Author name: admin@kalpas.in

Insurance, Personal Finance

The Popularism of NFTs

We live in a world where every aspect of our daily life, be it education, shopping, meetings, and of course, playing games, etc. is shifting online. Hence, it was only a matter of time before ‘creative’ expression would also transition to the virtual world. Well, the blockchain art market is up and running – zooming, in fact. It has taken the world by quite a storm. There are a maddening number of people across the world who are investing in ‘digital art’ through the process of tokenization. These tokens are referred to as NFTs or Non-Fungible Tokens. However, this is not as simple as it sounds. Though NFTs have been grabbing media headlines left and right for quite some time now, many critics are doubtful of the ‘art’ underlying these NFTs. Art like, digital avatars of penguins, cats, apes, and the likes currently dominate a major share of the NFT market. On the other hand, many artists and consumer brands have also launched their ‘limited collection’ NFTs. They are selling digital files of their work for millions of dollars on the blockchain. It seems that NFTs are the way forward for the concept of revenue generation in the world. What really is an NFT? As mentioned earlier, NFT stands for Non-Fungible Token. Non-fungible refers to something which is unique and cannot be duplicated. NFTs represent such one-of-a-kind digital assets, like songs, drawings, stickers, etc. They are cryptographic tokens hosted on a blockchain. Typically, NFTs were hosted only by Ethereum, but other cryptos like Solana have also joined the bandwagon, and many others are also working towards the same. These NFTs attract investors or rather ‘collectors’ for the same reason a Van Gogh painting does – because there is only one of them. But this is where lines start getting a little bit blurry. Because, in essence, you can copy and download a digital file as many times as you want. And you can do the same for the art underlying an NFT. Well then, why are people spending millions of dollars buying an NFT? This is because buying an NFT gives an investor something that can’t be copied – ownership of the work. But the artist can still claim copyright and reproduction rights, just like with physical art. It’s a one-of-a-kind trading card. For instance, we have Pokémon cards – wherein you can only exchange one card for another, or buy it off someone for a higher price. The same goes on with NFTs, and the original artist gets a royalty every time his NFT art swaps hands. Many feel that NFTs could become like art collecting. Grimes sold a 50-second video last year for $39 million. Another artist, Beeple (an American digital artist) auctioned off one of his works at Christie’s for $69 million. This is $15 million more than what an original Monet painting fetched, back in 2014. NFT Communities Just like in any other commodity trading, NFTs have also started having their own, dedicated communities. The first such community, called CryptoPunks, was founded in 2017. It is a series of 10,000 pixelated characters, each worth millions of dollars. This paved the way for the next community – the Bored Apes Yacht Club – a group of 10,000 cartoon apes. Each of these cartoon apes now sells for an average of $45,000. The latest community to jump on the train is the ‘Pudgy Penguins’. This community hosts a collection of 8,888 unique penguins with different combinations of clothing, facial expressions, and accessories. Community NFTs typically entitle buyers to exclusive benefits, like membership of a Discord server, or access to a private Telegram channel, where you can socialize with other fellow buyers. The biggest perk, however, is being able to flex your NFT as a digital avatar on your Twitter profile picture. Plus you get to be a part of an elite crowd. NFTs are quickly becoming a status symbol, especially community NFTs. This is primarily because they offer social standing and connections to buyers, along with a potentially profitable investment. Buying and Selling NFTs Dealing with NFTs is nothing complex. There are many NFT marketplaces now, where you can register yourself and buy or sell NFTs. OpenSea is the oldest NFT market and the most popular one. If you’re an artist and wish to list your NFTs, you can upload your artwork on this marketplace, ‘mint’ it to your profile, and list it for sale. You will also need a crypto wallet compatible with the blockchain you are using. The minting process is as simple as uploading your files, inputting your work’s description, making your profile, determining your royalty fees, and completing the listing. Every time the NFT changes hand, you will earn a royalty. So, if and when, your work becomes popular, you will also receive some of its benefits. Just like in cryptocurrency, to buy an NFT, what you need is a digital wallet to store your investment. Ethereum is the most widely accepted crypto in the NFT world. NFTs can also work as speculative assets. That is, you buy them with the hopes of selling them in the future for a higher price. NFTs are here to stay! Brands across all sectors are entering the NFT space. And they are not doing so just to be a part of the trend. NFTs can enable brands to increase their revenue opportunities by a manifold. From celebrities to startups, everyone is coming up with their category of NFTs. Brands like Coca-Cola, Marvel Comics, McDonald’s and Gucci are not just selling NFTs, but auctioning them off. In India, popular celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan, Ritviz, Sunny Leone, Sonu Nigam, Nucleya, Yuvraj Singh, have launched their own NFTs in 2021. In fact, T-Series, which is Asia’s largest music label, is also foraying into the NFT market. Initially, they will launch digital arts for popular movies, in collaboration with Hungama, which is developing its own metaverse of entertainment. All in all, NFTs are the future of commodity trading. And all

