In: Accounting
A. The controller, Devin Hester, let Kristin know that the ending balance in the allowance for doubtful accounts needs to be $129,000. The beginning balance in the Allowance for doubtful accounts on January 1st was a credit balance of $72,500. During the year, there were no bad debts written off and the current balance in bad debt expense is $0. What adjusting journal entry needs to be made?
-Allowance for Doubtful accounts is a contra asset account having a credit balance.
-This account increases when credited and decreases when debited.
-Question states that existing (or unadjusted) balance is $ 72,500
-It also says that required balance at the end of year (or Adjusted balance) should be $ 129,000
-This means that the account’s balance has to be increased by $ 56,500.
-As already discussed above, to increase a liability account (or contra asset) balance, it has to be credited.
-Hence, Allowance account has to be credited by $ 56,500.
-As per Allowance Method, Bad Debt Expense has to be debited by that amount. The complete ADJUSTING journal entry would be:
Accounts title |
Debit |
Credit |
Bad Debt Expenses |
$ 56,500.00 |
|
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts |
$ 56,500.00 |
|
(Bad Debt expense recorded) |