Define liability. When is it recognized?


An accounting liability arises when a firm incurs an obligation to make a future sacrifice that, because of a past event or transaction, it has little or no discretion to avoid. All accounting liabilities are obligations, but not all obligations are accounting liabilities. To be an accounting liability, an item must meet both (1) the definition of a liability, and (2) recognition criteria:

Liability Definition

Liabilities are probable future sacrifices of economic benefits arising from present obligations of a particular entity to transfer assets or provide services to other entities in the future as a result of a past event or transaction.

Liability Recognition

The criteria for liability recognition are:

1 . The item represents a present obligation, not a potential future commitment or intent.

2 . The obligation must exist as a result of a past transaction or exchange, called the obligating event.

3 . The obligation must require a probable future economic resource that the firm has little or no discretion to avoid.

4 . The obligation must have a relevant measurement attribute that the firm can quantify with sufficient reliability.

Business

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