How do I categorize a loan?

Asked by: Prof. Tate Gerhold  |  Last update: May 29, 2026
Score: 4.4/5 (27 votes)

Loans should be categorized as liabilities (or debt) on a balance sheet, while loan payments are generally treated as transfers, splitting principal (reduction of liability) and interest (expense). Classify based on duration: "Other Current Liabilities" for under one year, or "Long-Term Liabilities" for over one year.

How to categorize a loan?

Classifying loan payment expenses

  1. If the loan is for daily operations, it's an operating expense.
  2. If it's for long-term assets like real estate or equipment, it's a capital expenditure.
  3. If it's managing existing debts, it falls under debt service.

How should a loan be categorized in QuickBooks?

If you aren't paying off this loan within the fiscal year, create a Long Term Liabilities account with the Notes Payable detail type. If you're paying off this loan by the end of the fiscal year, create an Other Current Liabilities account with the Loan Payable detail type.

How do you record a loan in accounting?

To record a loan from the officer or owner of the company, you must set up a liability account for the loan and create a journal entry to record the loan, and then record all payments for the loan.

What is a loan classified as in accounting?

A loan is a liability: As you can see, if you take out a loan, that is money you owe to the bank, which makes it a liability.

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How are loans classified?

Loans can be classified further into secured and unsecured, open-end and closed-end, and conventional types.

How to account for a loan?

A loan is not considered as income because the company is expected to pay that money back to the creditor overtime, meaning it is only reflected on the company's balance sheet. However, any interest that is accrued or paid on the loan during the period, goes in the income statement as an expense.

What is the journal entry of a loan?

The loan taken from a bank journal entry is a simple entry where one asset account increases (Bank) and one liability account increases (Loan). You debit the bank account because the money comes in. You credit the loan account because you owe it. This entry is simple but very important.

How to record a loan in QuickBooks?

In the Make Deposits window:

  1. In the Deposit To field, select the account to deposit the loan into.
  2. Check the Date and enter an optional Memo.
  3. In the From Account column, select the Liability account.
  4. In the Amount column, enter the loan amount.
  5. Select Save & Close.

Is a loan considered an expense?

Is a Loan Payment an Expense? Partially. Only the interest portion on a loan payment is considered to be an expense. The principal paid is a reduction of a company's “loans payable”, and will be reported by management as cash outflow on the Statement of Cash Flow.

What is a loan category?

Loan Category means each group of Loans of a common type (e.g., consumer-purpose, business-purpose, or Line of Credit), and with a common credit grade and loan term (as set forth in the Credit Policy). “

How to record a loan from your business?

Classify the loan as a liability (not as owner's equity). Clearly label the entry, such as “Loan from Owner” or “Shareholder Loan”. Record loan details including amount, interest rate, repayment schedule, and maturity date. Track repayments carefully, noting each payment's date, amount, interest, and remaining balance.

Is a loan a liability or asset?

Liabilities are settled over time through the transfer of economic benefits including money, goods, or services. They're recorded on the right side of the balance sheet and include loans, accounts payable, mortgages, deferred revenues, bonds, warranties, and accrued expenses.

What are the three categories of loans?

While loans have many categories, the three fundamental types often distinguished by purpose and security are Personal Loans (flexible, often unsecured), Mortgages (for property, secured by the home), and Auto Loans (for vehicles, secured by the car), with other common types including Student Loans, Business Loans, and Home Equity Loans. Loans are also categorized by structure (secured vs. unsecured, open-ended/credit line vs. closed-ended/installment) or term (short, intermediate, long).
 

What category is a loan in QuickBooks?

Go to Settings and select Chart of Accounts. Click on New. Choose either Other Current Liabilities or Long Term Liabilities from the Account Type drop-down list, depending on the loan type and repayment time frame. Select either Other Current Liabilities or Long Term Liabilities from the Detail Type dropdown list.

What is the double entry for a loan?

An example of double-entry accounting would be if a business took out a $10,000 loan and the loan was recorded in both the debit account and the credit account. The cash (asset) account would be debited by $10,000 and the debt (liability) account would be credited by $10,000.

How to reconcile a loan in QuickBooks?

Step-by-Step: Reconciling a Loan Account

  1. Go to Settings → Reconcile in QBOA.
  2. Select your loan liability account.
  3. Enter the ending balance and ending date from your loan statement or amortization schedule.
  4. Click Start Reconciling.
  5. Match each payment and transaction in QuickBooks to those on your statement.

Is interest on a loan considered an expense?

Interest is an expense because it's essentially the cost of the loan itself.

How to write off a loan in QuickBooks?

In the Product/Service section, select Bad debts. In the Amount column, enter the amount you want to write off. In the Message displayed on statement box, enter “Bad Debt.” Select Save and Close.

How to record a loan in bookkeeping?

The double entry to be recorded by the company is: 1) a debit of $30,000 to the company's current asset account Cash for the amount that the bank deposited into the company's checking account, and 2) a credit of $30,000 to the company's current liability account Notes Payable (or Loans Payable) for the amount of ...

How to do a journal entry for a loan in QuickBooks?

Create a journal entry for the loan

  1. Select + Create.
  2. Select Journal entry.
  3. For the first line under ACCOUNT, select your new liability account.
  4. Enter the amount of the loan under CREDITS.
  5. For the next line, select the appropriate asset account under ACCOUNT. ...
  6. Select Save or Save and close.

What are 7 journal entries?

Seven common accounting journal entries include recording sales, paying expenses (like rent or salaries), purchasing assets (like equipment) or inventory, receiving cash, paying liabilities, owner investments/withdrawals, and end-of-period adjusting entries for things like depreciation or accruals, all following double-entry bookkeeping rules (debits/credits) to reflect business activities accurately.
 

What is the journal entry for a loan?

Journal entry in case of a loan taken by an employee:

Credit: Cash/Bank A/c. Debit: Employee Loan A/c.

Where do loans go on a balance sheet?

Even though long-term loans are considered a long-term liability, sections of these loans do show up under the “current liability” section of the balance sheet.

How to record a loan in general ledger?

Enter the amount of the loan and log the proper amounts to the appropriate expense accounts. In the following example, the Liability/Loan account is increased, or credited, while the appropriate expense accounts are decreased, or debited. In journal entries, the total of the Debit and Credit columns must be equal.