accuracy: Confirms that total debits equal total credits across all general ledger accounts, detecting posting or calculation errors.
2. Facilitating Financial Statement Preparation: Serves as the organized source schedule for preparing the Statement of Profit or Loss and the Statement of Financial Position.

Capital Expenditure vs. Revenue Expenditure

• Capital Expenditure (CapEx): Non-recurring expenditures that acquire, upgrade, or extend the useful economic life of non-current fixed assets, yielding benefits across multiple accounting periods (e.g., purchasing factory machinery or expanding buildings; capitalized on the Balance Sheet).
• Revenue Expenditure (OpEx): Routine, recurring operating expenditures incurred to maintain day-to-day business operations (e.g., machinery repairs, utility bills, employee wages; expensed in the current period’s Profit or Loss).

Why Depreciation is Considered a Non-Cash Expense

Depreciation represents the systematic allocation of the historical cost of a tangible fixed asset over its estimated useful economic life. It is classified as a non-cash expense because it does not involve any actual cash outflow at the time it is recorded; the entire cash outflow occurred previously when the asset was initially purchased.

The Concept of Materiality in Accounting

The materiality concept dictates that financial statements must disclose all items and events whose omission, misstatement, or obscurity could reasonably influence the economic decisions of users. Trivial or insignificant items (e.g., purchasing a Rs 50 stapler) may be expensed immediately rather than capitalized and depreciated over five years.

Components of Complete Financial Statements under NAS/NFRS

1. Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet) at the end of the period.
2. Statement of Profit or Loss and Other Comprehensive Income for the period.
3. Statement of Changes in Equity for the period.
4. Statement of Cash Flows for the period.
5. Notes to the Financial Statements, comprising significant accounting policies and explanatory disclosures.

Meaning of Bank Reconciliation Statement (BRS)

A Bank Reconciliation Statement (BRS) is a periodic internal control schedule prepared to reconcile differences between the cash balance shown in a firm’s cash book and the balance reported on its bank statement, identifying timing differences (cheques issued but not presented, uncredited deposits) and errors.

Bad Debts and Provision for Doubtful Debts

• Bad Debt: An actual trade receivable that is definitely irrecoverable due to customer insolvency or bankruptcy; written off directly against accounts receivable.
• Provision for Doubtful Debts: An estimated contra-asset allowance created at year-end in compliance with the prudence (conservatism) principle to anticipate potential future credit defaults.

Inventory Valuation under FIFO (First-In, First-Out)

Under the FIFO method, it is assumed that the earliest inventory units acquired are the first ones sold or used in production. Consequently, the cost of goods sold (COGS) reflects earlier, older purchase costs, while ending inventory on the Statement of Financial Position is valued at the most recent current replacement costs.

Definition of Contingent Liability

A contingent liability is a potential obligation that arises from past events and whose existence will be confirmed only by the occurrence or non-occurrence of one or more uncertain future events not wholly within the entity’s control (NAS 37).

• Example: A pending labor compensation lawsuit against the company where legal counsel considers an adverse judgment possible but not probable; disclosed in the notes without balance sheet accrual.

Users of Accounting Information and Their Specific Information Needs

1. Investors and Shareholders: Analyze profitability, return on equity (ROE), and dividend sustainability to make buy, hold, or sell decisions.
2. Lenders and Commercial Banks: Assess debt-service coverage, liquidity ratios, and collateral security before sanctioning credit facilities.
3. Management and Directors: Utilize internal cost accounting and variance reports for operational planning, budgeting, and performance appraisal.
4. Government and Tax Authorities (IRD Nepal): Verify corporate net income for accurate assessment of Corporate Income Tax, VAT, and excise obligations.
5. Employees and Trade Unions: Evaluate financial stability to negotiate wage hikes, job security, and statutory bonus distributions.

Differentiate Between Accounting and Accountancy

• Accountancy: The overarching professional body of knowledge, scientific theory, conventions, ethics, and legal frameworks governing financial recordkeeping and auditing.
• Accounting: The actual practical application and operational process of identifying, measuring, recording, classifying, summarizing, and communicating economic transactions.

The Ledger: Why It is Regarded as the Principal Book of Accounts

The general ledger is the central repository containing all individual permanent T-accounts categorized by Assets, Liabilities, Equity, Revenues, and Expenses.

• While the journal is the book of original entry recording transactions chronologically, the ledger is the principal book because it synthesizes dispersed journal transactions into classified balances, enabling the compilation of the trial balance and financial statements.

