An acquisition is a process through which one company acquires another company. It usually occurs when the buyer purchases over 50% of the shares in another company. Sometimes, this percentage may vary based on the voting rights that come with the obtained stock. In most cases, the buyer pays more than the worth of those shares to complete the acquisition.

Accounting standards require companies to recognize goodwill on acquisition. Usually, it equals the premium paid for the shares purchased.

What is Goodwill on Acquisition?

Goodwill on acquisition is an intangible asset that arises when one company acquires another company. Its value comes from the difference between the fair value of the acquired company's identifiable net assets and the price paid by the seller. In other words, goodwill represents the value of the synergies, reputation, customer base, and other intangible factors that the acquiring company believes it will gain from the acquisition.

In accounting, goodwill is an intangible asset that comes with strict standards. Companies cannot recognize it unless it is measurable and separately identifiable. However, an acquisition allows companies to meet these requirements. Goodwill on acquisition becomes a part of the consolidation process. It can have a significant impact on the company's assets and reputation.

What is the accounting treatment for Goodwill on Acquisition?

The accounting treatment for goodwill on acquisition may differ between the IFRS and GAAP. Typically, companies must calculate goodwill based on the two values mentioned above. The net identifiable assets for a company come from its balance sheet. Usually, it equals the equity of the subsidiary. On the other hand, the purchase price is the sale proceeds. It may include various forms of compensation, including cash, shares, future payments, etc.

Once companies calculate the value of goodwill, they must identify it as an intangible asset. The accounting treatment for goodwill on acquisition also dictates companies check it for impairment at the end of each reporting period. Unlike other intangible assets, goodwill does not require amortization. If the parent company disposes of the other company, the residual goodwill becomes a gain or loss.

What is the journal entry for Goodwill on Acquisition?

The journal entry for goodwill on acquisition is part of a complex accounting treatment. As mentioned above, it is the difference between the purchase price and net identifiable assets for the transaction. The difference between these two constitutes the goodwill portion of the journal entry. Overall, the journal entry for goodwill on acquisition is as follows.

Dr	Net identifiable assets
Dr	Goodwill
Cr	Sale proceeds

In the above entry, goodwill is an asset since the parent company pays more than the net identifiable assets. Sometimes, it may also be a credit if the opposite is true.

Example

A company, Red Co., acquires another company’s 60% shares for $500,000. At the time of the transaction, the net identifiable assets of the subsidiary were $400,000. Based on the above information, the goodwill on acquisition will be $100,000 ($500,000 - $400,000). Red Co. uses the following journal entry to record this amount.

Dr	Net identifiable assets	$400,000
Dr	Goodwill	$100,000
Cr	Sale proceeds	$500,000

Conclusion

Goodwill is the value of the synergies, reputation, customer base, and other intangible factors in company acquisitions. It comes from the difference between the amount the parent company pays and the net identifiable assets of the subsidiary. Typically, companies record this amount when the acquisition occurs and must check it for impairment regularly.

Post Source Here: Goodwill on Acquisition: Definition, Calculation, Accounting, Journal Entry, Example

A fixed cost is a type of expense that does not change. In accounting, it means the amount remains the same over several periods. Usually, companies view this cost according to the activity levels over that period. Therefore, a fixed cost is an expense that does not change regardless of activity levels over different periods.

A fixed cost is a classification of expense within managerial accounting. Companies may also further classify it into other types, including traceable and common. Before discussing the difference between them, it is crucial to view them individually.

What is a Traceable Fixed Cost?

A traceable fixed cost is directly attributable to a specific segment, product, or department within a company. In other words, it is an expense associated with a responsibility center. Traceable fixed costs are the direct opposite of common fixed costs. These costs are easier to manage in managerial accounting as companies can trace them to their origin.

Traceable fixed costs are crucial for management decisions. They allow managers to make informed decisions about the profitability of a particular responsibility center. Due to their nature, these costs are easier to plan and budget since they depend on their specific center. Despite the link to that center, these costs are still static.

What is a Common Fixed Cost?

Common fixed costs are similar to direct costs. These costs are not directly traceable to specific segments, products, or departments. In other words, these are expenses not directly associated with a responsibility center. Instead, various centers share these costs. An example of these costs is utilities, where several departments or segments use the same connection.

