Chapter 9, Problem 9.7BE

(a)

To determine

Bad debts:

Bad debts can be defined as those accounts receivable that a firm does not expect to collect and has written off to its income statement under the head, expense. They are also termed as irrecoverable debts.

Bad debts are considered as expenses, as they are not anticipated to generate any financial benefits in the future. It leads to a corresponding decrease in the balance of accounts receivable on the balance sheet, as the bad debts are no longer an asset.

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts:

Allowance for doubtful debts can be defined as the amount that is kept aside by the company so as to meet unexpected bad debts in the future. It can also be referred to as a contra asset account. It reduces the gross accounts receivable of the company.

To prepare: The adjusting journal entry to record bad debt expenses for the year.

(b)

To determine

The amount to be reported for bad debts expenses.