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The Balance Sheet is one of the primary financial statements used in accounting. The Balance Sheet shows a snapshot of a business’s financial position at a point in time. There are two sections: Assets and Liabilities & Equity.
Not only does the Balance Sheet show individual and composite account balances, but the Balance Sheet itself is in balance. Assets must equal Liabilities and Equity.
Why is that? Because assets, which are ultimately those things that are valuable inside of a company, are balanced against the claims from lenders (liabilities) and owners (equity) on those assets.
Assets = Liabilities + Equity
How Is the Balance Sheet Formatted?
On the Balance Sheet, assets are listed at the top followed by liabilities and then equity. This is what a Balance Sheet looks like:
Balance Sheet
As of Dec 31, XXXX
Assets
Current Assets
Cash & Cash Equivalents
XXX
Accounts Receivable
XXX
Notes Receivable
XXX
Inventory
XXX
Prepaid Expenses
XXX
Non-Current Assets
Property, Plant & Equipment
XXX
Land
XXX
Patents
XXX
Goodwill
XXX
Total Assets
XXX
Liabilities
Current Liabilities
Accounts Payable
XXX
Short-term Debt
XXX
Accrued Liabilities
XXX
Non-Current Liabilities
Bonds Payable
XXX
Equity
Common Stock
XXX
Additional Paid-in-Capital
XXX
Retained Earnings
XXX
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income
XXX
Preference Share
XXX
Total Liabilities & Equity
XXX
Which Accounts Are On the Balance Sheet?
Assets
Assets are probable future inflows of economic benefits. On the Balance Sheet, assets are listed in order of their liquidity.
Current Assets
Current Assets are reasonably expected to be converted into cash, consumed, or sold during the normal operating cycle of the company or one year, whichever is longer. Current Assets include Cash and Cash Equivalents, Inventory, Accounts Receivable, Notes Receivable, and Prepaid Expenses.
Non-Current Assets
Non-Current Assets are not reasonably expected to be converted into cash, consumed, or sold during the normal operating cycle of the company or one year, whichever is longer. These are assets that are directly used by the enterprise to generate revenues. Non-Current Assets include tangible assets like Land, Property, Plant, and Equipment. Non-Current Assets also include intangible assets like Goodwill, Patents, and other Intellectual Property.
Liabilities
Liabilities are probable future outflows of economic resources due to present obligations to transfer assets to other economic entities in the future based on past events or transactions. On the Balance Sheet, liabilities are listed by their due date as either Current or Non-Current.
Current Liabilities
Current Liabilities are obligations that will be paid off within the normal operating cycle of the company or one year, whichever is longer. Current Liabilities include Accounts Payable, Short-Term Debt, and Accrued Liabilities.
Non-Current Liabilities
Non-Current Liabilities, sometimes known as Long-Term Liabilities, are obligations that will be paid off after the normal operating cycle of the business or one year, whichever is longer. Non-Current Liabilities include Bonds and Deferred Tax Liabilities.
Equity
Equity is the residual interest in the assets of a company after deducting the liabilities. Equity starts with the initial investment of owners.
Subsequent owner investments increase Equity, and distributions to owners decrease Equity. The business’s operational performance also affects Equity.
Equity includes Common Stock, Additional Paid-in-Capital, Retained Earnings, and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income.
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Hi there! I'm Matt. I'm a Christian, husband and father of four. I'm a graduate of Calvin, Harvard, Cardiff and Johns Hopkins Universities. I have a PhD in Economics, an MBA in Finance and an MS in Data Analytics. I'm a numbers guy who can communicate well!
I began this service to work directly with the small and mid-sized business owners who grow our great country's economy. Since 1999, I've worked with owners across industries from high tech IT and robotics to small farmers and artists. I've also helped and advised nonprofits from churches to civic organizations.
I also served as a Finance Staff Officer and eventually as the National Division Chief for Measurement Research within the US Coast Guard. The research and methods I created there continue to guide strategic decisions to this day.
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I also love dogs! I'm an AKC obedience evaluator, and I train service and therapy dogs.
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