Journal Entry of Provision for Doubtful Debts

Creating a provision for doubtful debts is a key part of accounting, helping companies show a true picture of their financial health. Let’s break down why this is important and how to figure out the right amount.

Why Bother with Provision for Bad Debts?

Provision for doubtful debts helps cushion the blow from bad debts. It sets aside an amount for debts that might go unpaid, so the company’s books stay accurate. Here’s why it’s a big deal:

1. Keeping It Real: Recording doubtful accounts when sales happen makes financial reports more accurate.
2. Matching Principle: This method matches expected bad debt expenses with the sales they relate to, giving a clearer picture of revenue and expenses for that period.
3. Asset Management: An allowance for doubtful accounts is a “contra asset,” which means it reduces accounts receivable. It’s management’s best guess at what won’t be paid.

For more on how to make these entries, check out our journal entries examples.

How to Calculate the Provision Amount

The provision for doubtful debts is all about predicting future losses from bad debts, not waiting until they happen. Here’s how companies usually do it:

1. Look at the Past: Companies check past accounts receivable to spot trends in bad debts.
2. Percentage of Sales Method: They set aside a percentage of total credit sales based on historical data.
3. Aging of Receivables Method: Accounts are sorted by how long they’ve been outstanding, with different percentages applied to each age group based on how likely they are to be collected.

Age of Receivables	Percentage Considered Doubtful
0-30 days	2%
31-60 days	5%
61-90 days	10%
Over 90 days	50%

For a hands-on example, visit our journal entry sample.

Understanding the purpose and calculation of the provision for doubtful debts helps companies keep their financial statements honest. It also helps spot customers who often default and rewards those who pay on time with discounts. For more tips, check out our guides on accrued expense journal entry and deferred revenue journal entry.

Handling Doubtful Debts

Dealing with doubtful debts means making specific journal entries to set up and tweak provisions. These entries help ensure that financial statements show a company’s realistic expectations for what it can collect.

Setting Up the Provision

Creating a provision for doubtful debts is crucial for accurate financial reporting. This provision is recorded in the same period as the revenue, so potential losses are anticipated and accounted for.

Example:

Let’s say a company has £100,000 in accounts receivable and decides to set aside 2% for doubtful debts. That would be £2,000.

Date	Account	Debit (£)	Credit (£)
31/12/2022	Bad Debt Expense	2,000
	Allowance for Doubtful Debts		2,000

Here, the Bad Debt Expense account is debited, and the Allowance for Doubtful Debts account is credited. The allowance account is a contra asset account that reduces the total accounts receivable balance.

For more examples, check out our journal entry examples page.

Adjusting the Provision

Sometimes, you need to adjust the provision for doubtful debts as new info about receivables comes in. If the initial estimate changes, you have to update the provision.

Example:

Suppose the company initially set aside £2,000, but after reassessment, it needs to bump that up to £2,500.

Date	Account	Debit (£)	Credit (£)
31/12/2022	Bad Debt Expense	500
	Allowance for Doubtful Debts		500

If the provision needs to be decreased, you just reverse the process:

Date	Account	Debit (£)	Credit (£)
31/12/2022	Allowance for Doubtful Debts	500
	Bad Debt Expense		500

Adjustments should be made regularly to stay in line with accounting standards and ensure accurate financial reporting. For guidelines on write-offs and adjustments, refer to the document “Writing Off Uncollectable Receivables” by Cornell University.

For more about journal entries in accounting, visit our what is a journal page, and for detailed accounting practices, see accounting general journal entries.

Types of Bad Debts

In accounting, getting a grip on bad debts is key for keeping your books straight. There are two main types of allowances for bad debts: specific allowance and general allowance.

Specific Allowance

Specific allowance is all about earmarking funds for certain receivables that might go south. Think of it as setting aside money for customers who are in financial hot water. For example, if a customer declares bankruptcy, you’d create a specific allowance for them.

This method zooms in on individual accounts, letting businesses tackle potential bad debts head-on. It’s super handy for companies with a few big clients where they can individually assess the risk of not getting paid.

To set up a specific allowance, companies guess how much won’t be collected and jot it down in the provision for doubtful debt account. This way, the financial statements give a clearer picture of what the company’s assets are really worth.

General Allowance

General allowance takes a wider view, guessing bad debts based on past data and experience. It’s a percentage of the total accounts receivable that the company thinks it’ll have to write off. This method doesn’t zero in on individual accounts but spreads the risk across all receivables.

There are two popular ways to figure out general allowance: the Percentage of Sales Method and the Aging of Accounts Receivable Method.

• Percentage of Sales Method: This one’s simple. You estimate the provision for doubtful debts as a fixed percentage of the total credit sales during a period. It’s easy to use, especially for businesses with lots of small receivables.

• Aging of Accounts Receivable Method: Here, you sort accounts receivable by how long they’ve been outstanding. Different percentages are applied to each category to estimate what might not be collected. This method gives a more detailed look and is great for companies with different payment terms.

Comparison Table

Type of Allowance	Focus	Method	Use Case
Specific Allowance	Individual accounts	Case-by-case estimation based on debtor’s financial condition	Good for companies with a few big receivables
General Allowance	All accounts	Percentage of Sales or Aging of Accounts Receivable	Good for companies with lots of small receivables

For more detailed explanations and examples of journal entries, check out our sections on journal entry examples and bookkeeping journal entries. Also, understanding the deferred revenue journal entry and accrued expense journal entry can be super helpful for a well-rounded accounting knowledge.

Why You Should Care About Provision for Debts

Keeping Financial Reports Real

Provision for doubtful debts is like a reality check for your company’s financial reports. It makes sure the numbers you see are the real deal, not some sugar-coated version. This helps spot those customers who are always late or just don’t pay up. Plus, it lets you reward the good ones with discounts for paying on time.

When you set aside a bit of money for these doubtful debts, it lowers both your accounts receivable and your reported revenue. This gives everyone a more honest look at your company’s finances. Imagine you have £100,000 in accounts receivable. If you decide to set aside 2% for doubtful debts, that’s £2,000.

Financial Item	Amount (£)	Adjustment (£)	Adjusted Amount (£)
Accounts Receivable	100,000	-2,000	98,000
Reported Revenue	500,000	-2,000	498,000

Want to know more about journal entries? Check out our article on journal entry prompts.

Playing by the Rules

Setting up a provision for doubtful debts isn’t just a good idea; it’s often needed to follow the rules set by International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) (Shiksha). Even if it’s not the law, it’s still smart accounting.

This provision should show up on your balance sheet to give a full picture of your financial health. Without it, you might think you have more money to work with than you actually do. Following these standards makes your financial statements more trustworthy, giving peace of mind to investors, creditors, and other stakeholders.

For more on how to handle provisions, check out our articles on provision double entry and bad debt provision journal entry.

By sticking to these practices, companies can keep their financial reporting transparent and accurate, meeting all the necessary accounting standards and regulations. For more tips, visit our section on journal entry examples.