What are the contra asset accounts?
Isabella Turner
Updated on January 01, 2026
Contra asset accounts include allowance for doubtful accounts and accumulated depreciation. Contra asset accounts are recorded with a credit balance that decreases the balance of an asset. A key example of contra liabilities include discount on notes or bonds payable. Contra liabilities hold a debit balance.
Why is accumulated depreciation a contra asset?
Why Accumulated Depreciation is a Credit Balance Over the years, accumulated depreciation increases as the depreciation expense is charged against the value of the fixed asset. In other words, accumulated depreciation is a contra-asset account, meaning it offsets the value of the asset that it is depreciating.
What is a contra asset account used for?
A contra asset is a negative asset account that offsets the asset account with which it is paired. The purpose of a contra asset account is to store a reserve that reduces the balance in the paired account.
What is the contra asset account of a depreciable asset?
Contra Asset – Accumulated Depreciation Accumulated depreciation is a contra asset account used to record the amount of depreciation to date on a fixed asset. Examples of fixed assets. Correctly identifying and include buildings, machinery, office equipment, furniture, vehicles, etc.
Is a contra account an asset?
What is a Contra Asset Account? In bookkeeping, a contra asset account is an asset account in which the natural balance of the account will either be a zero or a credit (negative) balance. The account offsets the balance in the respective asset account that it is paired with on the balance sheet.
What is the normal balance for contra asset accounts?
In bookkeeping, a contra asset account is an asset account in which the natural balance of the account will either be a zero or a credit (negative) balance.
What is the contra asset account of depreciable asset?
The most common contra asset account is Accumulated Depreciation. Accumulated Depreciation is associated with property, plant and equipment (plant assets). Accumulated Depreciation will be credited when Depreciation Expense is recorded.
What is the purpose of a contra asset account?
Which is not contra entry in cash book?
Credit and Debit entries are both taken into consideration into the cash book and not necessarily only bank or only cash entries are reflected.
Is Notes Payable an asset or liability?
While Notes Payable is a liability, Notes Receivable is an asset. Notes Receivable record the value of promissory notes that a business owns, and for that reason, they are recorded as an asset.
Does depreciation go in liabilities?
If anything, accumulated depreciation represents the amount of economic value that has been consumed in the past. It is not a liability, since the balances stored in the account do not represent an obligation to pay a third party.