Personal Finance

Materiality Concept as per GAAP and FASB – Materiality principle

Some business dealings are negligible to warrant mentioning in a financial report. The idea of materiality is used to determine what information should be included in a financial statement and what information should be omitted so that the statement is as concise and unified as possible for use in an external study of the company’s financial health. Let’s check out the Materiality Concept in accounting. What is Materiality Concept? For purposes of putting up the financial statements, “material” means that the information can change the view or opinion of a reasonable person, and so is essential.  In brief, when putting together the company’s financial statements, care must be taken to include all relevant financial data that could sway the opinion of an informed reader. A related term for the materiality idea is “materiality constraint” in accounting. The corporation need not include non-material information in its financial statements. Materiality is a relative term in accounting, depending on context and the magnitude of the transaction. It means that one company’s financial data could be considered material by another, yet the same data could be irrelevant to a third. This facet of materiality becomes more apparent when contrasting businesses of different sizes, such as a major corporation with a small one.  Compared to the company’s size and revenue, a similar cost may be considered a significant expense by a small business yet insignificant and minor by a huge business. Auditors, shareholders, investors, etc., are all examples of potential recipients of financial statements. Therefore, the materiality concept’s primary goal in accounting is to determine whether or not the information at hand substantially affects the viewpoint portrayed by financial statement users.  Principles of Materiality Under GAAP and FASB General Accepted Accounting Principles and Concept of Materiality According to GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles), the most important criteria for determining materiality are – According to current GAAP, the “materiality principle is a concept when material items in a financial report are omitted or misstated. These have an impact on the viewpoint of the users of that report; it may have a likely impact on judgment and reliability.” The FASB’s Materiality Principle Conversely, the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (FASB) key rule for determining materiality is- When considered in context, the scope to which an accounting information omission or misstatement is likely to have caused a reasonable person’s judgment to be affected. Importance of the Accounting Concept of Materiality and Its Applications It is important to note that concept of materiality is a relative term that directs a business to identify and disclose only those transactions that are sufficiently big relative to the company’s operations and might cause concern to users of the financial statements.  According to the materiality notion, if a transaction involves a significant amount of money, the corporation must report it by generally accepted accounting rules. Moreover, a misrepresentation occurs if accounting principles are not followed, and materiality is quantified in terms of dollars. Therefore, businesses must learn to identify what factors are most important to their operations and invest in a sufficient number of workers to keep their books in order.  Several factors may influence the materiality determinations: The nature of the business,  The state of the economy The authority of the person reviewing the financial statements.  But if the expense of following the accounting principles seems to outweigh the expected advantage, the corporation may abandon them. Subjectivity’s Role in the Concept The idea of what constitutes “materiality” in financial statements is a well-established accounting norm. The historical cost convention is a similar notion that is adhered to by businesses. These are the subjectivity factors:  Keep track of purchases using the market rate at the time of purchase. Value assets at their initial investment. Note that confirming charges incurred in the past is typically carried forward. This means there is essentially no doubt about past prices. But materiality evaluations might be subjective and ambiguous.  The issue concerns the potential weight that particular data might have on a choice. Therefore, there may be some subjectivity involved in concluding materiality. Because of this, there will always be a range of possible interpretations. It should come as no surprise that opinions on what truly matters can vary among the following: The company’s board of directors. Management positions in a company. Top management. Potential collaborators in business. Accountants. Auditors. Possible financiers. Shareholders. If the organizations’ interests, motivations, and goals are different, there is a greater likelihood of conflict.  Consequences of Accounting’s Misuse of the “Materiality” Concept Misusing the materiality principle in accounting might have severe repercussions. For the most part, “rules of thumb” are used by auditors and courts to assess cases of material abuse.  However, neither GAAP nor FASB has been willing to provide a precise range for error sizes that would constitute materiality abuse. But there are other considerations besides error magnitude that the reviewers who make materiality abuse rulings should consider.  Considerations for the materiality principle concept: These two considerations are the reason for the mistake and how seriously the user will likely take it. They also consider the following two variables: The Reason and Intention Behind the Mistake If auditors or a court can show that the defendant intended to do any of the following, a finding of abuse is more likely: Hold stock prices at inflated levels. Income should be inflated. Don’t give the complete picture of the asset base’s worth. Exert improper pressure on merger or acquisition choices. The Influence It Will Most Likely Have On The Opinions And Views Of Users. Audit Materiality Example To state a Materiality example, here is the explanation for the same. A mistake in the section containing the income would be placed in a section that should not. Let’s assume that “Manufacturing indirect labor expenses” for this period are very high. Consider the possibility that these are incorrectly filed under “Direct Manufacturing Labor.”  Probably not a case of material abuse, just a simple oversight. Because both types of expense add to the cost of products

