Question

Wagner Enterprises and Stone Services both disposed of an old asset. When completing the journal entry, Wagner Enterprises included a debit to Cash, but Stone Services did not. Why would the companies have this difference in the journal entry

Answer 1

Answer:

Wagner Enterprises and Stone Services

Disposal of old asset:

It could be that Stone Services exchanged its old asset with a new one with a company.  In that situation, the debit goes to New Equipment, while the credit is to the old Equipment.  Another reason could be that Stone Services sold the old asset on account.  In this situation, the debit goes to the Accounts Receivable account, while the old asset is credited accordingly.

Explanation:

When a company disposes of an old asset, it credits the asset account and transfers the amount to the Sale of Asset account.  The same is done for the accumulated depreciation, in reverse.  When cash is realized from the disposal, the Sale of Asset account is credited, while Cash account is debited.  Then, the difference in the Sale of Asset account will be a gain or a loss, depending on the net book value and the cash realized from the sale.