Rules of Preparation of Balance Sheet

Rules of Preparation of Balance Sheet

A balance sheet allows you to see at a glance what your company’s assets and liabilities are. The balance sheet is basically a summary of what you own and what you owe. Assets, liabilities and owner’s capital are listed as of a certain date, usually at the end of a month, quarter or fiscal year. Your balance sheet gives you a way to determine the value of your business at any particular time.

- Preparation of balance sheet of company is very necessary, because Indian Company law 1956 gives strict instruction about the format of balance sheet of a company. A company can make balance sheet according to the form given in Part I of schedule VI of company law 1956. A company can also make balance sheet summary form, but it has to attach its schedule in which explanation of different components are given. We are explaining different components of balance sheet of company which will be helpful for students to prepare balance sheet of company.

[* Remember the form of balance sheet under Section 211]

You should remember balance sheet and its all components thoroughly. It can be made either horizontal or vertical form. But total of assets should be equal to total of liabilities. Here, I am explaining these components.

Assets Side of Balance Sheet

- Assets are written in right side of company’s balance sheet. In these assets, we include.

-    1. Fixed Assets
  We will show all fixed assets which are purchased and used in business. This is the long term expenditure of company. In these assets, we will include following.
  I)                    Land
  II)                  Building
  III)                Plant and Machinery
  IV)               Furniture and Fixture
  V)                 Leasehold assets
  VI)               Development of property
  VII)             Vehicles
  VIII)           Live stocks
  IX)                Railway sidings
  X)                  Equipments
  We also include intangible assets in fixed assets head. Following are the main examples of intangible assets.
  I)        Goodwill
  II)        Patents
  III)      Trade marks and design
  Depreciation is charged on every fixed asset except land, because value of land will increase after some time. Here, students are given advice that they should calculate the value of net fixed assets, if different fixed assets are purchased or sold during the year. The following table will be the part of working note.
  2.  Treatment of Investment in balance sheet
  Investment is outflow of fund for getting interest or dividend earning. So, it is the asset of company and will include in assets side. The following are the main investments.
  a)                  Investment in Government or trust securities.
  b)                  Investment in Shares, debentures or bonds
  The following points must be kept in mind while you are showing investment in balance sheet.
  i)                    Investment in fully paid up shares must be shown separately from investment in partly paid up shares.
  ii)                   Investment in the form of shares in subsidiary company must be shown separately from investment in any other company.
  c)                   Investment in immovable properties.
  d)                  Investment in the capital of partnership firms.
  Investment will be shown on cost or market value which is less.
  3.       Treatment of current assets , loan and advances in balance sheet
  A)     Current assets
  Current assets will be shown in separate head and following components will be included in it.
  i)                    Stock in trade
  ii)                   Work in progress
  iii)                 Stock of stationary
  iv)                 Stock of loose tools
  v)                  Stock of stores and spare parts
  vi)                 Sundry debtors less provision for doubtful debts
  vii)               Cash in hand
  viii)              Bank balance
  a)      With schedule bank
  b)      With other banks
  B)      Loan and Advances
  The amount which is given by company to others in the form of loan or advances will be shown in asset side. Followings are its main examples.
  a)      Advance and loan to subsidiary company
  b)      Advance and loan to partnership firm
  c)       Bill of exchange / Bill receivables
  d)      Advance expenses paid
  e)      Outside incomes.
  4.       Miscellaneous expenditures
  Expenses which are not written off will be shown in asset side of balance sheet. There is no market value of these expenses. Examples are given below.
  i)                    Preliminary expenses
  ii)                   Commission or brokerage of subscription of shares ordebentures
  iii)                 Discount allowed on issue or shares and debentures
  iv)                 Interest paid out of capital during construction
  v)                  Development expenditure
  5.       Profit and Loss Account
  If company suffers net loss after adjusting all reserves, then it will be shown in asset side. This amount can be also deducted from reserves in liabilities side. That time, we will not show it in asset side.
  Liabilities Side of Balance Sheet
  
  Liabilities are written in left side of company’s balance sheet. In these liabilities, we include.
  1.       Share Capital
  In share capital of company, we have to show authorized capital, subscribed capital, called up capital and paid up capital. For calculating paid up capital, we will deduct calls unpaid and add original paid up amount offorfeited shares.
  2.       Reserves and Surplus
  Following reserves will be shown in liabilities side of balance sheet of company.
  i)                    Capital reserves
  ii)                   Share premium account
  iii)                 Other reserves
  iv)                 Surplus balance in profit and loss account after providingdividend, bonus or reserves.
  v)                  Sinking fund
  3.       Secured Loan
  If any loan is taken by company after keeping any asset as security, then it will be shown in secured loan head. Its detail is given below.
  i)                    Debentures
  ii)                   Loan and advances from subsidiaries
  iii)                 Other loan and advances
  iv)                 Interest payable on secured loan
  4.       Unsecured loan
  Following will be the unsecured loan.
  i)                    Fixed deposits of public
  ii)                   Short term loans and advances
  iii)                 Other loans
  5.       Current Liabilities and Provisions
  All liabilities which is payable within one year, will be included in current liabilities head.
  A) Current Liabilities
  i)                    Acceptance or bill payables
  ii)                   Sundry creditors
  iii)                 Interest payable other than on loan
  iv)                 Outstanding expenditures
  B)      Provisions
  i)                    Provisions for taxations
  ii)                   Proposed dividend
  iii)                 Provision for provident fund
  iv)                 Provision for insurance, pension and other staff benefit schemes
  v)                  Other provisions
  6.       Contingent liabilities
  These types of liabilities will not be shown in balance sheet. But a simple footnote is made for its detail. Following may be the contingent liabilities of company.
  i)                    Claims against the company not acknowledge as debts
  ii)                   Uncalled liability on shares paid
  iii)                 Areas of fixed cumulative dividends
  iv)                 Any other contingent liability of company