An accrued expense is a current liability used to record expenses that have been incurred but not yet paid. In accounting, expenses are recognized when they are incurred, not necessarily when they are paid. Therefore, if a company has received goods and services but has not yet paid for them by the end of an accounting period, it must record the expense as an accrued expense to reflect the obligation to pay in the future.
Accrued expenses are typically recorded as a liability on the company’s balance sheet and as an expense on the income statement. Once the expense is paid, the accrued expense liability is reduced, and cash or another asset account is decreased to reflect the payment. They are an important part of accrual accounting, which aims to match revenues and expenses in the period in which they are incurred, rather than when the cash changes hands.
Key takeaways
- Accrued expenses are a fundamental principle of accrual-basis accounting, where revenues and expenses are recorded when they are earned or incurred, regardless of when cash is exchanged.
- Small businesses not required to comply with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) are not required to record accrued expenses, but they can voluntarily report financial income on an accrual basis, which includes recording accrued expenses.
- Accrued expenses often require adjusting entries at the end of each accounting period to ensure accurate financial reporting.
- Accrued expenses sometimes involve estimates, especially for costs like utilities or salaries that are incurred regularly but not billed until a later date.
- People commonly use the term “accrued expense” to refer to either the expense being accrued on the income statement or the liability to pay the accrued expense shown on the balance sheet. However, in accounting, an account labeled “Accrued Expense” always refers to the current liability account on the balance sheet.
Accrued Expense Example
Common examples of accrued expenses are salaries, wages, bonuses, and commissions owed to employees, utilities consumed but not yet billed, and taxes incurred but not yet paid.
To help you further, let’s suppose a company pays its employees twice a month, with paychecks being issued on the final day of the pay period. Assume the company has a pay period running from December 24 through January 6. However, the company’s accounting period ends on December 31.
On December 31, the company incurred wages expense for the days worked by employees from December 24 through December 31. However, the actual payment to employees won’t occur until January 6, the last day of the pay period.
In this scenario, the wages earned by employees from the 24th to the 31st of December would be recorded as an accrued expense. This means the company recognizes the expense in the current accounting period by showing it as an expense on its income statement. At the same time, the company must recognize an accrued wages liability on its balance sheet for the amount owed to employees. The accrued liability will be paid on the next payday, January 6.
Accrued Expense Journal Entry Example
Let’s say a company estimates it used $1,500 of electricity for January, but the utility bill will not be received until February. The company needs to make an adjusting entry at the end of January to recognize the utility expense that has been incurred but not yet paid.
The journal entry to record the accrued utility expense and related liability would be as follows:
January 31 Journal Entry:
Debit | Credit | |
|---|---|---|
Utilities Expense | 1,500 | |
Accrued Utilities Expense | 1,500 |
In this entry:
- The Utilities Expense account is debited for $1,500, which increases the expense account on the income statement, reflecting the utility expense incurred during January.
- The Accrued Utilities Expense account is a current liability shown on the balance sheet and is credited for $1,500. This increases the liability account, representing the obligation to pay the accrued utilities in the future.
Now, let’s assume the company pays the utility bill of $1,500 on February 15:
February 15 Journal Entry:
Debit | Credit | |
|---|---|---|
Accrued Utilities Expense | 1,500 | |
Cash | 1,500 |
In this entry:
- The Accrued Utilities Expense account is debited for $1,500. This decreases the liability account on the balance sheet, reflecting the payment made to settle the accrued utilities.
- The Cash (or Bank) account is credited for $1,500. This decreases the asset account on the balance sheet, reflecting the cash outflow for paying the utility bill.
Expenses on the income statement are not affected by this journal entry since the utility expense has already been recognized on January 31.
The two journal entries above illustrate the process of recognizing and paying accrued expenses for utilities. The first entry recognizes the expense at the end of January, while the second entry records the payment made in February to settle the accrued utilities.
Who Is Required to Record Accrued Expenses?
Only companies that are required to follow GAAP must record accrued expenses. This is typically only large corporations with publicly traded equity or debt, but some banks may require their larger customers to comply with GAAP. You can learn more through our guide on GAAP in accounting.
Smaller companies can choose to report financial statement income on an accrual basis even if they are not required. For companies that elect to do so, recording accrued expenses is a must.
