2.1: Debits and Credits
This chapter explains the rules regarding debits and credits. Debits and credit increase and decrease certain accounts. Spend some time learning the rules of debits and credits, since they are the foundation of accounting principles. Posting a debit where a credit should be, or vice versa, will cause you to be out of balance. You will then have to re-trace all of your postings to uncover your error, which would be very frustrating and time-consuming. Since accounting is the "language of business", it is very important that you understand the building blocks of the language. Even if you hire a CPA to do your books, you need an understanding of what drives your results so that you can manage accordingly, and avoid becoming a victim of fraud.
Read the rules of debits and credits, and copy and keep handy as a quick reference. Then, read the section on the ledger and the chart of accounts again. Learning about financial accounting for the first time is all about building upon and refining your knowledge of accounting processes and methods step-by-step. Be sure to note which accounts are permanent and which accounts are temporary.
This video will help you understand the basic rules of debits and credits in accounting. Some easy acronyms are shown to help you remember the rules!
Since many of you may be confused about why the terms for debits and credits are "backwards", this video explains why! It will help you understand why we refer to a return to a store as a credit, and how common financial terms are based on the accounting equation.