General entry for Accrued Rent

by Jagjit
(India)

Q: What is the general entry for accrued rent?

A: The journal entry for accrued rent will be:

DR Rent expense $1,000
CR Accrued Rent $1,000

What we're doing above is showing that we owe for the rent expense. We record the expense occurring (debit) as well as the liability (accrued rent - credit).

When the rent is paid we record:

DR Accrued Rent $1,000
CR Bank $1,000

Bank (asset) is decreasing so we credit it. And we cancel out the liability with a debit to accrued rent.

For more info and examples of accrued expenses see these lessons:
Accrued Expenses - part 1
Accrued Expenses - part 2