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The concept of present value is rather simple. If I want $1000 by the end of 2 years and then interest rate is 10%, how much do I need to invest today? The answer is $826.

Today this is a pretty simple calculation. Just push the buttons on your calculator and done. But, what if you had to fiqure it out the “old-fashioned” way. Well here’s the formula fiqure it out.

Present Value = Future Value/ (1 + Interest Rate)

For example, What would be the present value of $100 at 8% interest for 1 year?

Present Value = $100/(1 + .08)

Present Value = $100/1.08

Present Value = $92.59

Pretty simple, but what if you needed to fiqure it out for 3 years? Here’s how to do that.

Year 1 Present Value = $100/1.08 = $92.59

Year 2 $92.59/1.08 = $85.73

Year 3 $85.73/1.08 = $79.38

So in three years, if we invest $79.38 today, we will have $100

Of course there are a couple of shorter ways to calculate present value. Here is a formula that uses exponents.



Another quick short cut is to use the present value interest tables. This chart is usually labeled as the PVIF table. The tables already have the (1 + interest rate) fiqured out for you. For example, 5% interest for 8 years gives us a factor of .677.

Take $100 x .677 to get $67.70 as the answer. Can’t get any easier than that.

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List of fixed assets. Fixed assets have a normal debit balance except Accumulated Depletion and Accumulated Depreciation and can be found on the balance sheet.

Accumulated Depletion
Accumulated Depreciation
Building
Equipment
Investment in Bonds
Investment in Stocks
Investment in Subsidary
Land

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List of current liabilities that can be found on a Balance Sheet. They all have a normal credit balance.

Accounts Payable
Deferred Income Tax Payable
Employees Federal Income Tax Payable
Federal Income Tax Payable
Federal Unemployment Tax Payable
Income Tax Payable
Medicare Tax Payable
Salaries Payable
Sales Tax Payable
Social Security Tax Payable
State Unemployment Tax Payable
Unearned Rent
Vacation Pay Payable

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This is a list of current assets that you normally use. They have a normal debit balance except the Allowance for Doubtful Accounts, which has a credit balance. These accounts are found on the balance sheet.

Accounts Receivable
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
Cash
Finished Goods
Interest Receivable
Marketable Securities
Materials
Merchandise Inventory
Notes Receivable
Petty Cash
Prepaid Insurance
Supplies
Work in Progress

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Here is a list of income accounts. They have a normal credit balance except the Sales Discounts and the Sales Returns and Allowances, which have a normal debit balance. These items can be found on the Income Statement.

Dividend Revenue
Exchange Gain
Gain on Disposal of Fixed Asset
Gain on Redemption of Bonds
Gain on Sale of Investments
Interest Revenue
Rent Revenue
Sales
Sales Discounts
Sales Returns and Allowances

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The very essence of accounting can be broken down to what is called the Accounting Equation. This equation has 3 major parts. They are:

Assets – which are things of value , such as cash, equipment, supplies, buildings, and land.

Liabilities – which are the debts that you owe.

Equity – is what is left after you subtract liabilities from assets.

So the equation is:

Assets = Liabilities + Equity

If you know any of the 2 parts of the equation, you can solve for the third part. Here is an example:

Assets (?) = Liabilities (3,500) + Equity (10,000)

? = 3,500 + 10,000

13,500 = Assets

Pretty simple stuff, but one thing that is not stressed enough in beginning accounting courses. If you know this equation you then should be able to figure out most of your entries. Why? Because everything has to equal.

Here are a couple of variations on the equation that you can work on.

Assets (10,000) – Liabilities (5000) = Equity (?)

Assets (15,000) = Liabilities (?) + Equity (5000)

Assets (12,500) = Liabilities (3500) + Equity (?)

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Source: CBS News

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