What is a debit and credit accounts ( accounting)

Question

What elements are in a debit account and what elements are in credit accounts definition.

Answer 1

Double entry accounting requires consistent methodology for keeping track of entries.  It uses debits and credit for entries, but the simple definitions are debit=left and credit=right.  Whether a debit (or left sided entry) or credit )right sided entry) increases or decreases the amount in each account is dependent on the type of account.

 

The standard types of accounts that are increased with a debit (and therefore decrease with a credit) are: asset type, expense type, and losses.  Accounts that are increased with a credit (and therefore decreased with a debit) are: liability type, revenue type, equity type, and gains.

 

The normal balance for any type of account is whichever side increases the account type.  Therefore, an asset account, such as cash, has a normal debit balance and a liability account, such as accounts payable, has a normal credit balance.

Answer 2

You are asking the wrong question. In business or accounting terms, an account is a financial record of something that is expressed in money. For example, property you own, such as land or a bank account, obligations you owe, such as notes payable of mortgages, or your interest in a business, such as your share of a partnership, called capital. Every account has either a debit or a credit balance, and every account may be debited or credited, depending on what kind of transaction the account is involved in. 

 

Accounts that represent things you own are called assets, and they have debit balances. When they increase, they are debited, which increases the balance, and when they decrease they are credited, which reduces the account balance. Accounts that represent obligations you owe to others, such as you obligation to pay your electric bill, car payment, or mortgage are called liabilities. Liability accounts normally have credit balances. When you make your car payment you obligation decreases, and this id recorded in the liability account as a debit. When you increase your obligation, such as borrowing money, the liability account increases by recording the debt as a credit. Finally, capital accounts represent your wealth or economic well-being, and they have credit balances, which increase and decrease just like liability accounts. Increases in capital are called revenues, or gains. Decreases in capital are called expenses or losses. Therefore, expenses and losses are recorded as debits, because they decrease capital. Revenuers and gains are recorded as credits which increases capital.

Answer 3

A debit account is the amount of money you own through earning it from depositing.  The money in your debit account is money that rightfully belongs to you.  You can put it in a savings or withdraw money with minimal penalties.

 

A credit account is an account in which the bank gives you money to borrow.  Each time you use your credit account, you must pay back the money you used from that account.  Each time you use that account, you build up an interest fee added to the amount you used in that account.

 

A credit account should only be used during emergencies.