What Is a Due to Account?
Let me explain what a due to account really is. It's a liability account you find in the general ledger, showing the amount of money your business owes to someone else. This could be due right now or sometime down the line. Typically, it comes from a transaction where you've received goods or services but haven't paid yet.
When your business gets those goods or services from an outside party and doesn't pay immediately, you create this due to account and allocate the funds for future payment. You use it alongside a due from account to figure out where the money's coming from and where it's going during reconciliation.
You might also hear it called accounts payable—it's the same thing.
Key Takeaways
- The due to account, or accounts payable, is a liability in the general ledger that shows funds owed to another entity.
- Businesses track obligations like payable funds to other parties using the due to accounts in their ledger.
- It's crucial for a company to monitor due to accounts closely to prevent excessive debt buildup.
Understanding Due to Accounts
The general ledger is your central hub for all financial accounts in the company, including debits, credits, the due to account, and the due from account. Sometimes, people call the due to account an 'intercompany payables' account. When you receive goods or services without paying upfront, you make an entry in the due to account to reserve funds for the vendor.
If your due to account grows compared to the previous period, it means you're buying more on credit instead of cash. A decrease shows you're paying off old debts faster than adding new credit purchases. You need to track these accounts properly to avoid getting overleveraged.
Due to Account vs. Due from Account
Think of the due to account and due from account as opposites. The due to tracks what your business owes to others, while the due from is an asset account tracking money owed to you that's held elsewhere. Neither should ever go negative—if it does, there's an accounting error.
Example of a Due to Account
Take XYZ Company, which makes widget presses. One day, their press breaks due to a defective tuner in the crankshaft. They hire a mechanic and buy a new tuner. The tuner comes with an invoice, and the mechanic promises to send one later. You would create two due to accounts in the ledger for these invoices. Once paid, those accounts get canceled.
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