Are accrued assets or liabilities?
Sophia Koch
Updated on January 05, 2026
Accrued expenses are the opposite of prepaid expenses. Prepaid expenses are payments made in advance for goods and services that are expected to be provided or used in the future. While accrued expenses represent liabilities, prepaid expenses are recognized as assets on the balance sheet.
Is accrued liabilities a liability?
Accrued liabilities explained Accrued liabilities, also referred to as accrued expenses, are expenses that businesses have incurred, but haven’t yet been billed for. These expenses are listed on the balance sheet as a current liability, until they’re reversed and eliminated from the balance sheet entirely.
How do you record accrued expenses on a balance sheet?
Accrued expenses are reported on a company’s balance sheet. A balance sheet shows what a company owns (its “assets”) and owes (its “liabilities”) as of a particular date, along with its shareholders’ equity. Accrued expenses would be recorded under the section “Liabilities”.
Are accruals considered debt?
Accruals are earned revenues and incurred expenses that have yet to be received or paid. Accounts payable are short-term debts, representing goods or services a company has received but not yet paid for. Accounts payable are a type of accrued liability.
Is accrued liabilities a debit or credit?
The journal entry for an accrued liability is typically a debit to an expense account and a credit to an accrued liabilities account. At the beginning of the next accounting period, the entry is reversed.
What are examples of accrued liabilities?
Some examples of accrued liabilities include the following:
- Services and purchases that have been received, but the vendors’ invoices have not yet been recorded in Accounts Payable.
- Accrued employee wages and fringe benefits.
- Accrued management bonuses.
- Accrued interest on loans payable.
- Accrued advertising and promotion.
Is accrued wages a debit or credit?
Accrued wages are recorded in order to recognize the entire wage expense that a business has incurred during a reporting period, not just the amount actually paid. The accrued wages entry is a debit to the wages expense account, and a credit to the accrued wages account.
How do you account for accrued liabilities?
The journal entry is typically a credit to accrued liabilities and a debit to the corresponding expense account. Once the payment is made, accrued liabilities are debited, and cash is credited. At such a point, the accrued liability account will be completely removed from the books.