Like traceable fixed costs, common fixed costs affect management decisions. However, companies must allocate and divide these costs before further analysis. Usually, companies use costing methods and techniques to assign common costs to the responsibility centers. While still fixed, these costs may differ from one department to another based on the allocation basis used.

What are the differences between Traceable and Common Fixed Costs?

The differences between traceable and common fixed costs come from the point below.

Definition

Traceable fixed costs are directly linked or associated with a specific responsibility center. On the other hand, common fixed costs are shared by various areas or segments, making them untraceable to a particular one.

Allocation

Allocating traceable fixed costs is straightforward. Companies assign the whole amount for the expense to the responsibility center to which it relates. However, common fixed costs do not originate from a specific area. Therefore, companies must use allocation techniques to assign them to different centers.

Control

Controlling traceable fixed costs is straightforward as they relate to a specific segment or center. However, the same does not apply to common fixed costs. Since many factors contribute to the latter category, controlling and eliminating them is more challenging.

Management

Typically, the management of traceable fixed costs lies within the center where it originates. For common fixed costs, the company or project maintains these costs.

Conclusion

Traceable fixed costs are an expense that originates from a single area, whether segment, product, or department. Due to this feature, they are usually easier to allocate and manage. On the other hand, common fixed costs are shared by various areas within the company. Companies must assign these costs to the relative centers based on an allocation basis.

Article Source Here: Traceable and Common Fixed Costs: Definitions, Differences, Examples, Formula

Bank drafts are a common type of payment used by businesses and individuals. It is a written order from a bank or other financial institution, instructing the drawee to pay a specific person or entity a specified sum of money on demand.

The recipient of the Bank Draft will receive the funds stated on the draft when they present it at their bank. It is both secure and cost-effective for buyers and sellers.

Bank drafts can also be used to save time, as many banks can electronically transfer funds from one account to another in a matter of minutes.

What is a Bank Draft?

A bank draft is a negotiable instrument issued by a financial institution, such as a bank or credit union, that authorizes the payment of a specific amount from one party to another.

It is similar to a check but unlike checks, which can be returned due to insufficient funds or other reasons, bank drafts are not subject to the same types of risks and are considered to be more secure.

They are often used for large, one-time payments such as real estate transactions or international purchases and can be a convenient way to transfer funds from one account to another without the need for additional checks or money orders.

Bank drafts are also commonly accepted forms of payment by certain businesses and government agencies.

How Bank Drafts Work

Understanding how bank drafts work is very simple - the financial institution that issued the draft will transfer a certain amount of money from one account to another.

The financial institution creating the bank draft is obligated to make good on the payment, regardless of whether or not they have sufficient funds in their accounts.

When a customer requests a bank draft, they provide information such as an account number, the payee’s name and address, and the amount of money to be transferred.

Once this information is recorded and verified by the financial institution, they will issue a bank draft in the customer’s name that can be used to make a payment or transfer funds between two parties.

Bank drafts are typically valid for up to six months, and the payee must present the draft with an official identification card to receive payment.

Advantages of Bank Drafts

Bank drafts offer several advantages over other forms of payment.

First, they guarantee that the funds will be available at the time of payment since banks can only issue drafts if they have enough funds in their accounts to cover the amount of the draft.

Second, bank drafts are very secure and can be used for international payments without having to worry about currency exchange rates or other potential issues that may arise with a check.

Finally, since bank drafts do not require signatures or identification from the payee, they can be used to make payments to people or companies who may not have access to traditional banking services.

This makes bank drafts an ideal option for those making large purchases such as real estate transactions.

Disadvantages of Bank Drafts

On the other hand, there are some potential drawbacks associated with bank drafts.

For starters, they can take longer to clear than other forms of payment such as checks or money orders. Additionally, the fees charged for bank drafts are typically higher than those associated with other forms of payment.

Finally, it can be subject to fraud if the bank draft is lost or stolen, as it can be difficult to trace where the money has gone.