Personal Finance

What is Franchising?

Franchising is when two parties agree to come under a contract that allows one party to provide the license or rights to another party. The party who provides rights is called the franchisor, whereas the one receiving rights is called the franchisee. The license and right can allow the other party to sell the franchisor’s goods, services, or products by paying a fee. The brand name & trademark of the franchisor is free to use by the franchisee.  A franchisor receives a commission or a one-time fee paid by the franchisee. Marketing is also another way they are benefitted that helps their business grow. The franchisor has full access to provide the rights to one or more people or companies. The person holding the rights has the exclusive right to sell their products or services. The parent company provides trade secrets, services, technical work, and products.  What is international franchising? International franchising is a strategic way to diversify a brand globally & create new revenues and profit centers because it reduces its dependence on domestic demand. This franchising involves low risk, requires minimal investment, and offers huge upside potential in scaling a business to new heights. Structure of international franchising Master franchising The simplest structure for expanding a franchise internationally is a master franchise. In this situation, the franchisor grants master franchise rights to an appropriate indigenous people or organization (master franchisee) in the target country, often in exchange for a significant investment. Direct Franchising If the franchisor can provide support, he can opt for a Country Direct Franchise, be directly in charge of recruiting, training and supporting the network of franchisees, by directing remotely from headquarters, or opening a subsidiary in the target country, or hire a designated agent. Area development In some businesses or industries where sub-franchising is not allowed and franchisees must own brand new branches that are opened, the entire country may not be the most efficient size for a license, so regional franchises and regions are similar to franchises and regions divided. When sub-franchising does not occur, this practice is usually called community development franchising. Regional franchising In some countries (such as the United States), one master franchisee may not be able to control an entire region. The regional franchise approach divides the target country into regions. For example, divide the US into states and treat them as mini-master franchises. Franchisees in these regions should work together on national initiatives such as marketing. Types of franchising Business format franchising This type of franchise facilitates the expansion of the franchisor’s business by allowing individuals to purchase the business under an established brand name. New business owners are often supported in the early stages of their business and continue to be supported in running their business. The best example of this type of franchising is the fast-food industry. Product franchising This type of franchise model focuses on individuals selling products or providing services in a particular segment of commerce or industry. Product franchises are a top-notch choice for first-time commercial enterprise owners, impartial contractors, and domestic businesses. Example: Independent contractors investing in franchises with an established name and reputation in their field. Conversion franchising It is a method of building a franchise where a franchisee enters a relationship with an existing business and transforms it into a franchised entity. Franchisees inherit the parent company’s brand, marketing and promotion programs, training systems, and customer service protocols. This type of franchise includes electricians, real estate agents, etc. Job franchising This is generally a low-investment (often home-based) franchise that can operate alone or with minimal staff (less than 5 people). Franchisees only need to pay franchise fees and minimal upfront costs such as equipment, basic materials, and possibly vehicles. Numerous industries can be franchised and commonly serve in this manner. For example, vending machines. Investment franchising This is typically a large deal that requires a large capital investment (which is huge compared to other franchise options). Franchisees are large investors who provide funding and management teams and sometimes even hire their franchisees to run the business. This type of franchise is primarily used to generate a high return on investment with little personal effort and capital gains upon exit. Example: large restaurants. The Bottomline: Advantages and Risks of Franchising Advantages  Capital Although much less capital is required to expand, the risk is largely limited to the capital invested in developing the franchise business. This amount is often less than the cost of opening an additional company-owned location. Growth potential Franchising allows the franchisor not only financial leverage but also the use of human resources. Franchising allows companies to overcome competition, thus saturating the market before companies can react. Profits Franchisors typically have much leaner organizations (and often leverage existing organizations to support their business operations). The result, therefore, is that franchise organizations can be more profitable. Low Risk Franchisees are largely exempt from liability for employee disputes because they run equipment, vehicle, and physical location leases and are responsible for what happens within the unit itself. You can grow to hundreds or thousands of units with limited investment without spending your capital on unit expansion. Risks Badly documented franchise Franchisor adherence to poorly documented standards can also be a source of conflict with the franchisor. This is because it is very difficult to follow rules that are simply unclear and unprofessional. Franchise Fraud There are so many franchise opportunities these days, and they all have very similar publicity, that it’s easy to be misled by a “fake” franchisor. The franchise that doesn’t exist (which is pure fraud) or that is unprofessional and built on untried and unproven business models. The best way to avoid “fake” franchises is to thoroughly analyze all information about the franchise that you may receive from the franchisor, other franchisees, and public sources. Unrelated Business Model Some of the franchise’s underlying business models may, under certain circumstances, simply be irrelevant in certain markets. For example, different countries have very different demands for a particular product

