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How is a prepaid expense reported in the financial statements?

Author

Matthew Harrington

Updated on January 02, 2026

Generally, the amount of prepaid expenses that will be used up within one year are reported on a company’s balance sheet as a current asset. As the amount expires, the current asset is reduced and the amount of the reduction is reported as an expense on the income statement.

Does prepaid expenses go on the income statement?

It is a future expense that a company has paid for in advance. A prepaid expense is only recognized in the income statement when the company consumes the product or service. In some cases, a company might consume the prepaid expense over multiple periods. This will result in a series of corresponding expenses.

How do you account for a prepaid expense?

The initial journal entry for prepaid rent is a debit to prepaid rent and a credit to cash. These are both asset accounts and do not increase or decrease a company’s balance sheet. Recall that prepaid expenses are considered an asset because they provide future economic benefits to the company.

How does prepaid expense affect net income?

Prepaid rent is a type of deferred expense, which is a type of asset. At the end of the month, after the service has been provided, the tenant will zero out the unearned rent by applying a $1,000 credit to the account. To balance the transaction he will debit rent expense by $1,000, which decreases net income.

What is prepaid income journal entry?

Prepaid income or advance received is treated as a liability in the supplier books of accounts. Examples of income received in advance is rent received in advance, commission received in advance etc. Accounting Entry for Income Received in Advance. Bank A/c Dr 30,000. To Prepaid Rent Income A/c 30,000.

What type of account is a prepaid expense?

A prepaid expense is a type of asset on the balance sheet that results from a business making advanced payments for goods or services to be received in the future. Prepaid expenses are initially recorded as assets, but their value is expensed over time onto the income statement.

What are prepaid expenses examples?

An example of a prepaid expense is insurance, which is frequently paid in advance for multiple future periods; an entity initially records this expenditure as a prepaid expense (an asset), and then charges it to expense over the usage period. Another item commonly found in the prepaid expenses account is prepaid rent.

Why is prepaid insurance an asset?

Prepaid insurance is usually a short term or current asset because the prepaid amount will be used up or will expire within one year of the balance sheet date. Often companies are billed in advance for insurance premiums covering a one year period or less. Hence the prepaid amount is usually a current asset.

Is a prepaid expense an expense or not?

Is a prepaid expense an asset?

Is prepaid insurance expense or asset?

Prepaid insurance is considered a prepaid expense. A prepaid expense is carried on an insurance company’s balance sheet as a current asset until it is consumed. That’s because most prepaid assets are consumed within a few months of being recorded.

It is a future expense that a company has paid for in advance. A prepaid expense is only recognized in the income statement when the company consumes the product or service. Until the expense is consumed, it is treated as a current asset on the balance sheet.

What qualifies as a prepaid expense?

Prepaid expenses are future expenses that are paid in advance. On the balance sheet, prepaid expenses are first recorded as an asset. After the benefits of the assets are realized over time, the amount is then recorded as an expense.

Is prepaid insurance an asset or expense?

current asset
Prepaid insurance is usually considered a current asset, as it becomes converted to cash or used within a fairly short time. But if a prepaid expense is not consumed within the year after payment, it becomes a long-term asset, which is not a very common occurrence.

Which of the following is an example of a prepaid expense?

Is prepaid A expense?

Prepaid expenses are future expenses that are paid in advance and hence recognized initially as an asset. As the benefits of the expenses are recognized, the related asset account is decreased and expensed. The most common types of prepaid expenses are prepaid rent and prepaid insurance.

Are supplies a prepaid expense?

Prepaid expenses are assets that become expenses as they expire or get used up. For example, office supplies are considered an asset until they are used in the course of doing business, at which time they become an expense.

What type of account and normal balance is prepaid insurance?

Acct1: Classifying Accounts and Normal Balance Sides

AB
The normal balance side of PREPAID INSURANCEDebit
The normal balance side of ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE–SAM ERICKSONDebit
The normal balance side of ACCOUNTS PAYABLE–STAPLESCredit
The normal balance side of ACCOUNTS PAYABLE–OFFICEMAXCredit

How are prepaid expenses reported on the balance sheet?

Prepaid expenses are reported on the balance sheet and expensed through the income statement via retained earnings as the asset is consumed Accrued expenses are a current liability and represent costs a company has incurred but not yet paid by the end of the accounting period

Where does prepaid insurance go on an income statement?

The amount paid is often recorded in the current asset account Prepaid Insurance. If the company issues monthly financial statements, its income statement will report Insurance Expense which is one-sixth of the six-month premium. The balance in the account Prepaid Insurance will be the amount that is still prepaid as…

Which is the best definition of a prepaid expense?

Definition of Prepaid Expenses. A prepaid expense is an expenditure paid for in one accounting period, but for which the underlying asset will not be consumed until a future period.

How does the journal entry for prepaid rent affect the balance sheet?

The initial journal entry for a prepaid expense does not affect a company’s financial statements. For example, refer to the first example of prepaid rent. The initial journal entry for prepaid rent is a debit to prepaid rent and a credit to cash. These are both asset accounts and do not increase or decrease a company’s balance sheet.