Where does amortization go on the balance sheet?
Isabella Turner
Updated on January 01, 2026
Accumulated amortization is recorded on the balance sheet as a contra asset account, so it is positioned below the unamortized intangible assets line item; the net amount of intangible assets is listed immediately below it.
What type of account is amortization expense?
Amortization expense is an income statement account affecting profit and loss. The offsetting entry is a balance sheet account, accumulated amortization, which is a contra account that nets against the amortized asset.
Is amortization shown on financial statements?
Also called depreciation expenses, they appear on a company’s income statement. When an amortization expense is charged to the income statement, the value of the long-term asset recorded on the balance sheet is reduced by the same amount.
How do you record amortization in accounting?
To record annual amortization expense, you debit the amortization expense account and credit the intangible asset for the amount of the expense. A debit is one side of an accounting record. A debit increases assets and expense balances while decreasing revenue, net worth and liabilities accounts.
What is amortization as an expense?
Amortization expense is the write-off of an intangible asset over its expected period of use, which reflects the consumption of the asset. The amount of this write-off appears in the income statement, usually within the “depreciation and amortization” line item.
Is amortization an expense or revenue?
Typically, depreciation and amortization are not included in cost of goods sold and are expensed as separate line items on the income statement. Gross profit is the result of subtracting a company’s cost of goods sold from total revenue.
How do you record amortization on a balance sheet?
Record amortization expenses on the income statement under a line item called “depreciation and amortization.” Debit the amortization expense to increase the asset account and reduce revenue. Credit the intangible asset for the value of the expense.
Is amortization expense an asset?
Example of Amortization Expense This is an intangible asset, and should be amortized over the five years prior to its expiration date.
How do you treat an amortization expense?
Why would amortization expense increase?
Amortization expense is a non-cash expense. Therefore, like all non-cash expenses, it will be added to the net income when drafting an indirect cash flow statement. The same applies to depreciation of physical assets, as well other non-cash expenditures, such as increases in payables and accumulated interest expenses.
Can you amortize an expense?
To amortize or to expense, that is the question. As a general rule of thumb, you amortize or capitalize the cost over the years that you expect to receive benefits from holding the asset, and you expense an asset if it benefits your firm over a shorter time period.
How do you amortize expenses?
Subtract the residual value of the asset from its original value. Divide that number by the asset’s lifespan. The result is the amount you can amortize each year. If the asset has no residual value, simply divide the initial value by the lifespan.
Is amortization a debit or credit?
The accounting for amortization expense is a debit to the amortization expense account and a credit to the accumulated amortization account. The accumulated amortization account appears on the balance sheet as a contra account, and is paired with and positioned after the intangible assets line item.
Why do we amortize assets?
Amortizing intangible assets is important because it can reduce a business’ taxable income, and therefore its tax liability, while giving investors a better understanding of the company’s true earnings.
What expensed immediately?
Costs can be expensed in a period of accounting when they have expired, used up, or do not have any future economic value that can be evaluated. If an entity is unable to demonstrate a cost and revenue in the future, then that cost is immediately expensed.
What is the entry of amortization?
Amortization expense is the write-off of an intangible asset over its expected period of use, which reflects the consumption of the asset. The accounting for amortization expense is a debit to the amortization expense account and a credit to the accumulated amortization account.