Conclusion

Bank drafts are a very convenient and secure way to make payments. They provide a guarantee that funds will be available at the time of payment, are not subject to risk like checks, and can be used for international payments. However, there are a few drawbacks to consider such as the possibility of fraud, higher fees, and longer clearing times. Ultimately, it is up to the individual to decide if using a bank draft is the best option for their particular situation.

Post Source Here: Bank Draft: Definition, Meaning, vs Check, Example, Advantages and Disadvantages

Companies need a base to operate in the business environment. While many companies have adopted a model to promote remote work, one element has remained the same. Despite the changes in modern business frameworks, companies still need electricity, water, and other utilities to operate. These items fall under the utility expense in the income statement.

What is Utility Expense?

Utility expense is a head used in the income statement that accumulates various expenses. Typically, it includes electricity, water, gas, internet, and phone services. Usually, companies record and report this item as an operating expense in the income statement. The amount of utility expense can vary depending on factors such as the size and location of the company and how much energy and resources it uses in its operations.

Managing utility expenses effectively is crucial for a company's profitability. Companies can reduce these expenses by implementing energy-efficient practices and investing in new technologies that use less energy. Over time, utility expense has decreased for most companies due to modern technology and better processes. However, it is still a crucial part of the income statement.

What is the accounting for Utility Expenses?

Companies must record utility expenses as operating expenses. However, most companies use the items within this head. Practically, companies allocate their utilities to different departments. In some areas, the classification for these expenses may vary. Therefore, companies may need to assign utility expenses to those areas.

For example, companies must separate utilities relating to administrative work from that used in production. The latter becomes a part of the cost of sales while the remaining amount gets treated as an operating expense. The other side of the accounting treatment for utility expenses also varies. Companies must consider the compensation method to record utility expenses.

One final crucial aspect of utility expense is in accrual accounting. Companies must record this expense when it occurs rather than when compensated. Sometimes, companies may also estimate their utility expense to report in the financial statements if a reliable figure is unavailable.

What is the journal entry for Utility Expense?

The journal entry for utility expenses is straightforward. It requires recording the expense in the relevant accounting along with the compensation. Usually, companies recognize utility expenses before paying them. Therefore, the journal entry would look as follows.

Dr	Utility expense
Cr	Accrued expenses or Accounts payable

Sometimes, companies may also pay these expenses through cash or bank when recording them. It happens when companies have automatic payments set up for their utility expenses. In that case, the journal entry is as follows.

Dr	Utility expense
Cr	Bank

Example

A company, Red Co., incurs electricity expenses of $10,000 for a year. Similarly, it pays an annual fee of $2,000 for its phone and internet line. Usually, the company settles these bills within five days of receiving them. Therefore, Red Co. records these utility expenses as follows.

Dr	Electricity expense	$10,000
Dr	Internet and phone expense	$2,000
Cr	Utilities payable	$12,000

Conclusion

Utility expense is a head in the income statement that combines various items. Usually, these include electricity, phone, gas, and water expenses. For companies, these are a necessity required for regular operations. The accounting treatment for these records is the expense and compensation for it. However, it is crucial to recognize utility expenses according to the accruals principle in accounting.

Originally Published Here: Utility Expense: Definition, Accounting, Journal Entry, Example, Debit or Credit, Asset or Liability

The workforce is essential in many industries. Whether service- or product-based, businesses need employees in many areas. In manufacturing companies, these employees also help contribute during the production cycle. The work done by them falls under the definition of labor. It includes any effort, skill, and time employees put toward producing goods and services.

Companies must classify labor expenses into various categories based on different classifications. One of these includes differentiating between direct and indirect labor. Before discussing the differences, it is crucial to understand them individually.

What is Direct Labor?

Direct labor includes the cost of employees directly involved in the production process. These employees are typically the ones who physically create or deliver the product. For example, they may consist of assembly line workers, machine operators, or delivery drivers. Any costs associated with these employees also become a part of the product good's cost.

Direct labor costs include the wages, salaries, and benefits paid to these employees. They can also include other labor-related expenses directly tied to the production process. For example, they may consist of training costs or equipment maintenance costs. Usually, direct labor is a variable cost and fluctuates with changes in activity levels over a specific time.

What is Indirect Labor?

