What is the difference between bad debts written off and provision for bad debts?

Bad debts are those which are hopeless and are written off from the books. Provision is done for cases which are overdue but still can be persued for collection though difficult.

What is the difference between on balance sheet and off-balance-sheet?

Put simply, on-balance sheet items are items that are recorded on a company’s balance sheet. Off-balance sheet items, however, are not considered assets or liabilities as they are owned or claimed by an external source, and do not affect the financial position of the business.

What are off-balance-sheet items and why are they important to some financial firms?

For most companies, off-balance sheet items exist in relation to financing, enabling the company to maintain compliance with existing financial covenants. Off-balance sheet items are also used to share the risks and benefits of assets and liabilities with other companies, as in the case of joint venture (JV) projects.

What is off-balance-sheet debt?

Off-balance sheet (OBS) financing is an accounting practice whereby a company does not include a liability on its balance sheet. It is used to impact a company’s level of debt and liability.

Are bad debts written off an expense?

Basically, it is an irrecoverable receivable – a type of expense that occurs when a customer to whom you have extended credit is no longer able or willing to pay you. In accounting terms, this is known as a “bad debt expense” which must be charged against your company’s accounts receivable.

What is the entry for bad debts written off?

The entry to write off the bad account under the direct write-off method is: Debit Bad Debts Expense (to report the amount of the loss on the company’s income statement) Credit Accounts Receivable (to remove the amount that will not be collected)

What are off-balance-sheet derivatives?

Off-balance-sheet items are contingent assets or liabilities such as unused commitments, letters of credit, and derivatives. These items may expose institutions to credit risk, liquidity risk, or counterparty risk, which is not reflected on the sector’s balance sheet reported on table L.

How did Enron use off-balance-sheet financing?

The Enron scandal was one of the first developments to bring the use of off-balance-sheet entities to public attention. In Enron’s case, the company would build an asset such as a power plant and immediately claim the projected profit on its books even though it hadn’t made one dime from it.

How do you identify off-balance-sheet items?

Are derivatives off balance sheet?

What are examples of off balance sheet items?

Off-balance sheet activities include items such as loan commitments, letters of credit, and revolving underwriting facilities. Institutions are required to report off-balance sheet items in conformance with Call Report Instructions.