What is a receivable and how to write it off

What is accounts receivable and how it differs from accounts payable

Accounts receivable is money that the company is obliged to pay, but not paid by the legal entities and individuals with whom it interacts. The amount is formed when one party has fulfilled its obligations under the contract, and the other has not.

For example, a company has an agreement with a cafe contract for the supply of plastic cups. She shipped the item, but she hasn't received payment yet. The money that the company is charged for the dishes forms accounts receivable. And for the cafe it is already creditor's: it owes money. It also happens the other way around: the institution has made a full advance payment, but the order has not yet been received. Then it is he who has a receivable in relation to the second party to the transaction.

In general, this is an inseparable pair. If one counterparty has accounts receivable, then the other has accounts payable.

This will not happen if you immediately exchange goods for money. However, if we are not talking about buying bread in an offline store, it is not always easy to organize this, especially in business. As a result, even the classic scheme "Money in the morning - chairs in the evening" is a good example of the formation of accounts receivable.

What are the accounts receivable

By maturity

It can be short-term or long-term. In the first case, its repayment is expected within a year from the date of conclusion of the agreement, in the second - in more than 12 months.

As of

It can be normal and overdue. In the first case, both parties to the transaction fulfill their obligations within the agreed period, in the second, someone does not comply with the agreement. For example, a company shipped cups to a cafe. According to the papers, it must pay for the goods within a month from the date of delivery. First 30 days indebtedness will be considered normal - everything is within the framework of the contract. A month later, it will become overdue.

By probability of redemption

It can be dubious and hopeless. The first is consideredOrder of the Ministry of Finance of Russia dated July 29, 1998 No. 34n "On approval of the Regulations on accounting and bookkeeping in the Russian Federation" debt that has not been repaid or, with a high degree of probability, will not be repaid within the period specified in the agreement. Moreover, it is not secured by any guarantees in the form of, for example, a pledge or sureties. Hopeless - one for which money is definitelyTax Code of the Russian Federation, article 266. Expenses for the formation of provisions for doubtful debts will not be returned. For example, if the debtor is bankrupt or the limitation period has expired, during which you can bring claims against him.

On the basis of occurrence

There are several groups of debtors, that is, debtors. Debt accounting for them is kept on different accounting accounts. It:

• Suppliers and contractors - account 60. They owe money for the goods shipped or the services rendered to the company.
• Buyers and customers - account 62. The company paid, and they have not yet provided the goods and services.
• Tax - account 68. The company has an overpayment of taxes and fees or the right to deduction.
• Pension Fund, as well as compulsory medical and social insurance funds - account 69. For example, when a company has made a payment to an employee out of its own funds and is awaiting reimbursement.
• Payroll staff - accounts 70 and 73. There are two components of debt. The first, score 70, is wages. Debt arises if, for example, an employee was given an advance payment for work not yet done. Account 73 applies to the rest of the payments. For example, if a company provides a loan to an employee.
• Accountable persons - account 71. This applies to workers who receive money for something, and then report on it. Let's say the manager took 2,000 rubles for the purchase of mops, there was a debt receivable. Brought inventory, receipts and change - it is paid off.
• Founders - account 75. They become debtors if they promised to contribute to the authorized capital, but did not.
• Various debtors - account 76. Everyone else goes here.

How to manage accounts receivable

There are several steps worth following.

Conduct an inventory of accounts receivable and its analysis

An inventory of property and liabilities is necessaryOrder of the Ministry of Finance of Russia dated July 29, 1998 No. 34n "On approval of the Regulations on accounting and bookkeeping in the Russian Federation" to do before drawing up annual financial statements and in some other cases, such as changing financially responsible persons or natural disaster. But no one forbids doing it more often. Timely inventory will remind you of existing debts and help to identify the trend, why, in principle, they are formed.

Establish rules for handling accounts receivable

It is necessary to determine who and how controls the fulfillment of obligations by counterparties, reminds of the approaching timing of the calculation, and so on.