Pros & Cons of Accrued Expenses
Companies that are deciding whether they want to record accrued expenses should consider the following pros and cons.
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Help in matching expenses accurately with the revenues they generate | Create a difference between book and taxable income for companies using the cash-basis of accounting for income taxes |
| Provide access to more timely and relevant information for making strategic decisions | Can add complexity to the accounting process, especially for companies with complex payment schedules |
| Can provide a more accurate recognition of expenses for companies with irregular payment schedules or seasonal fluctuations in expenses | May overstate liabilities if not accurately estimated or recorded |
| Improve transparency in financial statements | Don’t impact cash flow until they are paid, which could create discrepancies with a company’s actual cash position |
| Enable companies to manage their cash flow better by forecasting future cash outflows | Require judgment and assumptions in estimation, which can introduce the potential for errors |
Considerations for Accrued Expenses
Understanding accrued expenses is crucial for accurate financial reporting and management decision-making, particularly in industries where there are significant timing differences between when expenses are incurred and when they are paid.
Considerations | Accrued Expenses |
|---|---|
Recognition principle follows the accrual basis of accounting |
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Financial reporting reflects the obligation to pay for goods or services received but not yet paid for |
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Timing differences means that a company may have incurred expenses in one accounting period that will be paid in a subsequent period |
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Adjusting entries refer to journal entries to update certain amounts that aren’t properly reflected |
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Cash flow impact means that even though an expense is recognized, it doesn’t affect the company’s cash position until the payment is made |
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Management tools help to analyze financial data, evaluate performance, and make informed decisions |
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How Accrued Expenses Affect a Business
Accrued expenses can have several impacts on a business, affecting its financial statements, cash flow management, decision-making, and overall operations:
- Financial reporting: Accrued expenses impact a company’s financial statements by increasing liabilities on the balance sheet and reducing net income on the income statement. This reflects the company’s obligations to pay for goods and services that have been received but not yet paid for.
- Cash flow management: Accrued expenses affect a company’s cash flow by representing future cash outflows. While accrued expenses don’t immediately impact cash flow when incurred, they do affect cash flow when paid. Properly managing accrued expenses helps businesses forecast and plan for future cash needs.
- Liquidity management: Accrued expenses can affect a company’s liquidity, especially if they are not properly managed. High levels of accrued expenses relative to available cash flow can strain liquidity and may require businesses to seek additional financing or adjust payment schedules to meet their obligations.
- Creditworthiness: Accrued expenses can impact a company’s creditworthiness and relationships with creditors. Lenders and suppliers may assess a company’s ability to manage its accrued expenses as part of their evaluation process, which can influence credit terms and financing options.
- Regulatory compliance: Accrued expenses must be accurately reported in financial statements to comply with accounting standards and regulatory requirements. Failure to properly account for accrued expenses can result in financial misstatements, compliance issues, and potential legal or regulatory consequences.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Accrued expenses are important because they help in matching expenses with the revenues they generate, providing a more accurate representation of a company’s financial performance. They also assist in cash flow management and financial planning.
Accrued expenses are recorded with an adjusting journal entry at the end of an accounting period. This involves debiting an expense account and crediting a liability account to reflect the obligation to pay in the future.
Businesses estimate accrued expenses based on historical data, contractual agreements, and other relevant factors. Accruals are typically based on estimates of the expenses incurred but not yet billed or paid.
Yes, one method of accounting for accrued expenses is to reverse whatever journal entry is made on December 31, with an opposite entry made on January 1. Then, when the actual payment of the expense is made in January, the entire payment is debited to expense rather than the accrued expense liability. The net effect of this method on January expenses is the same as our example journal entries in this article.
Accrued expenses represent expenses that have been incurred but not yet paid while A/P represents the amounts owed to creditors for goods or services that have been received and invoiced but not yet paid. For more information, check out our accrued expenses vs A/P comparison.
Bottom Line
Accrued expenses play a crucial role in accrual accounting, providing a more accurate representation of a company’s financial performance and obligations. However, they require careful management and estimation to ensure they are recorded accurately and do not misrepresent a company’s financial position. Properly managing accrued expenses is essential for maintaining accurate financial records, optimizing cash flow, supporting decision-making, and ensuring compliance with accounting standards and regulations.
