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The Accounting Equation
and Financial Position
Previous lesson:
What is Owners Equity?
Next lesson:
Basic Accounting Test
These three elements, assets, owners equity and liabilities, when compared to one another, show what we call the financial position of the business.Let me give you an example... Would you invest in the following business?
Probably not. 90% of the assets of this business will be used to pay debts in future. The equity, which reflects the net worth of the business (the real worth to the owner or owners) is only $10,000. The financial position of this business is thus poor.
What about this business – would you invest in it?
Well, in this case you certainly would be quite apprehensive about investing. The total debts of the business are greater than the assets it has to pay off these debts. As a result the owner or owners are making a loss. The owner or owners may have to fork out $20,000 out of their own pockets to pay the liabilities. Where the total debts of the business are greater than its assets, we say that the business is insolvent. This means that it cannot pay all its debts. Obviously the financial position of this business is terrible.
Now how about this business?
This business looks a bit healthier. The business can comfortably pay all of its debts. In fact, only 40% of the assets will be used up to pay the debts – 60% of the assets are really owned by the owner. The net worth of the business is $60,000. The financial position of this business is quite good.Bear in mind that it is not always a bad thing to have debts – where you have a project that will bring you $40,000, but you need to invest $5,000 to start with (and you don’t have the money yourself), it would be a wise move to borrow the $5,000 (thereby creating a liability of $5,000 towards the bank). Maybe it takes you a year to pay the debts, which comes to $6,000 in total after all the bank charges and interest. Well, you’ve still made $34,000 from this ($40,000-$6,000). Not bad, hey?
Okay, well we've now covered the basic concepts of accounting.It's time to take the
basic accounting test
and check your knowledge of the basic accounting concepts.
Still feel confused about some stuff in this section? Feel free to go back and review some of the topics we have covered so far. Then, once you feel a bit better, continue forward again.
Previous lesson:
What is Owners Equity?
Next lesson:
Basic Accounting Test
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Read Other Questions Relating to This Lesson
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Click below to see questions and solutions on this same topic from other visitors to this page...
Accounting Equation: Why not
Assets = Equity - Liabilities?
Q: Why don't they say assets = equity - liabilities instead of + liabilities?
A: Your answer lies in the definitions of each of the three elements ...
Negative Equity
Q: How can equity be negative? Shouldn't it be considered as a liability then?
A: When the equity is negative it means the liabilities are greater ...
Assets Minus Liabilities
Equals Equity?
Q: Why do they not say assets minus liabilities = equity?
A: They do. Well, some teachers, professors, lecturers do.
Actually that is the definition ...
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