Indirect labor refers to the labor costs associated with running a business. It does not include employees not directly involved in creating or delivering a product or service. Usually, these employees and expenses back the production process. For example, it may include employees in finance, administration, and other departments. Although they support the production process, they are not directly a part of it.

In the production process, indirect labor falls under overhead. Essentially, it means these costs do not become a part of the cost of the underlying product. Nonetheless, indirect labor is still an expense incurred by a company. These costs are a part of the overall profitability of the company. Despite the name, indirect labor is still essential in running a business and its operations.

What is the difference between Direct and Indirect Labor?

Direct and indirect labor differs in the following areas.

Definition

Direct labor refers to the labor costs linked to employees directly involved in producing a good or service. Indirect labor refers to labor costs associated with employees supporting the production process.

Behavior

Direct labor costs are typically variable costs because they increase or decrease with the production levels. In contrast, indirect labor costs are fixed costs because they do not fluctuate with activity levels.

Allocation

Direct labor becomes a part of the product's cost. However, indirect labor falls under overheads. While both are crucial for the company, both play different roles in calculating profits.

Identification

Companies can identify and trace direct costs to a specific product or service. However, tracking indirect costs and associating them with one item requires complex processes.

Importance

Direct labor is a critical component of product costing and helps determine the cost of goods sold. In contrast, indirect costs are not as crucial. However, these costs still help measure the overall profitability of a company.

Conclusion

Labor refers to the costs associated with employees and the work they do. Companies may divide these costs into several categories, including direct and indirect. However, both play a role in overall profitability. Direct labor usually includes employee costs associated with employees contributing to the production process directly. Any expenses that don't fall in that category get classified as indirect.

Originally Published Here: Direct Labor and Indirect Labor: Definitions, Examples, Differences

Structured finance is a type of financial engineering that involves the use of complex financial instruments to structure sophisticated transactions.

It is used to manage risk, raise capital and facilitate asset transfers. Structured finance can involve the securitization of assets or other forms of debt financing.

These structures are designed to maximize returns for investors while minimizing risks associated with the particular transaction or investment strategy.

What is Structured Finance?

Structured finance is an advantageous approach when dealing with highly intricate investments that carry risks. It helps to manage and control these risks by creating a framework for financing activities.

Companies and other organizations with bigger needs sometimes ask for structured finance - this helps them get money for complicated or special projects or investments.

In simple words, structured finance is a type of financial technology that combines different components to create a customized financing solution. It involves the arrangement and organization of multiple entities to provide the necessary capital or liquidity.

The aim of structured finance is usually to develop a product that generates returns for investors while mitigating risks.

How Structured Finance Works

Structured finance is mostly used by borrowers because it allows them to have access to funds that would otherwise not be available.

It works by rearranging the payments of debt and equity in a way that helps reduce the costs and risks associated with the loan while also providing higher returns for investors.

Structured finance also involves a process of risk management that helps to make sure that all parties involved can get their desired outcome.

The main benefit of structured finance is its ability to create custom financing solutions that help borrowers access capital and investors earn higher returns.

By taking advantage of structured finance, companies can take on bigger projects and investments without having to worry about the risks associated with them.

Benefits of Structured Finance

Structured finance offers several benefits for both borrowers and investors.

For borrowers, it can help them access funds that may not otherwise be available. It also helps to reduce the costs associated with financing their project or investment.

For investors, structured finance helps to provide higher returns while mitigating risks. It also creates a framework for financing activities that helps to ensure fair returns for all parties involved.

In simple terms, structured finance can be a useful tool for both borrowers and investors as it helps to create custom financing solutions that provide benefits for all involved.

By taking advantage of structured finance, companies can undertake bigger projects and investments without having to worry about the risks associated with them.

This makes it an attractive option for those looking to access capital or invest in a more complex way. In addition, structured finance can provide financial security and stability to all parties involved.

Examples of Structured Finance

Large companies looking for bigger loan options often turn to structured finance - this is because it helps them access capital that may not otherwise be available. Here are few a structured finance examples:

1. Syndicated loans

When financial institutions come together to provide a loan to a single business, the result is what's known as a syndicated loan.

This type of lending usually consists of both banks and non-banking entities, including CLOs (collateralized loan obligation structures), insurance companies, mutual funds, or pension funds.

