what is personal,real and nominal accounts? Related: Introduction to ...
1. Real Accounts
All assets of a firm, which are tangible or intangible, fall under the category “Real Accounts“.
Tangible real accounts are related to things that can be touched and felt physically. Few examples of tangible real accounts are building, machinery, stock, land, etc.
Intangible real accounts are related to things that can’t be touched and felt physically. Few examples of such real accounts are goodwill, patents, trademarks, etc.
Golden rule for real accounts
- Debit what comes in
- Credit what goes out
2. Personal Accounts
These accounts are related to individuals, firms, companies, etc. A few examples of personal accounts include debtors, creditors, banks, outstanding/prepaid accounts, accounts of credit customers, accounts of goods suppliers, capital, drawings, etc.
Natural personal accounts: This type of personal accounts is the simplest to understand out of all and includes all of God’s creations who have the ability to deal, who, in most cases, are people. E.g. Kumar’s A/C, Adam’s A/C, etc.
Artificial personal accounts: Personal accounts which are created artificially by law, such as corporate bodies and institutions, are called Artificial personal accounts. E.g. Pvt Ltd companies, LLCs, LLPs, clubs, schools, etc.
Representative personal accounts: Accounts which represent a certain person or a group directly or indirectly. E.g. Let’s say that wages are paid in advance to an employee – a wage prepaid account will be opened in the books of accounts. This wages prepaid account is a representative personal account indirectly linked to the person.
Golden rule for personal accounts
- Debit the receiver
- Credit the giver
3. Nominal Accounts
Accounts which are related to expenses, losses, incomes or gains are called Nominal accounts. The dictionary meaning of the word “nominal” is “existing in name only” and the meaning remains absolutely true in accounting sense too, because nominal accounts do not really exist in physical form, but behind every nominal account money is involved. E.g. Purchase A/C, Salary A/C, Sales A/C, Commission received A/C, etc.
The final result of all nominal accounts is either profit or loss which is then transferred to the capital account.
Golden rule for nominal accounts
- Debit all expenses & losses
- Credit all incomes & gains
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what is personal,real and nominal accounts? Related: Introduction to ...
Personal Accounts:
Personal accounts are accounts that represent individuals, firms, companies, or any other entity with whom a business has a direct relationship. These accounts are maintained to record transactions related to the people or entities involved in a business. Personal accounts can be further classified into three types: natural, artificial, and representative accounts.
- Natural Accounts: Natural accounts are personal accounts that represent individuals. Examples of natural accounts include accounts for individuals, such as Mr. X, Ms. Y, etc.
- Artificial Accounts: Artificial accounts are personal accounts that represent artificial persons or entities such as firms, companies, or organizations. Examples of artificial accounts include accounts for companies, such as ABC Ltd., XYZ Corp., etc.
- Representative Accounts: Representative accounts are personal accounts that represent individuals or entities who act on behalf of others. Examples of representative accounts include accounts for agents, such as sales agents, brokers, etc.
Real Accounts:
Real accounts are accounts that represent tangible assets, liabilities, or capital. These accounts are maintained to record transactions related to the assets, liabilities, and capital of a business. Real accounts can be further classified into three types: tangible, intangible, and fictitious accounts.
- Tangible Accounts: Tangible accounts represent physical assets that can be seen, touched, or measured. Examples of tangible accounts include accounts for cash, buildings, machinery, etc.
- Intangible Accounts: Intangible accounts represent assets that do not have a physical existence but have value. Examples of intangible accounts include accounts for patents, trademarks, copyrights, etc.
- Fictitious Accounts: Fictitious accounts represent imaginary or non-existent items. These accounts are used to balance the books of accounts. Examples of fictitious accounts include accounts for discounts, suspense accounts, etc.
Nominal Accounts:
Nominal accounts are accounts that represent revenues, expenses, gains, or losses. These accounts are maintained to record transactions related to the income and expenses of a business. Nominal accounts are temporary in nature and are closed at the end of an accounting period. Examples of nominal accounts include accounts for sales, salaries, rent, etc.
In summary, personal accounts represent individuals, firms, or entities, real accounts represent tangible and intangible assets, liabilities, and capital, and nominal accounts represent revenues, expenses, gains, or losses. These three types of accounts are essential in accounting as they help in recording and organizing financial transactions effectively.