Personal Finance

Amortization: Meaning, Methods and Examples

What Is The Amortization and How Does It Work Did you know that the word amortization means ‘kill’? So, when used in a financial context, amortization means the process of killing and erasing off a debt.  What is the meaning of amortization? Amortization is a method of reducing the book value of a loan or intangible asset over time. On an asset, amortization is similar to depreciation. A loan’s amortization is the process of deferring repayment. The term “amortization” describes two distinct circumstances. First, amortization is a method of paying down debt over time by making regular principal and interest payments. An amortization schedule is used to lower the present loan debt.  Second, for accounting and tax reasons, amortization can refer to the spreading out of capital costs connected with intangible assets over a specific period—typically the asset’s useful life. Importance of Amortization Amortization is essential in helping organizations realize the benefits and estimate expenses over time. In the case of debt repayment, the amortization schedule shows how much of a loan payment is interest and how much is the principal repayment. This can be advantageous for tax purposes, such as deducting interest payments. Amortizing intangible assets is particularly important since it reduces a company’s tax liability and, as a result, its tax burden while simultaneously providing investors with a better picture of its underlying profitability. Amortization Of A Loan Amortization is the process where you pay off your loans over a period of months in regular interest and principal payments that are enough to pay off the loan in full by the end of its term. Early in the loan, a bigger percentage of the flat monthly payment goes toward interest, but as the term progresses, a more significant portion of the payment goes toward the loan’s principal. You may use financial calculators, Microsoft Excel, and online amortization calculators to calculate amortization. The outstanding loan balance is the first item on the repayment plan. The interest payment is determined by multiplying the monthly interest rate (annual interest divided by 12) by the outstanding loan balance to arrive at the monthly payment amount. The entire monthly payment (a fixed sum) minus the interest of that month equals the amount that goes for principal repayment. The outstanding loan balance for the next month is computed by subtracting the previous month’s outstanding loan balance from the preceding principal payment. The interest payment is computed using the new outstanding balance. The procedure repeats until all principal payments are completed, and the loan balance is zero at the end of the cycle. Calculation of Amortization of Loans Here’s the formula to calculate monthly principal on an amortized loan:  Monthly Principal Payment= Total Monthly Payment−(Outstanding Loan Balance × Interest Rate/12 Months) Usually, when you get a loan, you know how much you’ll pay each month. If you’re trying to estimate or analyze monthly installments based on a set of variables like loan amount and interest rate, you’ll probably need to compute the monthly payment as well. For any reason, you might need to figure out how much you’ll pay each month. Total Payment = Loan Amount * [{(i*1+i/n)/(1+i/n)}-1] Where i is the monthly interest  And n is the number of payments.  