CURRENT RATIO Definition

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CURRENT RATIO, a comparison of current assets to current liabilities, is a commonly used measure of short-run solvency, i.e., the immediate ability of a firm to pay its current debts as they come due. Current Ratio is particularly important to a company thinking of borrowing money or getting credit from their suppliers. Potential creditors use this ratio to measure a companys liquidity or ability to pay off short-term debts. Though acceptable ratios may vary from industry to industry below 1.00 is not atypical for high quality companies with easy access to capital markets to finance unexpected cash requirements. Smaller companies, however, should have higher current ratios to meet unexpected cash requirements. The rule of thumb Current Ratio for small companies is 2:1, indicating the need for a level of safety in the ability to cover unforeseen cash needs from current assets. Current Ratio is best compared to the industry. Formula: Current Assets / Current Liabilities

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GENERAL JOURNAL is the most basic of journals. It is a chronological list of transactions. It has a very specific format for recording each transaction. Each transaction is recorded separately and consists of: 1.) a date; 2.) any and all accounts to receive a debit entry are listed first with an amount in the appropriate column, then; 3.) any and all accounts to receive a credit entry are indented and listed next with an amount in the appropriate column; 4.) a clear description of the transaction. At least one line is then skipped to visually separate recorded transactions.

ALLOWANCE FOR UNCOLLECTIBLE ACCOUNTS see ALLOWANCE FOR BAD DEBTS.

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