How can assets be classified




















Stock and Investments are shown in the balance sheet at Cost or Realisable value whichever is less. Bills Receivable and Debtors are shown at the estimated realisable value and the Cash in hand and Bank balance are shown at the actual figures.

Fictitious or Normal Assets are the assets which cannot be realized in cash or no further benefit can be derived from these assets. Liabilities are the amounts which a business has to pay. They are generally classified according to the period for which they are contracted. Certain liabilities are repayable within a short period of time while certain other liabilities are repayable only after a long time.

Non-current liabilities which fall due for payment in a relatively long period say more than one year, such are as under-. Current Liabilities refer to those liabilities which are to be paid in near future, usually within a year, such are as under-. The liabilities which are not the liabilities of the firm on the date of the Balance Sheet but may become liabilities in future on happening of an uncertain event are all called contingent liabilities, such are as under-.

Intangible assets, as the name implies, lack a physical presence. Examples of intangible assets include right of use assets, patents, copyrights and trademarks, the value of which can sometimes be difficult to quantify. Some tangible and intangible assets are referred to as wasting assets, or assets that decline in value over a limited life span. Tangible assets that qualify as wasting assets include manufacturing equipment and vehicles, which wear down or become obsolete over time.

Intangible assets such as patents also qualify as wasting assets because they have a limited lifespan before they expire. Usage: Finally, an asset can be classified as operating or non-operating based on how a company uses it. Operating assets are necessary to the primary operations of a business, such as cash, inventory, factories and patents.

Non-operating assets are not necessary for funding business operations but have other peripheral value. Examples include short-term investments, marketable securities, interest from deposits and administrative computers. There are a wide variety of assets that businesses might have to perform at their highest level. They include:. Properly classifying assets is important for company leaders to have an accurate picture of key financial metrics such as working capital and cash flow.

Distinguishing operating assets from non-operating assets also helps organizations see how each asset type drives overall revenue. Business assets can be divided into three different categories based on their convertibility, physical existence and usage.

What are these three types of assets? Understanding and properly valuing assets is integral to accurate accounting, business planning and financial reporting. And in the case of public companies, accurately accounting for leased assets is required by law. Accountants have to properly classify assets for purposes such as securing credit and obtaining insurance.

Current assets are assets that can be converted to cash or cash equivalents within the space of one year. Here are some examples of current assets:. Accounts receivable. Fixed assets cannot be converted to cash or cash equivalents within the space of one fiscal year.

Tangible assets are assets with some kind of physical presence. Here are some examples of tangible assets:. Here are some examples of intangible assets:. Operating assets are assets that enable your business to generate revenue via your core business operations. Here are some examples of operating assets:. Non-operating assets are assets that do not help your business generate revenue via your core business operations but may still help you generate income in other ways.

Here are some examples of non-operating assets:. Most of the time, there are only two types of assets on a balance sheet: current assets and fixed assets. Personal Finance. Your Practice. Popular Courses. Fixed Asset vs. Current Asset: An Overview A company's financial statement will generally classify its assets into distinct categories, including fixed assets and current assets.

Key Takeaways Fixed assets are items of company property that are expected to be used long-term. Companies may use depreciation of fixed assets for tax and accounting reasons. Current assets are possessions that the company expects to use or monetize in the near term. Another term for current assets is liquid assets, meaning they are easily converted into income. Article Sources. Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work.

These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate. You can learn more about the standards we follow in producing accurate, unbiased content in our editorial policy. Compare Accounts. The offers that appear in this table are from partnerships from which Investopedia receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where listings appear.

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