For example, the loan amount is Rs. 5,00,000 with an interest rate of 8% p.a. for ten years. To find out the monthly interest rate, you need to divide the annual interest rate by 12. For instance, if the interest rate is 8%, then the monthly interest rate would be 8%/12 = 0.67% If you want to find the number of payments, you simply need to multiply the number of years of the loan term into 12. So, if your loan term is ten years, the number of payments would be 120.    In this case, the monthly payment that needs to be made is Rs. 6,066. To calculate the interest portion in the first month’s EMI, we need to use the formula to figure out the monthly principal amount.  =  6,066 –(500000*0.67%)  =Rs.2,733 We need to subtract the principal paid from the initial principal to calculate the outstanding principal amount.   Here’s what the amortization schedule would look like for the first few months. Month and Year Starting Balance Interest Paid Principal Paid EMI Outstanding Principal Balance Mar 5,00,000 3333 2,733 6,066 4,97,267 April 4,97,267 3315 2,751 6,066 4,94,516 Apr 4,94,516 3297 2,769 6,066 4,91,747 May 4,91,747 3278 2,788 6,066 4,88,960 May 4,88,960 3260 2,806 6,066 4,86,153 June 4,86,153 3241 2,825 6,066 4,83,328 Jun 4,83,328 3222 2,844 6,066 4,80,484 July 4,80,484 3203 2,863 6,066 4,77,622 At the end of 10 years, the borrower would pay the entire principal amount.  Amortization Of Assets Amortization can also be used to talk about the amortization of intangibles or non-physical assets, like patents. In this example, amortization refers to the process of depreciating the cost of an intangible asset over the asset’s expected lifetime. It calculates how much an intangible asset, such as goodwill, a patent, a trademark, or copyright, has been consumed. Amortization is computed similarly to depreciation for tangible assets, including equipment, buildings, cars, and other assets susceptible to physical wear and tear and depletion of natural resources.  To make sure the cost of an asset is in line with how much money it makes in the same accounting period, businesses that amortise their costs over the same accounting period.  A corporation, for example, gains from the utilization of a long-term asset over some time. As a result, the expenditure is written off throughout the asset’s useful life. Accounting and tax standards give accountants guidelines on how to account for asset depreciation over time. However, the amortization of intangible assets is a tad more difficult than tangible assets. The real cost and value of items like intellectual property and brand awareness are not constant, so it is potentially more challenging to measure. Amortization vs Depreciation Amortization and depreciation are both ways to figure out how much it costs to own an asset over time. However, the

Personal Finance

Return on Investment: Meaning and How to calculate ROI?

