allowance for doubtful accounts

allowance for doubtful accounts definition - business

allowance for doubtful accounts

A balance-sheet account established to offset expected bad debts. If a firm has made a sufficient provision in its allowance for doubtful accounts, reported earnings will not be penalized by bad debts when the bad debts occur. If uncollectible accounts are larger than expected, however, the firm will have to increase the size of the account and reduce reported income. Also called allowance for bad debts, reserve for bad debts.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Business Terms Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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