Journal Entries for Year-End Adjustments

1. Prepaid Expense Expired:
   $$\text{Dr. Expense Account} \quad \text{To Prepaid Expense Account}$$
2. Accrued Expense Incurred but Unpaid:
   $$\text{Dr. Expense Account} \quad \text{To Outstanding / Accrued Expense Payable}$$
3. Accrued Income Earned but Uncollected:
   $$\text{Dr. Accrued Income Receivable} \quad \text{To Income Account}$$
4. Unearned / Advance Revenue Earned:
   $$\text{Dr. Unearned Revenue Account} \quad \text{To Revenue Account}$$

Depreciation and Accumulated Depreciation Calculation

Under Straight-Line Method (SLM):

$$\text{Annual Depreciation} = \frac{\text{Historical Cost} - \text{Estimated Residual Value}}{\text{Useful Life in Years}}$$

Under Written Down Value (WDV / Declining Balance):

$$\text{Depreciation}_t = \text{Book Value at Beginning of Year } t \times \text{Depreciation Rate}$$

• Accumulated Depreciation: The total cumulative depreciation charged against an asset from its commissioning date up to the reporting date; presented as a contra-asset deduction on the Balance Sheet.

Structure of the Statement of Cash Flows (NAS 7)

1. Cash Flows from Operating Activities: Cash generated from core revenue-producing operations (collections from customers less cash payments to suppliers and employees).
2. Cash Flows from Investing Activities: Cash spent on or received from the acquisition and disposal of non-current fixed assets, property, and long-term investments.
3. Cash Flows from Financing Activities: Cash flows resulting from changes in the size and composition of equity capital and debt borrowings (share issuance, loan drawdowns, dividend payments).

Bank Reconciliation Statement Structure

$$\begin{array}{lc} \hline \textbf{Particulars} & \textbf{Amount (Rs)} \\ \hline \textbf{Balance as per Cash Book} & \mathbf{XX,XXX} \\ \text{Add: Cheques issued but not presented for payment} & +X,XXX \\ \text{Add: Interest and dividends collected directly by bank} & +X,XXX \\ \text{Less: Cheques deposited but not yet credited by bank} & -X,XXX \\ \text{Less: Direct bank charges and interest debited by bank} & -X,XXX \\ \hline \textbf{Balance as per Bank Statement} & \mathbf{XX,XXX} \\ \hline \end{array}$$

Preparation of Statement of Profit or Loss (Comprehensive Income)

Under NFRS / NAS 1, the Statement of Profit or Loss comprises:

1. Revenue from Contracts with Customers
2. Less: Cost of Sales $\longrightarrow$ Gross Profit
3. Add: Other Operating Income
4. Less: Distribution and Selling Costs
5. Less: Administrative Expenses
6. Operating Profit (EBIT)
7. Less: Finance Costs
8. Profit Before Tax
9. Less: Income Tax Expense $\longrightarrow$ Net Profit for the Period

Structure of the Statement of Financial Position (Balance Sheet)

Classified into Current and Non-Current categories:

• Assets:
  • Non-Current Assets: Property, Plant & Equipment (PPE), Intangible Assets, Long-Term Investments.
  • Current Assets: Inventories, Trade Receivables, Prepayments, Cash and Cash Equivalents.
• Equity and Liabilities:
  • Equity: Share Capital, Share Premium, Retained Earnings, General Reserves.
  • Non-Current Liabilities: Long-Term Debt, Deferred Tax Liabilities.
  • Current Liabilities: Trade Payables, Short-Term Bank Borrowings, Accrued Expenses, Provisions.

Perpetual vs. Periodic Inventory Systems

• Perpetual Inventory System: Continuously records inventory movements in real time with each sale or purchase using automated barcodes or ERP software. Book inventory balances and cost of sales are always up-to-date.
• Periodic Inventory System: Does not maintain continuous inventory records; Cost of Goods Sold is derived only at period-end following a physical stock count:
  $$\text{COGS} = \text{Beginning Inventory} + \text{Net Purchases} - \text{Ending Physical Inventory}$$

Qualitative Characteristics of Useful Financial Information (IASB / NAS)

1. Fundamental Qualitative Characteristics:
   • Relevance: Information capable of making a difference in user decisions (predictive value, confirmatory value, materiality).
   • Faithful Representation: Depicts the economic substance of transactions: complete, neutral, and free from material error.
2. Enhancing Qualitative Characteristics:
   • Comparability: Consistent across periods and entities.
   • Verifiability: Knowledgeable, independent observers reach consensus.
   • Timeliness: Available to decision-makers in time to influence decisions.
   • Understandability: Classified and presented clearly and concisely.

Comprehensive Financial Statement Solution: Adjusted Trial Balance

1. Preparation of the Statement of Profit or Loss: Systematically matches sales revenues against cost of goods sold and operating expenses, applying depreciation and tax provisions to calculate Net Profit.
2. Preparation of the Statement of Financial Position: Verifies total assets match total equity and liabilities, presenting a true and fair view of financial health.