Therefore, if the seller requires cash for manufacturing goods or preparing services, the cash would already be available. Over 1.8 million professionals use CFI to learn accounting, financial analysis, modeling and more. Start with a free account to explore 20+ always-free courses and hundreds of finance templates and cheat sheets.

The concept of accounts receivable is thereby the opposite of deferred revenue, and A/R is recognized as a current asset. Unearned Revenue refers to customer payments collected by a company before the actual delivery of the product or service. Recognition of unearned revenue immediately as a liability is in compliance with the GAAP rules and accrual accounting principles. https://www.bookstime.com/ There is always an element of uncertainty with advance payments received from buyers. The seller may not be able to deliver promised services or goods within due time. Perhaps the biggest impact would be inaccurate financial statements, with revenue totals overstated in the month when the prepayment is received, and understated in all subsequent months.

Be ready for tax time

The early receipt of cash flow can be used for any number of activities, such as paying interest on debt and purchasing more inventory. Mary Girsch-Bock is the expert on accounting software and payroll software for The Ascent. Depending on the size of your company, its ownership profile, and any local regulatory requirements, you may need to use the accrual accounting system.

• This means projecting how much unearned revenue will become earned revenue over a specific period.
• Initially, the total amount of cash proceeds received is not allowed to be recorded as revenue, despite the cash being in the possession of the company.
• Unearned revenue is recognized as short-term liabilities on a company’s balance sheet.
• This accounting software offers a wide range of financial reporting capabilities, along with expense tracking and invoice features.
• This means the business earns $10 per issue each month ($120 divided by 12 months).
• The Ascent is a Motley Fool service that rates and reviews essential products for your everyday money matters.

Creating and adjusting journal entries for unearned revenue will be easier if your business uses the accrual accounting method, of which the revenue recognition principle is a cornerstone. Every month, once James receives his mystery boxes, Beeker’s will remove $40 from unearned revenue and convert it to revenue instead, as James is now in possession of the goods he purchased. At the end of the six months, all unearned revenue has converted into revenue, since all money received accounts for the six mystery boxes that have been paid for. However, a business owner must ensure the timely delivery of products to its consumers to keep transactions steady and drive customer retention. This is why it is crucial to recognize unearned revenue as a liability, not as revenue. Other common examples of unearned income include rental payments, prepaid insurance, prepaid services, and subscriptions.

What Is Unearned Revenue?

According to the accounting reporting principles, unearned revenue must be recorded as a liability. If the value was entered as an asset rather than a liability, the business’s profit would be overstated for that accounting period. According to the accounting equation, assets should equal the sum of equity plus liabilities. As the company delivers the product or service, the liability decreases, and revenue is recognized. This means that unearned revenue will eventually become earned revenue, and the liability will be reduced to zero. On January 1st, to recognize the increase in your cash position, you debit your cash account $300 while crediting your unearned revenue account to show that you owe your client the services.

Deferred revenue affects the income statement, balance sheet, and statement of cash flows differently. Sometimes you are paid for goods or services before you provide those unearned revenue services to your customer. In this article, I am going to go over the ins and outs of unearned revenue, when you should recognize revenue, and why it is a liability.

What’s the Difference Between Unearned Income and Earned Income?

That’s considered unearned revenue, and there’s a special way to record it. However, since you have not yet earned the revenue, unearned revenue is shown as a liability to indicate that you still owe the client your services. Let’s dive deeper into what unearned revenue is, why it may benefit your company, and what you should do if you receive it from your customers. On December 31, 2021, the end of the accounting period, 1/3 of the rent received has already been earned (prorated over 3 months). We see that the cash account increases, but the unearned revenue liability account also increases. Unearned revenue is common for sellers with services and subscription models.