2. Collateralized bond obligations (CBOs)

A collateralized bond obligation (CBO) is a structured finance product that pools together different types of fixed-income assets, such as junk bonds.

Putting different securities together can make them less risky for investors. This is called diversification - the new security will be safer than each one on its own.

3. Credit default swaps (CDSs)

A credit default swap (CDS) is a financial tool that permits an investor to switch or rebalance their credit risk with that of another person. To reduce risk, the lender purchases a CDS from another individual who vows to reimburse them in case the borrower defaults.

4. Collateralized mortgage obligations (CMOs)

A collateralized mortgage obligation (CMO) is a structured finance product that pools together different types of mortgage-backed securities.

This type of investment provides investors with the ability to diversify their investments while also providing them with security if the borrower defaults on their loan.

5. Collateralized debt obligations (CDOs)

A collateralized debt obligation (CDO) is an investment product that is made up of different loans and other things. It is sold to people who invest a lot in companies.

CDOs work by giving the investor security in case something goes wrong. In exchange, the lender receives a portion of the total debt repayment.

Conclusion

Thanks to structured finance, borrowers and investors can both benefit from the creation of custom financing solutions. It helps borrowers access funds that may not otherwise be available while also providing higher returns for investors. It also helps to reduce costs associated with projects and investments while mitigating risks.

Article Source Here: Structured Finance: Definition, What It Is, Products, Meaning, Examples, Modeling

Out-of-sample testing is a critical component of designing and evaluating trading systems. Trading systems are often developed and optimized using historical data, which can lead to overfitting - a situation where the system is excessively tuned to past data, resulting in poor performance on new, unseen data. Out-of-sample testing involves evaluating the trading system on data that was not used in the development process, allowing traders to gauge the system's performance on new data and assess its robustness to market changes. By testing the system on a separate and distinct dataset, traders can be more confident that the system's performance is not simply due to chance or overfitting, and that it is more likely to perform well in future market conditions.

Out-of-sample testing is a crucial step in designing and evaluating trading systems, allowing traders to make more informed and effective decisions in dynamic and ever-changing financial markets. But is it free of well-known biases such as overfitting, data-snooping, and look-ahead? Reference [1] investigated this issue. It pointed out,

In this paper, we examine the sources of excessively large Sharpe ratios associated with popular multifactor asset pricing models. Sharpe ratios remain too large to reconcile with leading economic models after applying simple, robust estimates of tangency portfolio weights, as well as under conventional pseudo-out-of-sample research designs that rely only on past data. We argue that the most compelling explanation behind these excessive Sharpe ratios involves a subtle form of look-ahead bias such that factors included in models, or alternatively the characteristics and portfolios from which factors are extracted, are selected based on prior research outcomes linking such characteristics with cross-sectional variation in returns…

Our results have a variety of implications. First, researchers should be cautious in interpreting common out-of-sample research designs as providing assessments of factor models that are free of hindsight bias, because the samples analyzed often overlap heavily with samples previously analyzed in the literature establishing anomalous return patterns. Given the continuous and organic nature of asset pricing research, it is difficult to conduct bias-free validation analyses, but our paper attempts to make progress in this direction. Second, we interpret the much smaller Sharpe ratios associated with popular multifactor models that we obtain using alternative evaluation approaches as good news. This is because real-time investors who ‘factor invest’ using these models after they are proposed do not achieve exorbitant Sharpe ratios.

In short, out-of-sample testing also suffers, albeit subtly, from biases such as overfitting, data-snooping, and look-ahead.

We agree with the authors. We also believe that out-of-sample tests such as walk-forward analysis also suffer from survivorship bias.

How do we minimize these biases?

Let us know what you think in the comments below or in the discussion forum.

References

[1] Easterwood, Sara and Paye, Bradley S., High on High Sharpe Ratios: Optimistically Biased Factor Model Assessments (2023). https://ssrn.com/abstract=4360788

Article Source Here: How Reliable Is Out-of-Sample Testing?

The matching concept in accounting requires companies to match expenses to the revenues to which they relate. Therefore, companies may spread costs over several years to ensure that. A typical example of the matching principle affecting accounting is depreciation. Companies spread the cost of their assets over several years to reflect the revenues they help generate.

