Bad Debt

Tam Bellingham

Write of BAD debt Cash basis

I have to write off all bad (unrecoverable debt) now my accountant has said to reverse the transaction which does not work. I have ended up writing an adjustment note for the full amount (We are GST registered). It is a lot of money and when doing the BAS it has added a massive income to the business. This can't be correct as we didn't actually receive the money. My steps
1. Created an expense account Bad Debt
2. Created an adjustment note for the full amount inc gst to the Bad debt expense account
3. I used a GST Free code for the tax rate as i had to put one in (Accountant could not help with this as he doesn't know reckon) should it be bas excluded?
4. I applied the credit to the invoice.

Is this all correct as i feel his total G1 on his BAS is huge now (this is first time working with BAS)

I can't find anything on the internet to help so hoping someone here can please

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Kris_Williams

If the original invoice had GST so should the adjusting credit, bad debt tax code would be NCG

Bruce

Your original comment says "write off bad debt, cash basis".   

I assume that this means your client pays their GST on a cash basis.   If this is the case the writing off of the bad debt has no impact on your GST related cash flows.   The GST hasn't been remitted to the tax office and the income has not been reported in in G1 on the BAS.

Just do what Kris has described above, apply the adjusting credit to the original invoice and it should all be square.   Your error is in step 3 above, you should use the GST code NCG, not FRE

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Cheryl Medley

I use Reckon Hosted and write bad debts off this way:
Use: Bad Debts Expense Account
Do: General Journal Entry
1. Account: Bad Debts - put total amount into the Debit column. Use NCF in Tax column -  (that way there is no GST included)
2. Account: Accounts Receivable - put total amount into the Credit column. Then the name of the customer over in customers name column.
3. Go to Payments received. Bring up the customer - you will see a credit to them. Used the credit amount to write of the amount owing.
My daughter/accountant is a partner in our business and she does it this way too.
Hope you get a solution for your method. Nothing worse than having a BAS amount you can't jump over to pay.

Kris_Williams

That won’t work because you’re not reversing the GST on the original invoice. Tax code should be NCG. Journal or adjustment note both work but tax code is definitely wrong, that’s why the GST on BAS is over the top

Bruce

Cheryl Your logic is wrong You haven’t been paid $x which comprises two items - your fee and the GST levied on it. Therefore your bad debt needs to write back BOTH of these items, so the NCG code must be used. Your method means that you overstate your GST liability and understate your profit

Cheryl Medley

Actually, it does. I've been doing it for years and I have never had to pay the GST on any of the Bad Debts. But I'll stand corrected to more professional people if you feel there is a need to do things differently. Cheers

Bruce

My note wasn't as clear as it might have been.  Using your methodology, of you do your GST on a cash basis you will not have PAID too much GST however your GST/Tax Payable account line will overstate your liability.

However you method will still understate your profit.

As an example on a $10 sale
Original transaction shows Cr Fees 10, Cr GST/Tax Payable 1, Dr Accounts Receivable 11

You reversal is Dr Fees 11, Cr Accounts receivable 11

So you are now showing a net $1 reduction in fees (and profit) and a $1 increase in GST (but you don't pay this if you are reporting on a cash basis.) 

Kris_Williams

That’s wrong, you definitely need to use NCG tax code on Bad debts

Bruce

Kris
I agree you must use NCG.  I was trying to demonstrate what Cheryl's journal was doing.   

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Kris_Williams

Over the top - huge - whichever way you put it means the same