Financial Accounting MCQs

Financial Accounting MCQs

Our team has conducted extensive research to compile a set of Financial Accounting MCQs. We encourage you to test your Financial Accounting knowledge by answering these multiple-choice questions provided below.
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1: Inventory falls under which category?

A.   Current Assets

B.   Non current assets

C.   Retained Earnings

D.   Current Liability

E.   Long term liability

2: What type of account is allowance for doubtful accounts?

A.   A liability account

B.   A cost of good account

C.   A contra sales account

D.   A contra asset account

3: Which of the following is an example of a contingent liability?

A.   An environmental lawsuit.

B.   Notes payable.

C.   Prepaid Rent.

D.   Accrued payroll.

4: Which of the following will be found on the income statement?

A.   None are found on a typical income statement

B.   Taxes payable

C.   Tax liability

D.   Taxes due

E.   Tax expense

5: What is the net number calculated from the three parts of the Statement of Cash Flows?

A.   Net increase (decrease) in cash

B.   Net increase (decrease) in Assets

C.   Net increase (decrease) in Liabilities

D.   Net increase (decrease) in Shareholder's Equity

6: A normal balance of asset accounts is journaled as a ____.

A.   Credit

B.   Debit

7: What are the assets of a business?

A.   debit

B.   credit

C.   loans

D.   resources

8: What method of depreciation is used most often for land?

A.   Land is not depreciated.

B.   Straight-line.

C.   Double declining balance.

D.   Weighted average balance

9: What is one method for recording uncollectible receivables?

A.   Direct write-off

B.   Nonrecognition

C.   Accrual

D.   Cash basis

10: Accounting equation is given as

A.   Assets + Liabilities = Owners Equity

B.   Owners Equity = Liabilities+ Assets

C.   Liabilities = Assets + Owners Equity

D.   Assets = Liabilities + Owners Equity

11: Why is an increase in inventory shown as a negative amount in the statement of cash flows?

A.   An increase in inventory indicates that a company has sold more goods than it has purchased. Increasing inventory requires a cash inflow. Cash inflows have a negative effect on the company’s cash balance.

B.   An increase in inventory indicates that a company has purchased more goods than it has sold. Increasing inventory requires a cash outflow. Cash outflows have a negative effect on the company’s cash balance.

12: On the cash flow statement, buying of a bond is found in the _________ section.

A.   Investing

B.   Financing

C.   Operating

D.   Income

E.   Not located on the cash flow statement

13: What is short-term debt considered?

A.   Asset

B.   Liability

C.   Shareholder Equity

D.   Expense

E.   Revenue

14: Mergers and acquisitions are covered under which accounting concept?

A.   Currency Translation

B.   Depreciation

C.   Business Combinations

D.   Revenue

E.   Inventories

15: What is considered a current asset?

A.   Goodwill

B.   Accounts Receivable

C.   Property, plant and equipment

D.   Patents

16: What is the best definition of Paid-in capital?

A.   Loans made by shareholders to the company

B.   The amount shareholders contributed to the company in exchange for the shares of common stock or preferred stock less stated par value of the securities

C.   The excess of purchase price over asset value when a company is acquired

D.   Assets-Liabilities=Paid-in Capital

17: Equity can be best defined as the amount of ownership left in the business after deducting total liabilities from total assets.

A.   False

B.   True

18: Which of these is NOT a tangible asset?

A.   Trademarks

B.   Buildings

C.   Natural Resources

D.   Fixtures

E.   Land

19: Which of the following is considered an internal user of financial information?

A.   Suppliers

B.   Government agencies

C.   Investors

D.   Board of Directors

E.   Lenders

20: Which of these is NOT an intangible asset?

A.   Franchises

B.   Equipment

C.   Copyrights

D.   Licenses

E.   Patents

21: What is the best definition of Retained earnings?

A.   The remaining balance of Net Income after dividends have been subtracted.

B.   The difference of cash holdings at the beginning of the year and cash at end of the year

C.   Cash required to be held for loan repayment requirements

D.   Liquid funds in escrow required by lender convenants

22: Standard costing is usually associated with:

A.   Manufacturing cost of product

B.   Commodity pricing

C.   Comparable industry analysis

D.   High tech contract labor

23: What is the difference between the accounts 'rent receivable' and 'rent revenue'?

A.   'Rent revenue' is a balance sheet account and 'Rent receivable' is an income statement account

B.   'Rent receivable' is a balance sheet asset account and 'Rent revenue' is an income statement account

24: The financial statement that reports the assets, liabilities, and stockholders' (owner's) equity at a specific date is the

A.   Income Statement

B.   Statement of Expenses

C.   Balance Sheet

D.   Statement of Cash flows

E.   Statement of Shareholder's (Owner's) Equity

25: Which is an example of a Current Asset?

