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The Daily Insight Hub

What is accounts receivable under?

Author

Sarah Martinez

Updated on January 03, 2026

You can find accounts receivable under the ‘current assets’ section on your balance sheet or chart of accounts. Accounts receivable are classified as an asset because they provide value to your company. (In this case, in the form of a future cash payment.)

Do accounts receivable go on income statement?

Accounts receivable — also known as customer receivables — don’t go on an income statement, which is what finance people often call a statement of profit and loss, or P&L.

How are receivables reported on the financial statements?

Receivables are created by extending a line of credit to customers and are reported as current assets on a company’s balance sheet. It can also sell receivables at a discount to a factoring company, which then takes over responsibility for collecting money owed and takes on the risk of default.

Why is accounts receivable an asset?

Put simply, accounts receivable counts as an asset because the amount owed to the company will be converted to cash later. More receivables = more cash, which leads to the growth of the business, over time.

How do you calculate accounts receivable on an income statement?

Follow these steps to calculate accounts receivable:

  1. Add up all charges.
  2. Find the average.
  3. Calculate net credit sales.
  4. Divide net credit sales by average accounts receivable.
  5. Create an invoice.
  6. Send regular statements.
  7. Record payments.

What are the three classifications of receivables?

Generally, receivables are divided into three types: trade accounts receivable, notes receivable, and other accounts receivable.

How do you calculate AR turnover on a balance sheet?

To calculate the accounts receivable turnover, start by adding the beginning and ending accounts receivable and divide it by 2 to calculate the average accounts receivable for the period. Take that figure and divide it into the net credit sales for the year for the average accounts receivable turnover.

What is a good receivables collection period?

The average collection period, therefore, would be 36.5 days—not a bad figure, considering most companies collect within 30 days. Collecting its receivables in a relatively short—and reasonable—period of time gives the company time to pay off its obligations.