Debit and credit rules - Posting to T-accounts and balancing

Learning Outcomes

After reading this article, you will be able to apply debit and credit rules, post transactions accurately to T-accounts, balance ledger accounts, and understand how debits and credits affect assets, liabilities, capital, income, and expenses. You will be able to explain double-entry principles and correctly balance and carry forward T-account balances for exam questions.

ACCA Recording Financial Transactions (FA1) Syllabus

For ACCA Recording Financial Transactions (FA1), you are required to understand the correct use of debit and credit entries in bookkeeping. Revision should focus on:

• The purpose and structure of T-accounts (ledger accounts)
• Posting business transactions using double-entry accounting
• The rules for debits and credits for each type of account (assets, liabilities, equity, income, expenses)
• Balancing T-accounts and identifying account balances to carry forward
• Recognising how accurate postings support trial balance preparation and error checking

Test Your Knowledge

Attempt these questions before reading this article. If you find some difficult or cannot remember the answers, remember to look more closely at that area during your revision.

1. Which side of the T-account is used to record an increase in an asset?
2. A business pays wages of $500 by bank transfer. What is the correct double-entry in T-accounts?
3. State whether a credit entry increases or decreases the balance of a liability account.
4. How do you balance off a T-account at the end of an accounting period?
5. Why is it important that the total value of debits equals the total value of credits for every transaction?

Introduction

The double-entry bookkeeping system forms the core of recording financial transactions. Every transaction has two sides: a debit and a credit. These entries are recorded in T-accounts—so called because of their 'T' shape—enabling businesses to track increases and decreases in each account. Following the debit and credit rules ensures financial accuracy and supports the preparation of reliable trial balances and financial statements.

To pass the ACCA FA1 exam, you must be able to post transactions correctly to T-accounts, understand the effect of debits and credits across account types, and balance ledger accounts. This article covers the practical application of these skills.

Key Term: T-account
A T-account is a visual representation of a ledger account, showing debits on the left and credits on the right.

Key Term: double-entry bookkeeping
A system where every transaction affects at least two accounts, with equal debit and credit entries.

Debit and Credit Rules in Practice

The Structure of T-Accounts

A T-account presents two columns: debits on the left, credits on the right. Each account—such as Bank, Sales, or Wages—records increases and decreases depending on account type.

Debit and Credit Rules by Account Type

Correctly applying debit and credit entries depends on understanding the account's category.

Key Term: debit
The left side of a T-account; increases assets and expenses, and decreases liabilities, capital, and income.

Key Term: credit
The right side of a T-account; increases liabilities, capital, and income, and decreases assets and expenses.

Worked Example 1.1

A business sells goods for $800 cash. What are the entries in the T-accounts?

Answer:

• Debit: Bank $800 (increase in asset)
• Credit: Sales $800 (increase in income)

Worked Example 1.2

A business pays rent of $400 by bank transfer. Show the postings in the relevant T-accounts.

Answer:

• Debit: Rent (expense) $400 (increase in expense)
• Credit: Bank $400 (decrease in asset)

Applying the Double-Entry Principle

Every transaction affects two (or more) accounts with equal debit and credit entries. For example:

• Purchasing equipment by paying cash:
  • Debit Equipment (asset) account
  • Credit Bank account

This equal posting is the basis of double-entry bookkeeping.

Worked Example 1.3

A business borrows $2,000 from a bank. Record the entries in T-accounts.

Answer:

• Debit: Bank $2,000 (increase in asset)
• Credit: Loan Payable $2,000 (increase in liability)

Balancing T-Accounts

At the end of an accounting period, T-accounts must be balanced. This process involves:

1. Adding up both sides of the account.
2. Finding the higher total.
3. Placing the total on both sides.
4. Inserting a 'balance carried down (c/d)' on the side with the lower amount to make both sides equal.
5. Bringing the balance forward (b/f) to the next period on the opposite side.

Key Term: balancing off an account
The process of calculating and recording the closing balance of a T-account, ready for use in the next period.

Worked Example 1.4

Balance the following Bank account after the transactions below:

How is the balance calculated and shown?

Answer:

Add Dr: $5,000 + $1,400 = $6,400
Add Cr: $600 + $250 = $850

Highest total: $6,400 (place this on both sides).

Balance c/d = $6,400 - $850 = $5,550 (recorded on credit side).
Balance b/f $5,550 (recorded on debit side in the next period).

Exam Warning

A very common mistake is confusing which side of a T-account to post increases or decreases for each account type. Remember: assets and expenses increase with debits; liabilities, capital, and income increase with credits.

Summary

All transactions must be recorded using equal debit and credit entries. Understanding which accounts to debit and which to credit is essential for accurate records. Balancing off T-accounts shows the closing balance to be brought forward for the next period and supports production of the trial balance.

Key Point Checklist

This article has covered the following key knowledge points:

• Recognise the structure and function of T-accounts
• Apply the debit and credit rules to assets, liabilities, capital, income, and expenses
• Post double-entry transactions accurately
• Balance and carry forward T-account balances
• Avoid common errors with debit and credit postings

Key Terms and Concepts

• T-account
• double-entry bookkeeping
• debit
• credit
• balancing off an account