Thursday, April 5, 2012

Meaning of Debit and Credit


Chapter of Financial Accounting - Knol Book of Readings

Meaning of debit & credit

Debit and credit are accounting terms used to denote entry of a transaction in ledger accounts. The meaning of these terms is different for different for categories of accounts. It means the meaning of debiting a real account is different from that of debiting a nominal account. Debit and credit are important foundation for understanding and learning book-keeping. That is why a separate chapter is included in this book. Once a reader understands and remembers the meaning of debit and credit for the three types of accounts (real, personal and nominal), making of journal entries will be simple exercise.

    Meaning of debit & credit for real accounts: 

Debiting an account means there is an increase under the asset head.

The firm has acquired more of an asset category.

 

Crediting an account means there is a decrease under the asset head.

The firm has disposed off some portion of the asset in that category.

 

 

Popular rule for real accounts 

Debit what comes in

         Credit what goes out

  

Debit-Credit Meaning – Personal Accounts

Debiting a personal account means that person has received a benefit from the firm.

He has to pay the firm in future.

 

Crediting a personal account means that the person has given some benefit to the firm.

The firm has to pay him in the future.

 

Popular rule for personal accounts

Debit the receiver

        Credit the giver

 

Debit-credit meaning for nominal accounts

 

Crediting a nominal account means that revenue is earned by the firm under that account head.

Debiting a nominal account means that an expenditure is incurred by the firm under that account head.

Normally revenue accounts receive credit.

Expenditure accounts receive debit

 

Popular rule for nominal accounts

Debit expenses and losses

        Credit incomes and profits


Use of the debit and credit terms are described in the chapter of Journal. Journal - Analyzing and Posting Transactions in Journal


More Knols on the topic

Basic Accounting Concepts 2 - Debits and Credits

What are 'Debits and Credits' in the bookkeeping system?

How do you apply "Debits and Credits" in bookkeeping?



Chapter of Financial Accounting - Knol Book of Readings
OK - http://knol.google.com/k/narayana-rao/meaning-of-debit-and-credit/2utb2lsm2k7a/ 3287

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