The Balance Sheet: Understanding Financial Position
1 Overview Recap
The balance sheet shows what a company owns and owes. It has three main parts: assets, liabilities, and equity. Assets are things the company owns. Liabilities are what the company owes to others. Equity is the money that belongs to the owners.
Key Terms
- balance sheet
- a financial report that shows what a company owns and owes
- assets
- things a company owns that have value
- liabilities
- money that a company owes to others
- equity
- the money that belongs to the company owners
💬 Section 1: Overview Recap
A new accountant learns about basic balance sheet concepts
2 Extended Key Vocabulary
Companies have two types of assets. Current assets are things that turn into money quickly, like inventory and accounts receivable. Fixed assets stay in the business longer, like buildings and machines. Companies also have current liabilities like accounts payable, and long-term debt that they pay back slowly. Working capital is the money for daily business needs.
Key Terms
- current assets
- things that turn into money within one year
- fixed assets
- things the company owns and uses for a long time
- inventory
- items a company has to sell
- accounts receivable
- money customers will pay soon
- current liabilities
- money the company must pay soon
- accounts payable
- money the company owes to others
- long-term debt
- money the company must pay back over many years
- working capital
- money for daily business activities
💬 Section 2: Extended Key Vocabulary
Discussing different types of assets and liabilities
3 Focus on Language in Practice
Sarah looks at the company’s tangible assets like computers and furniture. She also checks intangible assets like brand names. She calculates depreciation on machines and amortization on patents. The difference between all assets and liabilities shows the company’s net worth.
Key Terms
- tangible assets
- things you can touch and see
- intangible assets
- valuable things you cannot touch
- depreciation
- how machines lose value over time
- amortization
- spreading costs over time
- net worth
- the total value of a company
💬 Section 3: Focus on Language in Practice
Explaining different types of business assets