Skip to main content

What is the difference between Reserves and Provisions?


Reserves: It is an appropriation of profit. Company kept aside some amount of profit to meet future contingencies. Reserve is created to meet the uncertain events of future. Reserve is divided into two parts: capital reserve and revenue reserve. A capital reserve is created from capital gain which arises from profit on sale of fixed assets, premium on issue of new shares etc. The capital reserve is not available for dividend distribution. It is available for capital losses. A revenue reserve is created from revenue profit. The revenue reserve is further divided into two parts: general reserve and specific reserve. General reserve is created to meet the uncertain future needs. Specific reserve is created for particular purpose like debenture redemption fund, reserve for discount etc. To make the growth and strength of a company reserve is required in a company. Reserve act as an internal source of finance for a company. If any year there is no profit, in that case the profit kept as reserve is used to pay dividend to the shareholders.  
Provisions: Some amount kept aside to meet the future known liability is known as provision. Provision is charged against profit. The profit is not necessary to create the provision. There are different types of provision created in a company like provision of debt, provision of tax etc. The amount of provision is determined with the help of past data for which provision is created. If provision is available for adjustment in financial statement then it is mention in two places first of all in debit side of income statement and secondly it is shown in liability side of balance sheet.
Reserve and provision both are essential for company to meet the future needs. But still there is some differences between them like reserve help to meet the future uncertainties and provision helps to meet the future known liability.
Difference between reserve and provision:
Point of difference
Reserve
Provision
What is reserve and provision?
Reserve is an amount kept aside to meet the future uncertainties.
Provision is an amount kept aside to meet the future known liability.
What is the purpose to create reserve and provision?
Reserve is created to meet the future uncertainties. It is use to strengthen the financial position and reinvest in a business for growth of a company.
Provision is created to meet the future known liability.
Where to show reserve and provision in financial statement?
Reserve is shown in liability side of balance sheet. It is shown under the heading of Reserve and Surplus.
Provision is shown in liability side of balance sheet or deducted from related assets. It is shown under the heading of Current liability.
Which one is use as dividend distribution to shareholders provision or reserve?
Reserve is use to distribute as dividend to shareholders.
Provision is not use to distribute as dividend to shareholders.
Is Profit required to maintain the reserve or provision or not?
Profit is essential to create the reserve. The part of profit is retaining as a reserve in a company.
Profit is not necessary to create the provision.



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

How to calculate Cost of Preference Share Capital?

Cost of Preference Share Capital:  An amount paid by company as dividend to preference shareholder is known as Cost of Preference Share Capital. Preference share is a small unit of a company’s capital which bears fixed rate of dividend and holder of it gets dividend when company earn profit. Dividend payable is not a tax deductible amount. So, there is no tax adjustments required for comparing with cost of debt. Formula for Cost of Preference Share: Irredeemable Preference Share Redeemable Preference Share K p  = Dp/NP K p  = D p +((RV-NP)/n )/ (RV+NP)/2 Where, K p  = Cost of Preference Share D p  = Dividend on preference share NP = Net proceeds from issue of preference share (Issue price – Flotation cost) RV = Redemption Value N = Period of preference share Example:  A company issues 20,000 irredeemable preference share at 8% whose face value is Rs.50 each at 4% discount. Find out the Cost of Preference Share Capital.

What is the difference between Cheque book and Pass book?

 Cheque book is issued by bank in customers / account holder request. With the help of this book account holder can withdraw cash from his/her account. Bank does not charge any fee to issued cheque book to its customer. But afterward bank charges some amount for using bank facility like cheque book, Debit card etc.So, Automatic some definite amount deducted from customer bank account. Pass book is  also issued by bank to its customer. It helps to record all the bank related activity according to date that is withdrawal and deposit. It is recorded by bank but the book is kept by customer to know the current balance of  his /her account.  Point of difference Pass book Cheque book What is the meaning of pass book and cheque book? Passbook is a book in which all withdrawal and deposit against customer account is recorded.   Cheque book is a book of cheques which are used to withdrawal the money to bank account.

How to calculate interest on Hire Purchase System?

Interest on hire purchase:  Interest is calculated on Cash value of goods not in instalment value which includes cash value of goods and interest amount. It is calculated on yearly, quarterly and yearly basis. Interest is not calculated on down payment which is paid at delivery of goods. Depreciation is also charged on the hire purchase goods at the end of financial year. The method applies for depreciation is based on the contract between the parties.   Example:  Company V purchased a machine of Rs.70, 000 and paid Rs.5, 000 as down payment. The interest charged @6% and 8% depreciation annually. The instalment value for each year is Rs. 10,000. Find out the interest amount for 5 years. Solution: Interest calculated on Rs. Interest Instalment Cash Value 65, 000 65, 000*0.06 = 3, 900 12, 500 8, 600 56, 400 56, 400*0.06 = 3, 384 12, 500 9, 116 47, 284 47, 284*0.06 = 2, 837 12, 500 9, 6