Multiple Choice
The percentage-of-receivables approach to measuring bad debt expense is referred to as:
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7. Receivables and Investments
Net Accounts Receivable: Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
Multiple Choice
In the allowance method for uncollectible accounts, what does a debit balance in the Allowance for Doubtful Accounts most likely indicate at the end of the period (before the adjusting entry)?
A
Actual write-offs during the period exceeded the existing credit balance in the allowance account
B
Net accounts receivable is understated because the allowance has a credit balance that is too large
C
The company has overestimated uncollectible accounts and recorded too much bad debt expense during the period
D
The company has collected more cash than expected from customers whose accounts were previously written off
Verified step by step guidance1
Understand that the Allowance for Doubtful Accounts is a contra-asset account that normally has a credit balance, representing estimated uncollectible amounts.
Recognize that a debit balance in the Allowance for Doubtful Accounts before adjustment means the actual write-offs during the period were greater than the existing credit balance in the allowance account.
Recall that when write-offs exceed the allowance balance, the account goes into a debit balance, indicating the previous estimate was too low to cover actual bad debts.
Note that this situation does not mean the company overestimated uncollectible accounts or recorded too much bad debt expense; rather, it underestimated them.
Conclude that the debit balance signals the need for an adjusting entry to increase the allowance to the appropriate level based on new estimates of uncollectible accounts.
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