This means every time an Asset is increased in value, nature, or amount, you “debit” that account. Recording Assets, Liabilities, and EquityĪssets are by nature, “debit” items. Let’s see how they behave in reference to debits and credits. We already covered the meanings of Assets, Liabilities, and Equity. Now, this is where things start getting more exciting. Debits and Credits in Accounting Practice This has enormous implications for accounting practice. The basic accounting equation asserts that your Assets must always equal your Liabilities and Equity. These three in particular make up the basic accounting equation. Modern accounting grows from the principle of debits and credits and applies them to items such as Assets, Liabilities, and Equity. Debits and Credits and The Basic Accounting Equation Much the same way, when a burger shop seeks an overdraft facility from their local bank, they now have a “credit line”. Often, we also must make interest payments depending on how much of our limit we have used up. In exchange for the line of “credit” we pay a monthly or annual fee. Credit Cards allow us to purchase items or cover expenses for which we may not necessarily have the requisite funds. To go on credit, on the other hand, means to exceed your available finances. Similarly in accounting practice, when a pizza parlor purchases flour from the local supermarket it “debits” the company bank account. In everyday life, our “debit” cards allow us to make payments from our savings or earnings accounts, which are “debited” every time we do so. In simple terms, to debit means to reduce or deduct. Once properly understood, however, the double-entry system and its fundamentals (debits and credits) become an essential tool in every budding accountant’s kit. Even simple terms like debits and credits don’t have the same meaning in bookkeeping as in everyday life and initially can appear counterintuitive. At first glance, accounting can seem a difficult field to navigate.
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