What are the six types of accounts in accounting?

Asked by: Lorine Jacobson III  |  Last update: September 22, 2026
Score: 4.2/5 (11 votes)

The six fundamental types of accounts in accounting—often grouped as Assets, Liabilities, Equity, Revenue, and Expenses, with Equity often split into Capital and Drawings/Dividends—form the basis of the chart of accounts and financial reporting. These accounts track a company’s financial position and performance.

What are the six main types of accounts?

What types of bank accounts should I have?

  • Checking accounts. ...
  • Savings accounts. ...
  • Money market accounts. ...
  • Certificates of deposit (CDs) ...
  • Retirement accounts. ...
  • Brokerage accounts.

What is as 6 in accounting?

The document discusses AS-6 depreciation accounting, focusing on the treatment, calculation, and measurement of depreciation for fixed and depreciable assets. It outlines key concepts such as historical cost, useful life, residual value, and methods of depreciation including straight-line and reducing balance methods.

What are the 5 main account types?

The five major account types in a chart of accounts—assets, liabilities, equity, income/revenue, and expenses—are reflected in these financial statements: Balance sheet. Displays assets, liabilities, and equity, showing the company's financial position at a specific point in time.

What is the list of accounts in bookkeeping?

Sample Chart of Accounts for a Small Company

  • Asset Accounts.
  • Liability Accounts.
  • Owner's Equity Accounts.
  • Operating Revenue Accounts.
  • Operating Expense Accounts.
  • Non-Operating Revenues and Expenses, Gains, and Losses.

What are The Five Account Types? ACCOUNTING BASICS - Part 2

33 related questions found

What are the 4 types of depreciation?

The four methods for calculating depreciation include straight-line, declining balance, units of production and sum of years digits (SYD). The best depreciation method for a company to use depends on its accounting needs, types of assets, size and industry.

What is as 7 in accounting?

Accounting Standard (AS) 7, Construction Contracts (revised 2002), issued by the Council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India, comes into effect in respect of all contracts entered into during accounting periods commencing on or after 1-4-2003 and is mandatory in nature2 from that date.

What are the 7 main types of accounting?

Main Types Of Accounting You Can Specialize In

  • Auditing. Auditors work in both the public and private sectors making sure an organization's finances are accurate, compliant, and managed properly. ...
  • Cost Accounting. ...
  • Governmental Accounting. ...
  • Financial Accounting. ...
  • Forensic Accounting. ...
  • Management Accounting. ...
  • Tax Accounting.

What are the 7 basic accounting categories?

7 basic accounting concepts

  • Revenue. For a business, the total amount of money the company receives for selling services and products is its revenue. ...
  • Expenses. Expenses are the costs a business incurs to generate revenue. ...
  • Assets. ...
  • Liabilities. ...
  • Capital. ...
  • Accounts. ...
  • Financial statements.

What are the six parts of accounting?

Understanding the 6 Key Components of Accounting Information...

  • People. ...
  • Procedures and Controls. ...
  • Data. ...
  • Software. ...
  • IT Infrastructure. ...
  • Internal Controls and Security Measures.

What are the six branches of accounting?

The different branches of accounting

  • Financial accounting. Financial accounting involves recording and clarifying business transactions along with preparation and presentation of financial statements. ...
  • Managerial accounting. ...
  • Cost accounting. ...
  • Auditing. ...
  • Tax accounting. ...
  • Fiduciary accounting. ...
  • Project accounting. ...
  • Forensic accounting.

What is GAAP depreciation?

The term “depreciation” refers to the systematic allocation of a fixed asset's cost over its useful life. It's not a matter of valuation but a means of cost allocation. GAAP requires depreciation to match the expense of using an asset with the periods in which it generates revenue.

What are the 7 methods of depreciation?

It then explains 8 different depreciation methods - straight line, sinking fund, sum of years digits, declining balance, double declining balance, working hours, constant unit, and output.

What are the six elements of accounting?

Accounting Elements. The accounting elements are Assets, Liabilities, Owners Equity, Capital Introduced, Drawings, Revenue and Expenses. Each account we have is one of these elements.

Can a CPA make 300k a year?

Can accountants make 300k? Yes, it is possible for accountants to make $300,000 a year or more, especially those working in public accounting or executive finance roles. However, salaries at this high level typically require extensive experience, professional qualifications, and a track record of success.

What is the Big 6 model?

Big6 (Eisenberg and Berkowitz 1990) is a six-step process that provides support in the activities required to solve information-based problems: task definition, information seeking strategies, location and access, use of information, synthesis, and evaluation (see figure 1).

What is AAA definition of accounting?

The American Accounting Association (AAA) defined accounting as: "the process of identifying, measuring and communicating economic information to permit informed judgment and decision by users of the information."

What are common accounting mistakes?

Some common steps that are often cut for the sake of time include failing to reconcile accounts, back up books, or record small transactions. While these might seem insignificant on their own, doing this for months can contribute to big problems in the long run.