Introduction:
In the event of the death of a partner, the profit and loss suspense account may be debited or the capital accounts of the continuing partners may be debited, depending on whether there is a change in the profit sharing ratio (PSR) of the continuing partners or not. This distinction is made to ensure the proper allocation of profits and losses among the partners.

Debiting Profit and Loss Suspense Account:
If the profit sharing ratio of the continuing partners remains unchanged after the death of a partner, the profit and loss suspense account is debited. This is done to temporarily hold the portion of the deceased partner's share of the profits until a proper adjustment can be made.

1. Treatment of profits:
- Initially, the profit and loss account is closed by transferring the profits to the profit and loss suspense account.
- The profit and loss suspense account is debited with the share of profit that would have been allocated to the deceased partner.
- This ensures that the continuing partners do not receive the deceased partner's share of the profit until a final settlement is made.

2. Treatment of losses:
- Similarly, if there are any losses, they are also transferred to the profit and loss suspense account.
- The profit and loss suspense account is debited with the share of loss that would have been allocated to the deceased partner.
- This prevents the continuing partners from bearing the entire loss on their own until a proper adjustment is made.

Debiting Capital Accounts of Continuing Partners:
If there is a change in the profit sharing ratio of the continuing partners after the death of a partner, their capital accounts are debited instead of the profit and loss suspense account. This is done to reflect the new profit sharing arrangement among the remaining partners.

1. Adjustment of capital:
- The capital accounts of the continuing partners are debited to adjust for the deceased partner's share of the profits or losses.
- The adjustment is made based on the new profit sharing ratio agreed upon by the remaining partners.
- This ensures that the capital accounts accurately reflect the revised ownership interests in the partnership.

2. Distribution of profits and losses:
- The adjustment in the capital accounts also affects the distribution of future profits and losses among the continuing partners.
- The partners will now receive their respective shares of profits or bear their respective shares of losses according to the new profit sharing ratio.

Conclusion:
In summary, the profit and loss suspense account is debited when the profit sharing ratio of the continuing partners remains unchanged after the death of a partner. This allows for a temporary holding of the deceased partner's share of profits or losses until a final settlement is made. On the other hand, if there is a change in the profit sharing ratio of the continuing partners, their capital accounts are debited to reflect the revised ownership interests and ensure proper distribution of profits and losses.