A.   Equity

B.   Accounts Payable

C.   Property, Plant and Equipment

D.   Depreciation

E.   Cash or Bank Balance

26: Which of the following is a category or element of the balance sheet?

A.   Liabilities

B.   Gains

C.   Expenses

D.   Losses

27: An ordinary share dividend is:

A.   Interest on money lent to the company by its shareholders.

B.   Part of the company profits used to reward the shareholders for their investment

C.   The directors’ remuneration

D.   None of these

E.   An expense of running the company

28: Payments made to the shareholders of a corporation for profit are called:

A.   Share of profits

B.   Payroll

C.   Salary

D.   Gain

E.   Distributions or Dividends

29: What does AICPA stand for?

A.   American Institute of Chartered Public Accountants

B.   American Institute of Credentialed Public Accountants

C.   American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

D.   American Institute of Chartered Private Accountants

E.   American Institute of Certified Private Accountants

30: What is NOT one of the sections of the Cash Flow statement?

A.   Cash flows from shareholder contribution

B.   Cash flows from operating activities

C.   Cash flows from investing activities

D.   Cash flows from financing activities

31: Which of the following is NOT an asset account?

A.   Accounts Payable

B.   Cash

C.   Inventory

D.   Accounts Receivable

E.   Goodwill

32: On the cash flow statement, buying of a stock is found in the _________ section.

A.   Investing

B.   Not located on the cash flow statement

C.   Operating

D.   Financing

E.   Income

33: As found on an income statement, revenue can best be defined as:

A.   Gross receipts earned by the company selling its goods or services

B.   Gross receipts earned by the company selling its intangible assets or services

C.   Gross receipts earned by the company selling its depreciated supplies or services

D.   Gross receipts earned by the company selling its shares or services

E.   Gross receipts earned by the company selling its goods or intangible assets

34: Which types of entities are considered "flow through" entities?

A.   All of these

B.   Limited Liability Corporation

C.   Sole Proprietership

D.   Partnership

35: What is the definition of FIFO for inventory valuation purposes?

A.   It is assumed that items purchased are valued at the greater of cost or market value

B.   It is assumed that items purchased last are sold first.

C.   It is assumed that items purchased first are sold first.

D.   The system updates inventory accounts after each purchase or sale.

36: Why are standard cost amounts not always equal to the actual cost amounts?

A.   Poor estimation efforts on the part of management.

B.   Extraordinary events recognized by the accounting reporting process.

C.   Standard cost is expected cost, actuals can be different.

D.   The variability of commodity inputs.

37: What is the bottom line of an income statement?

A.   Company's net worth

B.   Company's net earnings or losses

C.   Company's total expenses

D.   Company's total investments

E.   Company's total sales

38: What is Goodwill in financial reporting?

A.   Goodwill is an Asset account. When a company is purchased for more than the assets are worth the off setting account is called Goodwill.

B.   Goodwill is something you do without wanting anything in return.

C.   There is no such account that is considered Goodwill in accounting.

D.   Goodwill is a charitable donation place. You can take household items to Goodwill and get a tax dedution.

39: What does FIFO stand for?

A.   Final Inventory, First Out

B.   From Inventory For Orders

C.   Fast In, First Out

D.   Funds In For Outsiders

E.   First in, First out

40: Which of the following is the Control Account?

A.   Accounts Payable

B.   All of the listed accounts are Control Accounts

C.   Accounts Receivable

D.   Inventory

41: What is a journal?

A.   both of these

B.   a record of financial transactions in order by date

C.   book of original entry

42: Tangible, long lived assets used in the operations of the business are classified as ____.

A.   property, plant, and equipment

B.   inventories

C.   intangible assets

D.   other assets

43: What is the definition of Current Liabilities?

A.   The balancing account to Short Term Assets

B.   Liabilities that are expected to liquidate within a year or normal operating cycle, whichever is longer

C.   Debts that are callable by a creditor

D.   A contra account to Long Term Liabilities

44: Once a discontinued operation is disposed of, the gain or loss can be disclosed in the notes to the financial statements

A.   False

B.   True

45: Realized revenue means a transaction where goods and services are exchanged for cash or claims to cash.

A.   True

B.   False

46: The end product for an income statement is:

A.   Net profits or net gain

B.   Net income or net loss

C.   Net accumulation or net income

D.   Net dividends or net depreciation

E.   Net earnings or net interest

47: What does CPA stand for?

A.   Certified Professional Accountant

B.   Certified Public Accountant

C.   Chartered Public Accountant

D.   Commerce Public Accountant

48: Under US GAAP, what constitutes an audit?