Another area where the matching concept applies is deferred financing costs. As the name suggests, these costs get delayed for later periods. Before discussing the accounting treatment of deferred financing costs, it is crucial to know what these costs are.

What are Deferred Financing Costs?

Deferred financing costs are expenses a company incurs when obtaining financing, such as a loan or bond issuance. Usually, these costs occur upfront but get spread over the financing term. Some examples include fees paid to banks or other financial institutions for underwriting or arranging financing, legal and accounting fees, and other professional fees. These costs may also include preparing and filing documents with regulatory bodies.

When a company incurs deferred financing costs, it will record them as an asset on its balance sheet. These costs get amortized over the term of the financing, usually on a straight-line basis. Simply, it means the total amount is spread evenly over the financing period. The amortization of deferred financing costs is an increase in interest expense in the income statement.

What is the accounting treatment of Deferred Financing Costs?

The accounting for deferred financing costs involves various steps. As mentioned above, the primary treatment for these costs is to recognize an asset. At this stage, the amount will be the same as the company incurs for the related expense. For example, if a company spends $10,000 to acquire a loan, this amount will get recognized as an asset.

The second stage of the accounting for deferred financing involves amortizing the asset recognized before. As mentioned above, this process occurs on a straight-line basis. Essentially, this accounting treatment converts the asset to an expense in the income statement. The remaining deferred financing cost stays on the balance sheet until the final year of its life.

What is the journal entry for Deferred Financing Cost?

As stated above, there are two stages to accounting for deferred financing costs. The first involves recognizing an asset for the amount of the costs incurred. At this stage, the journal entry will be as below.

Dr	Deferred financing cost
Cr	Cash or bank or account payable

Over the years, the amount gets amortized and converted into an expense. This process occurs from the end of each period until the final year. At this stage, the journal entry will be as follows.

Dr	Interest expense
Cr	Deferred financing cost

Example

Red Co. incurs fees of $50,000 to obtain a $10 million loan. The company recognizes this amount as a deferred financing cost. Similarly, the company spreads this cost over ten years. In the first stage, Red Co. recognizes the whole amount as a deferred financing cost using the following journal entry.

Dr	Deferred financing cost	$50,000
Cr	Bank	$50,000

Over the years, Red Co. amortizes the deferred financing cost. The amortized amount equals $5,000 annually ($50,000 / 10 years). Red Co. records this amortization as follows.

Dr	Interest expense	$5,000
Cr	Deferred financing cost	$5,000

Conclusion

Deferred financing cost is expense companies recognize as an asset and spread over several years. This requirement comes from the matching concept in accounting. However, the accounting for deferred financing costs occurs over several years. Companies record these costs as an asset and later keep amortizing them on a straight-line basis.

Article Source Here: Deferred Financing Costs: What They Are, Accounting, Journal Entry, Tax Treatment, Amortization, Example, Definition

Pricing can be a major factor in the success of a business, and price discrimination is one strategy that many companies use to maximize their profits.

Price discrimination involves charging different prices for the same product or service based on consumer demand, perceived value, or any other factor, rather than offering a single set price.

Price discrimination can be beneficial for both businesses and consumers as it allows companies to tailor their prices to meet the needs of different customers.

What is Price Discrimination?

Price Discrimination is a pricing strategy that businesses use to set different prices for the same product or service depending on consumer characteristics such as need, location, and purchasing power.

This means that customers in different markets can be charged different prices for the same product or service.

It also allows businesses to maximize their profits by charging a higher price to those willing and able to pay more, while still offering lower prices to those who need it most.

Price discrimination is used across many industries, from airlines and hotels to retail stores and online marketplaces.

The goal is to capture more value from customers who are willing and able to pay higher prices, while still providing competitive prices to those who need it most.

Different Types of Price Discrimination

There are mainly three types of price discrimination, including

1. First-degree Price Discrimination

First-degree price discrimination involves charging each customer the maximum they are willing to pay for a product. This allows businesses to tap into their customers’ willingness to pay and charge them accordingly.

