Accounting Equation: In-Depth Explanation with Examples

After six months, Speakers, Inc. is growing rapidly and needs to find a new place of business. Ted decides it makes the most financial sense for Speakers, Inc. to buy a building. Since Speakers, Inc. doesn’t have $500,000 in cash to pay for a building, it must take out a loan.

  • The amount of a long-term asset’s cost that has been allocated to Depreciation Expense since the time that the asset was acquired.
  • The accounting equation is only designed to provide the underlying structure for how the balance sheet is formulated.
  • The assets have been decreased by $696 but liabilities have decreased by $969 which must have caused the accounting equation to go out of balance.
  • Alternatively, an increase in an asset account can be matched by an equal decrease in another asset account.
  • This system ensures that the equation remains balanced, preventing errors and enhancing accuracy.
  • The accounting equation is more than just a formula; it is the cornerstone of the double-entry accounting system and financial reporting.

Owners’ Equity = Assets – Liabilities

In the basic accounting equation, assets are equal to liabilities plus equity. The accounting equation summarizes the essential nature of double-entry system of accounting. Under which, the debit always equal to credit, and assets always equal to the sum of equities and liabilities. Accounting equation can be simply defined as a relationship between assets, liabilities and owner’s equity in the business. As you can see, no matter what the transaction is, the accounting equation will always balance because each transaction has a dual aspect. Since ASI has completed the services, it has earned revenues and it has the right to receive $900 from its clients.

What Are the Key Components in the Accounting Equation?

  • Below is a break down of subject weightings in the FMVA® financial analyst program.
  • The receipt of money from the bank loan is not revenue since ASI did not earn the money by providing services, investing, etc.
  • The accounting equation equates a company’s assets to its liabilities and equity.
  • Accounts payable include all goods and services billed to the company by suppliers that have not yet been paid.
  • A long-term asset account reported on the balance sheet under the heading of property, plant, and equipment.
  • (Some corporations have preferred stock in addition to their common stock.) Shares of common stock provide evidence of ownership in a corporation.

Accountingo.org aims to provide the best accounting and finance education for students, professionals, teachers, and business owners. An asset is a resource that is owned or controlled by the company to be used for future benefits. Some assets are tangible like cash while others are theoretical or intangible like goodwill or copyrights.

accounting equation

Sample Accounting Equation Transactions

You can use double-entry accounting systems to create financial statements (such as balance sheets and income statements), which can give insights into a company’s overall performance and health. As expected, the sum of liabilities and equity is equal to $9350, matching the total value of assets. So, as long as you account for everything correctly, the accounting equation will always balance no matter how many transactions are involved. This equation holds true for all business activities and transactions. If assets increase, either liabilities or owner’s equity must increase to balance out the equation.

  • The software can reconcile data from different accounts and automate accounting processes.
  • The accounting equation ensures that the balance sheet remains balanced.
  • The asset account “Equipment” increases by ₹1,000 (the cost of the new equipment), while the liability account “Accounts Payable” decreases by ₹1,000 (the amount owed to the supplier).
  • Modern accounting software simplifies the application of the accounting equation by automating transaction recording and ensuring real-time accuracy.
  • To calculate the accounting equation, we first need to work out the amounts of each asset, liability, and equity in Laura’s business.
  • If the left side of the accounting equation (total assets) increases or decreases, the right side (liabilities and equity) also changes in the same direction to balance the equation.

When there is a purchase of an asset in a company, the purchase amount should also be withdrawn from some account in the company (generally a Cash account). Hence, the account from which the amount is withdrawn gets credited, and there needs to be an account debited for the asset purchased (the account related to the asset purchased gets debited). Mr Ram, a sole proprietor has the following transactions in his books of accounts for the year 2019. Let us understand the accounting equation with the help of an example. Understanding how the accounting equation works is one of the most important accounting skills for beginners because everything we do in accounting is somehow connected to it. Receivables arise when a company provides a service or sells a product to someone on credit.

accounting equation

Example of the Accounting Equation

After the company formation, Speakers, Inc. needs to buy some equipment for installing accounting equation speakers, so it purchases $20,000 of installation equipment from a manufacturer for cash. In this case, Speakers, Inc. uses its cash to buy another asset, so the asset account is decreased from the disbursement of cash and increased by the addition of installation equipment. When a company purchases goods or services from other companies on credit, a payable is recorded to show that the company promises to pay the other companies for their assets.

The accounting equation.

Thus from the above details we can understand how to do accounting equation. The purpose of this article is to consider the fundamentals of the accounting equation and to demonstrate how it works when applied to various transactions. The accounting equation mirrors the structure of the balance sheet, with assets listed on one side and liabilities and equity on the other. This alignment ensures the balance sheet always reflects a company’s financial position accurately. This balance reflects the interconnected nature of financial transactions, preventing errors and omissions.

Some assets are less liquid than others, making them harder to convert to cash. For instance, inventory is very liquid — the company can quickly sell it for money. Real estate, though, is less liquid — selling land or buildings for cash is time-consuming and can be difficult, depending on the market. The accounting equation connotes two equations that are basic and core to accrual accounting and double-entry accounting system. Advances in accounting software have made bookkeeping and accounting processes much easier.