All sales are made on credit. Based on past experience, the company estimates 1% of credit sales to be uncollectible. What adjusting entry should the company make at the end of the current year to record its estimated bad debts expense?

Debit : Bad Debts account : $2000 (appearing in the income statement)

Credit : Provision for doubtful debts account : $2000 (appearing in the balance sheet)

Explanation:

This is an example of provision for doubtful debts. Provision for doubtful debts is an estimated amount of bad debts from accounts receivables that has been issues but not yet collected. This is done under the accrual accounting concept where an expense is identified as soon as invoices have been issued rather than waiting long periods to find out which invoice is irrecoverable. It is typically an estimate based on past experience.

In this question, the sales value has not been provided, hence an assumption is made:

Sales : $200,000

If provision for doubtful debts is 1% of sales and all sales is on credit, then the provision for doubtful debts amount is = 1% x $200,000 = $2000

Provision for doubtful debts is an accounts receivable contra account and thus has a credit balance and is recorded in the balance sheet, listed directly under accounts receivables.

The entry is recorded as:

Debit : Bad Debts account : $2000 (appearing in the income statement)

Credit : Provision for doubtful debts account : $2000 (appearing in the balance sheet)

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