Financial Memos

Accounting involves tracking the financial activities of an entity, and understanding how to record donations, particularly when it comes to receiving assets, is a crucial aspect of this practice. Donations can come in many forms, from cash to physical assets, such as property, equipment, or inventory. These assets need to be correctly recorded to ensure that the financial statements reflect the true value and condition of the company or organization. In this tutorial, we’ll walk through how to record an asset received as a donation using a detailed example with journal entries and financial statements. The goal is to ensure you have a clear understanding of the steps involved in recognizing donated assets and their impact on the organization's financial statements. Step 1: Understanding the Concept When an asset is donated to a business or a nonprofit, it’s essential to record it correctly. A donated asset represents a contribution that adds value to the organization. According to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), the asset should be recorded at its fair market value (FMV) at the time of donation. Fair market value refers to the price that the asset would reasonably sell for in the open market between a willing buyer and seller. It's important to establish this value through an appraisal, research, or comparison with similar assets. The donation of assets must be recorded in two places: Asset Side: You are receiving an asset that needs to be added to your balance sheet. Income Side: Since the asset was donated, it is a form of revenue called a "contribution," which will appear in your income statement. Step 2: The Journal Entry for a Donated Asset Let’s begin with an example. Suppose a nonprofit organization, Hope Foundation, receives a donation of office equipment valued at $10,000. This office equipment will be used in the organization’s operations. Step 2.1: Determine the Fair Market Value (FMV)Before you can record the donation, the fair market value of the asset must be established. Let's assume that the office equipment was appraised, and its FMV is $10,000. Step 2.2: Record the Journal EntryOnce the FMV has been determined, you’ll create a journal entry to record the donation. The entry must recognize the office equipment as an asset and record the contribution revenue. The journal entry would look like this: DateAccountDebitCredit08/17/2024Office Equipment (Asset)$10,000Contribution Revenue (Income)$10,000 Explanation: The debit to Office Equipment increases the asset account on the balance sheet. The credit to Contribution Revenue increases the revenue account on the income statement. Step 3: Financial Statement Impact Let’s now explore how this donation affects the financial statements. Balance Sheet The Balance Sheet shows the financial position of the organization at a specific point in time. After recording the office equipment as an asset, the balance sheet reflects this change. Before the Donation Imagine Hope Foundation’s Balance Sheet before the donation: Hope Foundation Balance Sheet as of 08/16/2024 AssetsLiabilities and Net AssetsCash: $50,000Liabilities: $10,000Accounts Receivable: $5,000Net Assets: $45,000Office Equipment: $0Total Assets: $55,000Total Liabilities + Net Assets: $55,000 After the Donation After recording the donated office equipment: Hope Foundation Balance Sheet as of 08/17/2024 AssetsLiabilities and Net AssetsCash: $50,000Liabilities: $10,000Accounts Receivable: $5,000Net Assets: $55,000Office Equipment: $10,000Total Assets: $65,000Total Liabilities + Net Assets: $65,000 Impact: The Office Equipment account has increased by $10,000, and as a result, total assets have increased by $10,000. Income Statement The Income Statement (also known as the Profit & Loss Statement) shows the organization's revenue and expenses over a certain period. Let’s assume that Hope Foundation has not yet recorded any revenue for the year. Before the Donation Here’s how the income statement would look before the donation: Hope Foundation Income Statement for the Year Ending 08/17/2024 RevenueAmountProgram Revenue$0Donation Revenue$0Total Revenue:$0 ExpensesAmountOffice Rent$5,000Program Expenses$3,000Total Expenses:$8,000 Net Income (Loss)($8,000) After the Donation After recording the contribution revenue from the donation of office equipment: Hope Foundation Income Statement for the Year Ending 08/17/2024 RevenueAmountProgram Revenue$0Donation Revenue$10,000Total Revenue:$10,000 ExpensesAmountOffice Rent$5,000Program Expenses$3,000Total Expenses:$8,000 Net Income (Loss)$2,000 Impact: The Contribution Revenue has increased by $10,000, turning a previous net loss of $8,000 into a net income of $2,000 for the period. Step 4: Considerations for Depreciation If the donated asset is a depreciable asset (such as equipment, vehicles, or buildings), you’ll need to account for depreciation over its useful life. Depreciation allocates the cost of the asset over the period it benefits the organization. Let’s assume the office equipment has a useful life of 5 years and no salvage value. You would record depreciation as follows: Step 4.1: Calculate Annual Depreciation$10,000 / 5 years = $2,000 annual depreciation Step 4.2: Record Depreciation ExpenseAt the end of each year, you’ll need to record the depreciation expense in your books. The journal entry would be: DateAccountDebitCredit12/31/2024Depreciation Expense (Expense)$2,000Accumulated Depreciation (Asset)$2,000 Explanation: The debit to Depreciation Expense increases the expense account on the income statement. The credit to Accumulated Depreciation reduces the value of the Office Equipment on the balance sheet over time. Impact on Financial Statements: The Income Statement will show $2,000 as a depreciation expense, reducing net income. The Balance Sheet will include Accumulated Depreciation as a contra-asset (a negative asset) reducing the net value of the Office Equipment. Here’s how the financial statements would look at the end of the year: Balance Sheet After Depreciation Hope Foundation Balance Sheet as of 12/31/2024 AssetsLiabilities and Net AssetsCash: $50,000Liabilities: $10,000Accounts Receivable: $5,000Net Assets: $53,000Office Equipment: $10,000Less: Accumulated Depreciation: ($2,000)Total Assets: $63,000Total Liabilities + Net Assets: $63,000 Income Statement After Depreciation Hope Foundation Income Statement for the Year Ending 12/31/2024 RevenueAmountProgram Revenue$0Donation Revenue$10,000Total Revenue:$10,000 ExpensesAmountOffice Rent$5,000Program Expenses$3,000Depreciation Expense$2,000Total Expenses:$10,000 Net Income (Loss)$0 Impact: After recording depreciation, the net income is reduced to zero, and the net value of the office equipment is reduced by $2,000. Step 5: Disclosures Organizations are typically required to disclose significant donations of assets in the notes to the financial statements. This ensures transparency for stakeholders and provides context for the donation. In this case, Hope Foundation might include a note like this: Note X: Donated Assets During the fiscal year ending on December 31, 2024, the Foundation received donated office equipment valued at $10,000. This equipment will be depreciated over its useful life of 5 years. Conclusion Recording an asset received as a donation involves several important steps: recognizing the fair market value of the asset, recording it correctly in your accounting system, and reflecting its impact on your financial statements. The process also involves understanding how to depreciate the asset over time if it is subject to depreciation. By following the steps in this tutorial, you should now have a good understanding of how to handle donated assets in your accounting system, ensuring accuracy and compliance with accounting standards.