Accounts_receivable(应收账款).docVIP

Accounts Receivable One of the key factors underlying the growth of the American economy is the trend toward selling goods and services on credit. Accounts receivable comprise the largest financial asset of many merchandising companies. Accounts receivable are relatively liquid assets, usually converting into cash within a period of 30 to 60 days. Therefore, accounts receivable from customers usually appear in the balance sheet immediately after cash and short-term investments in marketable securities. UNCOLLECTIBLE ACCOUNTS Accounts receivable are shown in the balance sheet at the estimated collectible amount—called net realizable value. No business wants to sell merchandise on account to customers who will be able to pay. Many companies maintain their own credit departments that investigate the creditworthiness of each prospective customer. Nonetheless, if a company makes credit sales to hundreds—perhaps thousands—of customers, some accounts inevitably will turn out to be uncollectible. A limited amount of uncollectible accounts is not only expected—it is evidence of a sound credit policy. If the credit department is overly cautious, the business may lose many sales opportunities by rejecting customers who should have been considered acceptable credit risks. THE ALLOWANCE FOR DOUBTFUL ACCOUNTS There is no way of telling in advance which accounts receivable will prove to be uncollectible. It is therefore not possible to credit the accounts of specific customers for our estimate of probable uncollectible accounts. Neither should we credit the Accounts Receivable control account in the general ledger. If the Accounts Receivable control accounts were to be credited with the estimated amount of doubtful accounts, this control account would no longer be in balance with the total of the numerous customers’ accounts in the subsidiary ledger. A practical alternative therefore is to credit a separate account called Allowance for Doubtful Accounts with the amount estimated t