2. Second-degree Price Discrimination

Second-degree price discrimination includes offering different prices based on the quantity purchased. This allows businesses to offer discounts on bulk purchases and incentivize customers to purchase more.

3. Third-degree Price Discrimination

Third-degree price discrimination involves charging different prices based on consumer characteristics such as age or income level.

This type of price discrimination is used by many businesses to ensure that those who need it most can access products at a lower cost.

Examples of Price Discrimination

Price discrimination is widely used across many different industries. Below are some examples of price discrimination.

Movie theaters use price discrimination when they offer discounted tickets depending on the age of the customer. Senior citizens, students, and children typically receive discounted tickets compared to adults.

Airlines would be another example of price discrimination. Airlines often offer discounts for bookings, senior citizens, students, and members of loyalty programs.

Retail stores may also use price discrimination when they give discounts to customers who buy in bulk or through loyalty programs. This encourages customers to purchase more items at one time and earn discounts on future purchases.

Other industries that use price discrimination include restaurants, hotels, and online retailers.

Restaurants may offer discounts for certain days of the week such as “kids eat free” nights or discounted prices for large groups.

Hotels often have different rates depending on the day of the week or season. Online retailers will offer discounts to customers who sign up for email newsletters or loyalty programs.

Conclusion

Price discrimination can be beneficial for both businesses and consumers as it allows companies to capture more value from those willing and able to pay higher prices, while still offering competitive prices to those who need it most. By using this pricing strategy, businesses can increase their profits and provide more affordable options to consumers.

Post Source Here: Price Discrimination: Definition, Examples, Types, First Degree, Second Degree, Monopoly

Companies and individuals use bank accounts to facilitate their transactions. These accounts also come with the safety of their money and other benefits. However, these parties must also pay the bank for their services. The payments constitute an expense for the account holder while being an income for the bank. In most cases, these fees fall under bank services charges.

What is a Bank Service Charge?

A bank service charge is a fee that a bank charges its customers for the various services rendered. These services may include maintaining an account, processing transactions, issuing checks, etc. Usually, bank services charges cover the bank’s costs for providing these services and generating revenue. However, it may not be the primary income source for banks.

Banks deduct bank services from their customer's accounts. Depending on the type of fee, the charge may occur at different intervals. For example, some banks deduct a monthly maintenance fee for accounts. On the other hand, some may be an annual or per-transaction basis. For customers, these service charges represent a deduction in the account balance.

What is the accounting for a Bank Service Charge?

Several factors determine the accounting treatment of bank service charges. The most crucial of these is the type of charge on the accounting. However, accounting standards may also dictate how companies account for these charges. Generally, this process involves recording an expense while decreasing the balance for the specific account in the cash book.

Companies may maintain a separate account for each type of bank service charge incurred. This division may help assess the type of expense for further analysis. However, all bank service charges appear under financial expenses in the income statement. In some cases, companies may also capitalize bank service charges. It occurs when accounting standards require companies to include these charges as a part of an asset's cost.

What is the journal entry for a Bank Service Charge?

As stated above, the accounting treatment for a bank service charge may differ based on the underlying circumstances. In most cases, these charges are minimal expenses, often falling under financial expenses in the income statements. For these expenses, the journal entry is as follows.

Dr	Financial expense
Cr	Bank account

If accounting standards require capitalizing the expense, the journal entry will vary. In this case, the bank service does not become a financial expense. Instead, it becomes part of the underlying asset's cost. The journal entry to record it, in that case, will be as follows.

Dr	Asset
Cr	Bank account

Example

A company, Red Co., maintains a bank account with a local bank. The company incurred an annual account service charge of $100. As per the relevant accounting standards, this charge does not become a part of an asset’s cost. Therefore, Red Co. records it as an expense in its books using the following journal entry.

Dr	Financial expense	$100
Cr	Bank account	$100

Conclusion

A bank service charge is a fee that banks deduct from a bank account. Usually, it includes maintenance, processing, and other bank fees. The accounting for bank service charges may differ based on various conditions. In most cases, though, they are an expense that falls under financial expenses in the income statement. Companies must track these charges and regularly update the cash book accordingly.

Originally Published Here: Bank Service Charge: Definition, Journal Entry, Accounting Treatment, Example