SPECIAL MEMORANDUM ACCOUNT Definition

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SPECIAL MEMORANDUM ACCOUNT (SMA) is a sub-account of a margin account for excess equity. It can be withdrawn or used to buy more securities.

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BUSINESS ENTITY PRINCIPLE is where the business is seen as an entity separate from its owner(s) that keeps and presents financial records and prepares the final accounts and financial statements. The accounting is kept for each entity as a whole (groups of companies must present consolidated accounts and consolidated financial statements).

RULES-BASED ACCOUNTING is where specific accounting rules are set forth and must be followed in order to comply with GAAP. For example, if an airline company leases a jet, the company must follow specific GAAP rules to determine if the transaction is an operating lease or a capital lease. The main difference being that a capital lease would have to appear on the balance sheet of the airline. Therefore, two virtually identical lease transactions could be classified entirely differently based upon how they follow the GAAP leasing rules. See also PRINCIPLES-BASED ACCOUNTING.

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