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    Liability

    I know this is more like an accounting question...

    Suppose the renewal date of your house insurance is 12-1-2012. The premium is $1,500. You chose to pay with the installment plan offered by the insurance company. So you have paid $1,000 (50%) on 12-1-2012 and therefore you still have a $500 balance on the account. The next and final installment of the $500 is not due until March 2013. Now if you have to compile a balance sheet for yourself as of today, is the $500 considered a liability?

    Note that the $500 is not past due because the insurance company has allowed you until March 2013 to pay it in an installment plan.
    Last edited by AccTaxMan; 12-17-2012, 07:12 PM.

    #2
    Originally posted by AccTaxMan View Post
    I know this is more like an accounting question...

    Suppose the renewal date of your house insurance is 12-1-2012. The premium is $1,500. You chose to pay with the installment plan offered by the insurance company. So you have paid $1,000 (50%) on 12-1-2012 and therefore you still have a $500 balance on the account. The next and final installment of the $500 is not due until March 2013. Now if you have to compile a balance sheet for yourself as of today, is the $500 considered a liability?

    Note that the $500 is not past due because the insurance company has allowed you until March 2013 to pay it in an installment plan.
    yes, it is a liability, even though not due yet. My own federal and state income taxes are not due until 4/15 you know, but as of 12/31 both are a liability, albeit under the penalty thresholds. (grin
    ChEAr$,
    Harlan Lunsford, EA n LA

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      #3
      Accounting Treatment

      You actually have an ASSET more so than a liability.

      If your premium is $1500 annually, your insurance cost expires at $125/month.

      Since you have already paid $1000, and your insurance has only one month of expiration @$125 , you actually have a "Prepaid" asset of $875.

      If you prefer a "complete" accounting method, you would book the entire $1500 as a liability when the policy renewed, and then reduce it by $1000 when you paid that much toward the annual premium, so there would be $500 showing as a remaining liability. But since you recognized the entire $1500 upon renewal, and only $125 has expired, then you have $1375 still on the books as an asset.

      If you prefer the second method above, you still have $1375 as an asset and $500 as a liability, hence net of $875 anyway. Maybe a CPA would best know how to present this on a balance sheet.

      Either way, you have only $125 in true expense from this policy measured on the accrual basis. $1000 on cash basis, which would report neither an asset not a liability -- just the payment.

      Comment


        #4
        Originally posted by Nashville View Post
        You actually have an ASSET more so than a liability.

        If your premium is $1500 annually, your insurance cost expires at $125/month.

        Since you have already paid $1000, and your insurance has only one month of expiration @$125 , you actually have a "Prepaid" asset of $875.

        If you prefer a "complete" accounting method, you would book the entire $1500 as a liability when the policy renewed, and then reduce it by $1000 when you paid that much toward the annual premium, so there would be $500 showing as a remaining liability. But since you recognized the entire $1500 upon renewal, and only $125 has expired, then you have $1375 still on the books as an asset.

        If you prefer the second method above, you still have $1375 as an asset and $500 as a liability, hence net of $875 anyway. Maybe a CPA would best know how to present this on a balance sheet.

        Either way, you have only $125 in true expense from this policy measured on the accrual basis. $1000 on cash basis, which would report neither an asset not a liability -- just the payment.
        What you said makes sense. But if that's the case, anyone who owns a house should account for the insurance premium in his/her balance sheet. Does anyone actually do it? I have been in this field for 15 years and I have never seen one single balance sheet with a house insurance premium entry in it. And for the people who have health insurance policy, do they have to account for the health insurance premium in their balance sheet too?
        Last edited by AccTaxMan; 12-18-2012, 05:08 PM.

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