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In accounting, the revenue recognition principle states that revenues are earned and recognized when they are realized or realizable, no matter when cash is received. It is a cornerstone of accrual accounting together with the matching principle. Together, they determine the accounting period in which revenues and expenses are recognized. [1]
A deferred expense (also known as a prepaid expense or prepayment) is an asset representing costs that have been paid but not yet recognized as expenses according to the matching principle. For example, when accounting periods are monthly, an 11/12 portion of an annually paid insurance cost is recorded as prepaid expenses.
Realization is generally straightforward, but there are instances at the margins in which the moment of realization can be tricky. One example of a tricky realization situation that has given rise to substantial debate is the 62nd home run ball hit by Mark McGwire.
In financial accounting (CON 8.4 [1]), a gain is when the market value of an asset exceeds the purchase price of that asset. The gain is unrealized until the asset is sold for cash, at which point it becomes a realized gain. This is an important distinction for tax purposes, as only realized gains are subject to tax.
There are certain advantages in tax planning when the cash method of accounting is used: for instance, payment of business expenses may be accelerated before year end, in order to maximize tax deductions, whereas billings for services may be postponed to after year end, so that payments won't be received until the new year, thus postponing tax ...
In accounting, there is a different technical concept of cost, which excludes implicit opportunity costs. In common usage, as in accounting usage, cost typically does not refer to implicit costs and instead only refers to direct monetary costs. The economics term profit relies on the economic meaning of the term for cost.
Unit of measure and unit of account are sometimes treated as synonyms in financial accounting and economics. Unit of measure in financial accounting refers to the monetary unit to be used; that is, whether it should be nominal units of money as opposed to units that are adjusted for changes in purchasing power over time. [9]
In accounting, a basis of accounting is a method used to define, recognise, and report financial transactions. [1] The two primary bases of accounting are the cash basis of accounting, or cash accounting, method and the accrual accounting method. A third method, the modified cash basis, combines elements of both accrual and cash accounting.