A.   An examination of the financial reports to ensure that they represent what they claim and conform with GAAP.

B.   An examination of the financial reports to ensure that they represent what they claim and conform with USPAP.

C.   To make sure that the company does not get in trouble with the PCAOB.

D.   To ensure that management is not cheating shareholders.

49: To what account group does 'cash on hand' belong?

A.   Revenue

B.   Asset

C.   Liability

D.   Expense

E.   Shareholder Equity

50: What is the best definition for Salvage value?

A.   The estimated value that an asset will realize upon its sale at the end of its useful life

B.   An industry standard, published valuation

C.   The price that the parts of a piece of equipment could be sold for

D.   What the property could be sold for today

51: Franchise Licenses are an example of:

A.   Intangible assets

B.   Physical assets

C.   Depreciation

D.   Liabilities

E.   PP&E

52: What is preferred stock considered?

A.   Expense

B.   Liability

C.   Asset

D.   Revenue

E.   Shareholder Equity

53: What is a patent considered?

A.   Intangible Asset

B.   Tangible Asset

C.   Expense

D.   Shareholders Equity

E.   Revenue

54: If Assets = $25,000 and Liabilities = $35,000 what is the amount of equity?

A.   -($10,000)

B.   $40,000

C.   $10,000

D.   $5,000

55: What is plant (facility) considered?

A.   Asset

B.   Shareholder Equity

C.   Liability

D.   Revenue

E.   Expense

56: Publicly traded companies employ _____ to audit the financial statements for their inclusion in reports to the shareholders.

A.   CPAs

B.   Financial analysts

C.   Financial advisors

D.   Investment attorneys

E.   Lawyers

57: Which of the following is the correct format for the balance sheet in order of occurrence?

A.   stockholder’s equity, liabilities, assets.

B.   assets, stockholder’s equity, liabilities

C.   liabilities, assets, stockholder’s equity.

D.   assets, liabilities, stockholder’s equity.

58: The acronym for the common rules and standards that companies must follow when preparing its external financial statements is ______.

A.   GAAP

B.   AAGP

C.   GAP

D.   PAAC

59: If Assets = $25,000 and Liabilities = $15,000 what is the amount of equity?

A.   -($10,000)

B.   $40,000

C.   $10,000

D.   $5,000

60: How are Accounts Receivables classified on the Balance Sheet?

A.   As Credit Owed

B.   As an Asset

C.   As a Liability

D.   As a Short Term Liability

61: The terms 2/10, n/30 mean?

A.   2% penalty incurred if not paid within 10 days.

B.   $2 discount within 10 days, no discount within 30 days

C.   2% discount if paid within 10 days, net amount due within 30 days.

D.   2 Days to get a $10 discount otherwise you pay in full.

A.   A liability

B.   A physical asset

C.   Depreciation

D.   PP&E

E.   An intangible asset

63: What must one do to record transactions?

A.   determine which accounts the transaction affects

B.   all of these

C.   record the transactions in a ledger

D.   measure the event in monetary terms

64: Which of the following sections would you find on a balance sheet?

A.   price to earnings ratio

B.   amortized expenses

C.   quick ratio

D.   interest expense

E.   liabilities

65: Financial accounting serves the following purposes:

A.   producing general purpose financial statements

B.   producing financial statements for meeting regulatory requirements

C.   All of the Above

D.   producing information used by the management of a business entity for decision making, planning and performance evaluation

66: By law, who is the only person qualified to sign an audit report?

A.   A student with a masters in accounting

B.   A principal at an accounting firm only

C.   CPA licensed individual only

D.   An accounting major

E.   Anyone

67: Companies registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission are required to have their financial statements audited by an external auditor.

A.   True

B.   False

68: What is an example of a current liability?

A.   Shareholders Equity

B.   Prepaid Expense

C.   Accounts Payable

D.   Property, Plant and Equipment

E.   Depreciation

69: You have received cash but have not provided a service, which account should be used to record this?

A.   Revenue

B.   Unearned Revenue

C.   COGS

D.   Taxes Payable

E.   Salaries Payable

70: What is the definition of posting in the accounting cycle?

A.   Filing information with the IRS

B.   Creation of the Income Statement

C.   Posting activity moves balances of journal entries to ledger accounts

D.   Development of the Trial Balance

71: Large corporations must follow the ___________ basis of accounting.

A.   cash

B.   credit

C.   debit

D.   accrual

72: Cash balance is found in which section of the financial statements?

A.   Gross Revenues

B.   Current Assets

C.   Other Liabilities

D.   Fixed Assets

73: Corporations whose stock is publicly traded must have their financial statements ________ by independent certified public accountants.

A.   sold

B.   lend

C.   bought

D.   audited

74: Standard costing typically includes which of the following costs?

