The Normal Balance of Accounts - A Short Guide

In double-entry bookkeeping, the normal balance of the account is its debit or credit balance.

And it’s depending on the type of account.

Accounts that typically have a debit balance include asset and expense accounts.

While those that typically have a credit balance include liability and equity accounts.

In reality, however, any account can have either a debit or credit balance.

Depending on the transactions that have been recorded in it.

In general, debits are used to increase asset and expense accounts, while credits are used to increase liability and equity accounts.

Normal balance accounts examples

In accounting, the normal balances of accounts are the side where increases are typically recorded.

For example, the normal balance of an asset account is a credit balance.

While the normal balance of a liability account or equity account is a debit balance.

You can treat the normal balance as the “natural” or “default” balance for an account. 

Credit balance and debit balance

The terms “credit balance” and “debit balance” are often used interchangeably.

But there is a subtle distinction between the two.

A credit balance occurs when the credits exceed the debits in an account.

While a debit balance occurs when the debits exceed the credits. 

The normal balances of accounts are important to consider when preparing financial statements.

For example, if an asset account has a debit balance, it means that more money was spent on that asset than was received from selling it.

This could be cause for concern among investors and creditors. 

Using journal entries can change normal balances.

For example, if a company wanted to increase its inventory (an asset), it would make a journal entry to debit inventory and credit cash (another asset).

This would change the Normal Balance of inventory from credit to debit.

Understanding debits and credits

Debits and credits are an important part of financial accounting.

To understand debits and credits, you need to know the normal balance for each account type.

The normal balance for an asset account is a debit balance.

This means that when you make a debit entry to an asset account.

It increases the account balance.

When you make a debit entry to a liability or equity account, it decreases the account balance.

Finally, the normal balance for a revenue or expense account is a credit balance.

Credit normal balance and debit normal balance

This means that when you make a credit entry to one of these accounts, it increases the account balance.

When you make a debit entry to a revenue or expense account, it decreases the account balance.

Knowing the normal balance of accounts for each account type will help you understand how debits and credits affect each type of account.

Accounts chart

A glance at an accounting chart can give you a snapshot of a company’s financial health.

This type of chart lists all of the important accounts in a company, along with their normal balance.

For example, the accounts receivable account will usually have a positive balance.

Because this represents money others owe to the company.

On the other hand, the accounts payable account will usually have a negative balance.

Because it represents money that the company owes to others.

Cash account

A cash account is an expected normal balance account that includes cash and cash equivalents.

You can use a cash account to record all transactions that involve the receipt or disbursement of cash.

This includes transactions with customers, suppliers, employees, and other businesses.

Cash equivalents are short-term investments that you can convert quickly into cash with normal balances.

Such as money market funds and short-term government bonds.

The normal balance for a cash account is a debit.

This means that when you receive cash, the account is on debit, and when you pay with cash, the account is on credit.

Accounts payable is an example of a normal balance account.

The normal balance for accounts payable is a credit.

This means that when invoices are received from suppliers, the accounts payable account is credited, and when payments are made to suppliers, the accounts payable account is debited.

Asset account

And finally, asset accounts will typically have a positive balance, since these represent the company’s valuable resources.

A healthy company will have more assets than liabilities, and will therefore have a net positive cash flow.

By contrast, a company in financial trouble will often have more liabilities than assets.

Therefore, they will be operating at a net loss.

Understanding how to read an accounting chart can give you valuable insights into a company’s financial condition.

Liability account

A liability account is an account that normally has a credit balance.

This means that when you open the account, the credit turns into debit and the debit side turns into credit.

The credit side of a liability account represents the amount of money that the company owes to its creditors.

The debit side of a liability account represents the amount of money that the company has paid to its creditors.

Expense account

An expense account is a normal balance asset account that you use to record the expenses incurred by a business.

The account is debited when expenses are incurred and credited when payments are made.

The debit entry increases the expense account balance and the credit entry decreases it.

You can use a T-account to illustrate the effects of debits and credits on the expense account.

When an expense is incurred, the debit entry is recorded on the left side of the T-account and the credit entry is recorded on the right side.

When a payment is made, the credit entry is recorded on the left side and the debit entry is recorded on the right side.

The normal balance of an expense account is a debit balance.

This means that debits exceed credits and the account has a positive balance.

Contra accounts

A contra account is an optional accounting tool you can use d to improve the accuracy of financial statements.

It is a type of ledger account that offsets or “nets out” the balance of another account.

In other words, it cancels out part of the balance of the related Normal Balance account.

For example, you can use a contra asset account to offset the balance of an asset account, and a contra revenue accounts to offset the balance of a revenue account.

This means that contra accounts reduce the net amount reported on the financial statement and business transaction.

For example, if a company has $100 in Accounts Receivable and $50 in Accounts Receivable Offset (a contra asset account), then the net amount reported on the Balance Sheet would be $50.

Similarly, if a company has $100 in Sales Revenue and $50 in Sales Returns & Allowances (a contra revenue account), then the net amount reported on the Income Statement would be $50.

While Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) do not require contra account, it can be useful for providing more accurate information about normal account balance.

Revenues and gains are usually credited

When we talk about the “normal balance” of an account, we’re referring to the side of the ledger.

Where this type of account is most common.

For example, you can usually find revenues and gains on the credit side of the ledger.

While you can find expenses and losses on the debit side.

This is because gain and revenue accounts normally have a positive account balance.

While expense and loss accounts typically have a negative account balance.

The normal balance for a revenue or gain account is a credit

Thus, the normal balance for a revenue or gain account is a credit.

While the normal balance for an expense or loss account is a debit.

When an account has a positive balance.

It says you have a credit balance.

On the other hand, when an account has a negative balance.

It says you have a debit balance.

Normal balances can help you keep track of your finances and balance your books.

However, it’s important to remember that these are only guidelines.

Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide which side of the ledger each account should be on.

Expenses and losses are usually owed

Almost all organizations have what we call normal balances.

A normal balance is the side of an account a company normally debits or credits.

For example, the normal balance for an asset account is a debit.

This means when an organization buys an asset, it will record a debit in the asset account.

The normal balance for a liability account is a credit.

This means when an organization incurs a liability, it will record a credit in the liability account.

The normal balance for revenue accounts is a credit, and the normal balance for expense and loss accounts is a debit.

So, when an organization has expenses and losses, it will typically owe money to someone.

You can see it on the organization’s cash flow statement as well.

An increase in expenses and losses will cause a decrease in cash flow from operations because more cash is going out than coming in.

As a result, companies need to keep track of their expenses and losses.

Ensuring they’re not overspending and putting themselves in a difficult financial position.

For more information about finance and accounting view more of our articles.