Debits and credits explained

Debits and credits explained

Understanding Debits and Credits in Accounting

Introduction to Debits and Credits

  • The video aims to simplify the understanding of debits and credits, promising clarity on these accounting terms.
  • A comparison is made between nautical terminology (port and starboard) and accounting practices, emphasizing that debits are recorded on the left while credits are on the right.

Types of Accounts

  • There are three main types of balance sheet accounts:
  • Asset Accounts: Naturally have a debit balance.
  • Liability Accounts: Naturally have a credit balance.
  • Equity Accounts: Also naturally have a credit balance.

Impact of Debits and Credits

  • For income statement accounts, there are two types:
  • Expense Accounts: Naturally have a debit balance.
  • Revenue Accounts: Naturally have a credit balance.
  • Key relationships established:
  • Expenses increase with a debit.
  • Revenues increase with a credit.

Journal Entry Examples

  • When raising cash from shareholders:
  • Cash account (asset) increases (debit).
  • Shareholder capital (equity) increases (credit).
  • When obtaining a loan from the bank:
  • Cash account (asset) increases (debit).
  • Liabilities increase as you owe money to the bank (credit).
  • If invoiced by a supplier for services:
  • Expenses increase (debit).
  • Liabilities also increase through accounts payable (credit).

Settling Transactions

  • Upon paying the supplier:
  • Liabilities decrease as debts settle (debit).
  • Assets decrease due to cash transfer to supplier (credit).

Year-End Closing Process

  • At year-end closing, income statement results affect retained earnings in equity.
  • Example: Revenue of $100 and expenses of $90 yield net income of $10 added to retained earnings.
  • Conversely, if revenue is $90 against expenses of $100, it results in a loss impacting retained earnings negatively.

Conclusion on Equity Changes

  • Profits enhance shareholder equity while losses diminish it.
Video description

Debits and credits made easy! I guarantee that you will understand the accounting term debits and credits once and for all after watching this video! Debits and credits are part of the #accountingbasics that you MUST understand. ⏱️TIMESTAMPS⏱️ 0:00 Introduction 0:12 Debit on the left, credits on the right 0:45 Debit and credit for balance sheet accounts 1:12 Debit and credit for income statement accounts 1:32 Debit and credit journal entry examples 3:16 Debit and credit net income A related video on debits and credits, using DC ADE LER to explain it, can be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b93KBmcXanI How do debits and credits work? Does a debit increase an account, and does a credit decrease an account? Or is it the other way around? What are the rules of debit and credit? That really depends on the type of account we are looking at. For balance sheet accounts, we essentially have three types of account. Assets accounts, where the natural state is for an asset account to have a debit balance. Liability accounts, where the natural state is for a liability account to have a credit balance. Equity accounts, where the natural state is for an equity account to have a credit balance. Assets increase with a debit. Liabilities and equity increase with a credit. For income statement accounts, we have two types of account. Expense accounts, where the natural state is for an expense account to have a debit balance. Revenue accounts, where the natural state is for a revenue account to have a credit balance. Expenses increase with a debit. Revenues increase with a credit. Philip de Vroe (The Finance Storyteller) aims to make strategy, finance and leadership enjoyable and easier to understand. Learn the business and #accounting vocabulary to join the conversation with your CEO at your company. Understand how financial statements work in order to make better stock market investment decisions. Philip delivers finance training in various formats: YouTube videos, classroom sessions, webinars, and business simulations. Connect with me through Linked In!