A.   All of these

B.   Direct labor

C.   Manufacturing overhead

D.   Direct material

75: Financial accounting relies on which of the following concepts?

A.   principles

B.   all of these

C.   assumptions

D.   conventions

76: Which of the following gives the correct sequence of accounting procedures?

A.   Journal, ledger, trial balance, and financial statements.

B.   Financial statements, trial balance, ledger, and journal.

C.   Financial statements, journal, ledger, and trial balance.

D.   Ledger, trial balance, journal, and financial statements.

77: Common stock is recorded where on the financial statements?

A.   In accounts payable.

B.   In stockholders’ equity.

C.   In other expense.

D.   In accounts receivable.

78: ______ consist of assets that a retail or wholesale company acquires for resale or goods that manufacturers produce for sale.

A.   prepaid expenses

B.   other assets

C.   inventories

D.   intangible assets

79: what is IAS?

A.   internal accounting system

B.   international auditing standards

C.   international assignment system

D.   International accounting standards

E.   included available sale

80: What account group does 'accounts receivable' belong?

A.   Asset

B.   Liability

C.   Revenue

D.   Expense

E.   Shareholder Equity

81: What does LIFO stand for?

A.   Last in, Last out

B.   Last in final out

C.   Lower interest, first out

D.   Lower inventory for outsiders

E.   Last in, first out

82: Accounting firms generally do many things including:

A.   Management Consulting Services

B.   None of these

C.   Tax Services

D.   Audit or Assurance Services

E.   All of these

83: "EBIT" stands for____

A.   Retained Earnings before Interest expense deductions

B.   Earnings before tax, interest and dividends

C.   It is a form of taxable interest.

D.   It is not an expression or acronym used in Financial Accounting

84: What is long-term debt considered?

A.   Expense

B.   Revenue

C.   Liability

D.   Shareholder Equity

E.   Asset

85: Property is listed under which category?

A.   Expense

B.   Shareholder Equity

C.   Liability

D.   Asset

E.   Revenue

86: What is an example of an item that would be included in calculating comprehensive income?

A.   Temporary changes in market value of noncurrent investments.

B.   Effects of accounting adjustments from earlier periods.

C.   Foreign currency translation adjustments.

D.   All of these

87: Goodwill is an example of:

A.   Depreciation

B.   A liability

C.   A physical asset

D.   PP&E

E.   An intangible asset

88: When a bond is sold at par, what price is it sold for?

A.   Above face value

B.   Below face value

C.   None of the other options

D.   Face value

E.   Any of the other options

89: Trademarks are an example of:

A.   Depreciation

B.   PP&E

C.   Intangible assets

D.   Liabilities

E.   Physical assets

90: What is the FISH inventory method?

A.   First in,last out

B.   Last in,last out

C.   first-in, still-here

D.   First in,first out

91: If the accountant forgets to record salary expense in the Statement of Income, what is the result?

A.   Retained earnings is too low.

B.   Net income is too low.

C.   Retained earnings is correctly stated, as the omission only affects the Income Statement.

D.   Net income is too high.

92: What is taxes payable considered?

A.   Asset

B.   Expense

C.   Liability

D.   Shareholder Equity

E.   Revenue

93: At January 1, 2010, the balance of equity was $200,000. During the year of 2010, revenue and expenses were as follows: Revenue = $300,000; Expenses = $240,000. What is the balance of equity at December 31, 2010?

A.   $240,000

B.   $260,000

C.   $360,000

D.   $300,000

94: What is interest payable considered?

A.   Shareholder, Equity

B.   Asset, Liability

C.   Revenue, Loss

D.   Expense, Income

E.   Liability, Expense

95: What is the definition of LIFO for inventory valuation purposes?

A.   It is assumed that items purchased last are sold first.

B.   The system updates inventory accounts after each purchase or sale.

C.   It is assumed that items purchased are valued at the greater of cost or market value

D.   It is assumed that items purchased first are sold first.

96: What is NOT considered a current asset?

A.   Cash and cash equivalents

B.   Inventories

C.   Prepaid expenses

D.   Dividends payable

97: Under which category is Mortgage Payable?

A.   Fixed Assets

B.   Current Assets

C.   Long-term Assets

D.   Current Liabilities

E.   Long-term Liabilites

98: What type of account Is Rent Payable?

A.   Liability

B.   Asset

C.   Property, Plant and Equipment

D.   Contra-Asset

99: Which reports allow the interested party to evaluate the profitability of a business?

A.   statement of owners equity

B.   all of these

C.   balance sheet

D.   statement of cash flows

E.   income statement

100: The listing of all of the accounts available for use in a company's accounting system is known as the ?

A.   Account Classification

B.   Chart of accounts

C.   Account Categorizing

D.   Account Heads

E.   Account Information