Writing off product Inventory - how?

[Jack Turner]

Could someone kindly explain the process of writing off stock inventory and how it ties back with the balance sheet.

For example, if we have products that have not sold for 6,12 months etc. Let's say £50,000 - does this become an expense for the particular financial year?

Finally, what happens after the 'write off' if some of this stock is subsequently sold?



Thanks

 

[macScot]

If you think the stock can be sold later, then it most likely means it is not perishable. The life of the stock item may be affected by many things so some stock items could last years.

You could revalue the stock if you think it's obsolete, and the difference if being written down would become an expense in your accounts. The way the stock is revalued may depend on the nature of the stock, the size of the company, and therefore affecting financial reporting standards used, etc., so check with your accountant. Compare to market prices as well, just because you are unable to sell the stock may not mean it holds no value.

If the stock is subsequently sold, then the surplus would become income.

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

Could someone kindly explain the process of writing off stock inventory and how it ties back with the balance sheet.

For example, if we have products that have not sold for 6,12 months etc. Let's say £50,000 - does this become an expense for the particular financial year?

Finally, what happens after the 'write off' if some of this stock is subsequently sold?



Thanks

How do you record stock in your accounting records at present and what system do you use? Do you actually record stock held or just the payments made for stock?

Stock is included as an asset of a business at the year end and is valued at its cost price or its market value if thats less than stock.

 

[Jack Turner]

How do you record stock in your accounting records at present and what system do you use? Do you actually record stock held or just the payments made for stock?

Stock is included as an asset of a business at the year end and is valued at its cost price or its market value if thats less than stock.

Hi,

We carry out a stock take at our year end (physical if required), and sometimes we can run online reports to see what's come in and gone out, so we know the ending balance.

My understanding is that writing down the stock is beneficial in that it can have a lump reduction on Corp Tax, however should those goods be subsequently drip-sold in future, over the years, they will just be taxed accordingly based on the extra profit.


Thanks

 

[MyAccountantOnline]

Hi,

We carry out a stock take at our year end (physical if required), and sometimes we can run online reports to see what's come in and gone out, so we know the ending balance.

My understanding is that writing down the stock is beneficial in that it can have a lump reduction on Corp Tax, however should those goods be subsequently drip-sold in future, over the years, they will just be taxed accordingly based on the extra profit.


Thanks

That's fine.

In that case you dont write-off the stock in your records.

When you give your accountant the stock figure at the end of the year make sure it's as accurate as possible and that you include all stock held at the price you paid for it, or if any is worth less than what you paid for it (which may be the case for the stock you are referring to) it's market value. It's what accountants refer to as the lower of cost and net realisable value.

When your accountant prepares your accounts you may see a figure for cost of sales in your profit and loss account; that's the total cost of stock you've bought plus the stock at the start of the year with a deduction for the value of stock at the end of the year.

You can't artifically change the value of stock to reduce Corporation tax but a reduction in the value of stock at the end of one year will reduce Corporation tax in that year.

 

[Jack Turner]

That's fine.

In that case you dont write-off the stock in your records.

When you give your accountant the stock figure at the end of the year make sure it's as accurate as possible and that you include all stock held at the price you paid for it, or if any is worth less than what you paid for it (which may be the case for the stock you are referring to) it's market value. It's what accountants refer to as the lower of cost and net realisable value.

When your accountant prepares your accounts you may see a figure for cost of sales in your profit and loss account; that's the total cost of stock you've bought plus the stock at the start of the year with a deduction for the value of stock at the end of the year.

You can't artifically change the value of stock to reduce Corporation tax but a reduction in the value of stock at the end of one year will reduce Corporation tax in that year.

Thank you explaining that.

 

[mahamuda]

Writing off stock inventory involves removing the value of unsold or damaged goods from a company's balance sheet, which can be done by debiting the inventory account and crediting the cost of goods sold account. This reduces the value of the inventory on the balance sheet and increases the expense for the financial year.

If some of the written-off stock is subsequently sold, the revenue from the sale would be recognized separately in the income statement, which could help offset some of the expense incurred from writing off the inventory. However, it's important to note that the amount of the write-off would not be adjusted or reversed, as it has already been recognized as an expense in the financial statements.

If a company has products that have not been sold for a certain period, such as 6 or 12 months, and the company decides to write off the value of these products from its inventory, then this becomes an expense for the particular financial year. The write-off represents a reduction in the value of the company's assets (inventory) and an increase in its expenses, which reduces the company's profit for the year.

For example, if a company had £50,000 worth of unsold inventory that it decided to write off, this would be recorded as a £50,000 expense in the company's income statement for the particular financial year. This would reduce the company's profit for the year by £50,000, which would also be reflected in the company's balance sheet.

 

[Argentum Tax]

Writing off stock inventory involves removing the value of unsold or damaged goods from a company's balance sheet, which can be done by debiting the inventory account and crediting the cost of goods sold account. This reduces the value of the inventory on the balance sheet and increases the expense for the financial year.

Unfortunately you have your debits and credits the wrong way round!

To reduce Inventory in the Balance Sheet you would Credit the BS 'Inventory' account and Debit the P&L 'Cost of goods' account.