Determine the maximum amount of receivables

You can set a border that should not be crossed, giving counterparties the opportunity to defer payments and allowing other conditions for the formation of receivables. Then its size will not be critical and there will be no situation when the company fulfilled its obligations to everyone, but money lacks no matter what.

Consider methods of influencing debtors

First of all, we are talking about fines and penalties for late payment, which should be indicated in contracts. This is unlikely to save in the event of bad debt. But it will stimulate those who were going to do it, but not now, to pay on time.

Generate criteria for evaluating counterparties

For example, you can find out:

• whether the potential counterparty is not involved in litigation;
• whether it is in the register of unscrupulous suppliers;
• is he at any stage bankruptcy;
• whether enforcement proceedings are underway against him.

It is also worth checking the solvency of counterparties in advance so as not to multiply accounts receivable.

How to collect receivables

There are several ways to get the amount owed along with the forfeit. In this case, penalties can be charged, even if there are no sanctions in the contract, in the amount ofCivil Code of the Russian Federation, article 395. Responsibility for non-fulfillment of a monetary obligation key rate of the Central Bank.

Extrajudicial method of collection

Consensus reached negotiations. Counterparties can come up with new terms of debt repayment. For example, to postpone the settlement or agree that instead of money, the debtor will pay with services or goods.

Pre-trial method of collection

A written claim is sent to the debtor with a demand to return the debt. You can send it in a valuable letter with an inventory of the attachment, so that you have confirmation that you have tried this method. It may come in handy in the future. But keep in mind: sometimes the contract between the counterparties indicates how they send documents to each other. If there is such a point, you must comply with it.

If the debtor has not responded within 30 days from the date of dispatch, you can go to court.

Judicial method of recovery

You need to apply to the arbitration court, providing one of these papers:

• Application for the issuance of a court order. It can be preferredAPC RF, article 229.2. Cases of order productionif the amount of claims does not exceed 500 thousand rubles. In this way, the issue is usually resolved more quickly, and it is not necessary to send a pre-trial claim in advance.
• Statement of claim. You already need to attach a pre-trial claim and an answer to it, if any.

In both cases, you will need papers that confirm the debt. If the court takes your side, then when the appeal deadline has passed, it will issue a writ of execution. With him you need to contact bailiffs or directly to the bank where the account is opened with the debtor.

The limitation period for such cases is threeCivil Code of the Russian Federation, article 196. General limitation period of the year. It is counted from the last day when the money could be returned within the framework of the agreement. If there is no such date in the securities - from the moment the demand is sent to repay the debt.

If the limitation period was suspendedCivil Code of the Russian Federation, article 202. Suspension of the course of the limitation period, it can stretch up to 10Civil Code of the Russian Federation, article 196. General limitation period years. This happens if, for example, a force majeure circumstance (earthquake, war, etc.) prevented the creditor from going to court.

When the limitation period expires, the debt can only be written off.

How to write off receivables

One should start with an inventory of debt, based on the results of which the INV-17 form is filled in.Resolution of the Goskomstat of the Russian Federation of August 18, 1998 No. 88 "On the approval of unified forms of primary accounting documentation for the accounting of cash transactions, for taking into account the results of the inventory". This act, as well as an accounting certificate indicating the amount and an explanation of why it is not possible to collect it, are required so that on their basis the manager issues an order to write off the debt.

At the same time, it is important to collect a package of documents confirming the hopelessness of the debt. This may be an extract from the register of legal entities about liquidation of the company- the debtor or the order of the bailiff that it will not work to receive the money. So carefully prepare the papers for the tax office, whose employees will check the written off amounts.

At the same time, it is necessary to store documents confirming the fact of writing off the debt for at least five years. During this time, it is necessary to take into account the irrelevant debt on account 007 "Debt of insolvent debtors written off at a loss".