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June 16, 2006

Which accounts normally have debit balances?

Assets, expenses, losses, and the owner’s drawing account will normally have debit balances. Their balances will increase with a debit entry, and will decrease with a credit entry.

Liabilities, revenues and sales, gains, and owner equity and stockholders’ equity accounts normally have credit balances. These accounts will see their balances increase when the account is credited. Their balances will decrease when they debited.

For example, if a company borrows cash from its local bank, the company will debit its asset account Cash since the company’s cash balance is increasing. The same entry will include a credit to its liability account Notes Payable since that account balance is also increasing.

Learn more about Debits & Credits.




Comments

3 Responses to “Which accounts normally have debit balances?”

  1. tamira on February 14th, 2007 10:28 pm

    An increase in Owner’s capital is a credit or debit under a double entry system.

  2. malatesh on October 22nd, 2009 4:02 am

    An increase in Owner’s capital is a credit or debit under a double entry system.

  3. ACoach on October 22nd, 2009 5:50 am

    A credit will increase the owner’s capital account. For example, if the owner invests $1,000 of cash into the business, the Cash account is debited for $1,000 and the Owner’s Capital account is credited for $1,000.

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