Overview It is true that investors are looking for the best investment that can yield them the most profit. They want to know what their return on investment will be and that it’s worth taking the risk. Return on Investment (ROI) is an easy way to calculate this by looking at the expected value of an investment or how much money you expect to have from that investment after all costs are deducted. This article will provide a basic introduction to the concept of Return on Investment. The reader will learn what ROI means and how to use ROI analysis as part of their investment decision-making process. What is Return on Investment? To begin with, it’s important to note that “return” means profit, and “investment” is money put into one or more assets. Therefore, return on investment is the percentage of profit from an investment that’s generated as a percentage of the total investment. ROI plays an important role in analyzing the success of an investment and whether or not it was worth it. It is crucial to be able to analyze how much profit is generated as a percentage of the overall investment. Therefore, return on investment is a very useful tool for predicting the profit gained from a potential investment. How to calculate ROI? With the easy definition out of the way, let’s look at how to calculate ROI. To do this, it’s important first to understand what an ROI formula is and how to implement it into your analysis. ROI can be calculated by dividing the net return on investment by the amount of money invested, in the mathematical format: ROI = Net Return on Investment/Cost of Investment X 100% To better understand this formula, let’s use an example. Assume an investor has $1,000 to invest and is considering investing that money into a new project or idea. This investment is expected to promote the generation of a profit of $500 after one year. The ROI can be calculated by dividing the net profit of $1500 by $1,000, which gives a 50% return on investment. In this example, if the investor invested $1,000 and earned a 50% return on investment, it means that they would make an overall profit of $500 (50% of the investment). Therefore, with this easy formula, an investor can see exactly how much money they will make as a percentage of their initial investment. Why is it important to calculate ROI? The ROI formula generates a very simple and clear factor to use when looking at potential investments. The ROI factor shows the performance of any investment and the amount of profit is generated. With this, an investor can then judge the success of any investment by looking at the ROI. Following are some of the benefits associated with using ROI: Better Measure of Profitability: It is easy to look at the amount of money earned as a percentage of the investment, thus allowing investors to determine how much money they made as a percentage of their investment. This allows an investor to determine if they made enough profit from the investment by looking at the ROI. Comparative Analysis: ROI analysis allows investors to find out how well a certain investment will perform against other potential investments. By doing this, an investor can determine which investment is more profitable. This allows investors to best allocate their resources based on the most profitable opportunities. Time-Saving Tool: ROI analysis allows investors to quickly determine the profitability of investment by looking at several factors. Included in these factors are the rate of return on investment and the amount of time that it takes to make a profit. This allows investors to save a substantial amount of time in analyzing investments. Ease of Use: ROI analysis is a simple way to calculate investment performance. By looking at the ROI percentage, an investor can determine the profitability of an investment and its success. This makes ROI analysis a very useful tool for even beginning investors or those that are not so good in math. In light of all these benefits associated with using ROI. It is evident why it’s important for investors to calculate ROI on every investment they consider. ROI analysis is an effective formula for determining the success of various investments. FAQs Q. Does ROI guarantee success? Generally speaking, no, it doesn’t. ROI is a great tool for measuring investment success, but it does not guarantee this by itself. Other factors will impact the success of a certain investment as well. However, measuring ROI will give you an excellent idea as to how profitable a certain investment can be. Q. How can ROI help in comparing potential investments? ROI can help investors compare investment prospects across industries and sectors. By looking at the ROI, investors can estimate which industry or sector will generate a higher ROI. For example, an investor can look at two different companies, one in the technology sector and another in the aerospace industry. Let us say the technology company generates an ROI of 20%, and the aerospace company generates an ROI of 10%. Investors can conclude that the technology sector is more profitable. Q. What are the factors when considering ROI? Factors can be different based on the industry. Some of the factors considered are risk, competition, and technological changes. Thus, assessing the ROI is a very crucial part of every investment decision. Summing up, return on investment is a good way to assess the profitability of an investment. It is crucial to be able to predict how much money will be earned from an investment in the future. With this information, investors can judge how much of their money should be spent on a particular project or idea and thus save money for other good ideas. Thus, by understanding how to calculate ROI, investors will be able to make better investment decisions.

Uncategorized

All you need to know about the balance sheet!

One thing that holds utmost significance in accounting and finance is the net wort – how much the company owns and how much it owes. It is also called the book value of a company. The most prominent way to know how much a company values, the balance sheet is the key. A balance sheet includes all the assets and liabilities of a company along with the equity proportion of shareholders. Reading a balance sheet may appear challenging, but anyone can perform this task with some basics cleared.  This article will help you understand what a balance sheet is, what a consolidated balance sheet is, and why it is crucial for any business with an example.  What is a balance sheet in accounting? A business has to prepare three financial statements, and a balance sheet is one of them. A balance sheet represents the total assets, the sources of assets, whether equity or debt, total liabilities, and the shareholders’ equity. As a result, it is also called the statement of financial position.  The balance sheet of a company contains two sides, where the left section has the total assets of a company and the right side contains the total liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity.  This can be stated as the balance sheet equation = Total Assets = Total Liabilities + Total Equity Apart from the border classifications of assets and liabilities, these two are further divided into more categories – current and non-current assets and liabilities. A balance sheet helps a company find key ratios such as current ratio, liquidity ratio, debt to equity ratio, etc. This helps the internal and external stakeholders and investors know how viable the business is. Important decisions on the company policy, business strategy, financing, etc., are taken based on the balance sheet numbers. The balance sheet for a company is typically created every quarter as well as on an annual basis. Though some companies also prefer to make it on a monthly basis.  What is a consolidated balance sheet? Now that the basis for the balance sheet is clear, let us get into a little more detail. The concern to create a consolidated balance sheet arises when a company owns a subsidiary of other companies—for example, Alphabet and Google. Alphabet is the parent company, and Google is its subsidiary. If a company owns more than 50 percent stake in another company, it can choose to make a consolidated balance sheet.  In a consolidated balance sheet, the assets and liabilities of the subsidiaries are also included in the parent company’s assets and liabilities without any distinctions.  It is an easy task if the parent company has a 100 percent stake in the subsidiary. However, suppose the stake is less than that. In that case, the ideal accounting method is to include the subsidy’s assets and liabilities to the parent company’s particulars and create a separate head of Non-controlling Interest or Minority Interest under Shareholders’ Equity. It balances both sides.  Balance sheet format Below is the standalone balance sheet of TATA Motors for FY 2020-21.    Let’s understand the line particulars in detail.  Non-current Assets The major particulates for this tab are as follows.  Plant, Property, and Equipment (PP&E): All the tangible assets of a company are included under this heading. All the assets except land are added to a net of depreciation in the balance sheet of a company.  Intangible Assets: Assets such as licenses, patents, etc., cannot be seen but holds value. They are included under the tag of intangible assets.  Current Assets Current Assets are divided into three major categories.  Cash and Cash Equivalents: This includes all the liquid and short-term assets a company owns. They typically have less than three months of maturity. More details on the equivalent are always mentioned in the footnote of the balance sheet.  Accounts Receivable: This includes all the total revenue that is yet to come. Any bad debt expenses are deducted from receivables. When a company receives a credit from a doubtful account, it is added to the cash and is deducted from receivables.  Inventory: This tab includes the sum of raw materials, work in progress (WIP), and finished goods and services.  Non-Current Liabilities The primary line items under this tab are as follows.  Long Term Debt: A company showcases its total Long Term Debt excluding the part of current Non-Current Debt under this tab. It is typically classified as per different payable schedules and includes details of interest amount and principle for each maturity period.  Bonds: This tab included the amortization sum of bonds issued by the company. Current Liabilities Current Liabilities can be divided into three parts.  Accounts Payable: This is the opposite of Accounts Receivable, as in, the company is yet to pay the due to suppliers. When the company pays out the due, the cash account is reduced along with the payables account for the same sum.  Current Debt or Debts Payable: Any item excluded from Accounts Payable is included under this tab. Current Debt usually has a time frame of a year or less than a year. Sometimes it also includes Notes Payable for longer than a year.  Current Long Term Debt: It is at the discretion of a company to add Long Term Debt to the Current Debt or show it separately. Long Term Debt has a longer maturity, typically of more than a year.  Shareholders’ Equity Shareholders’ Equity contains two parts.  Equity Share Capital: Shareholders fuel the cash demand when a company starts. The cash part is included under current assets, while to balance it out, the same is added to the Shareholders’ Equity. This is the total sum that shareholders of a company have put in for the growth.  Retained Earnings: The total net profit mentioned in the income statement is added to the balance sheet under the tag of Retained Earnings. This is the sum that the company has left with after paying dividends to shareholders (if any).  Conclusion A balance sheet is a crucial element to understanding

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