Accounting for surpluses and shortages during inventory. Inventory: what to do if a shortage is identified? Who pays the shortage during school inventory?
Checking the actual availability and balances of property is a direct interest of the company itself; this will ensure the accuracy of the reports prepared for submission to the Federal Tax Service. How to carry out and correctly document the results of the audit, what documents to use, how to reflect in postings the surpluses and shortages identified during the inventory - we will tell you in the article.
The obligation to conduct an annual inventory of property and financial obligations is established by the Regulations on accounting, approved by the Ministry of Finance on July 29, 1998. No. 34n. The rules and procedure for carrying out this procedure are established by the Methodological Instructions (Order of the Ministry of Finance No. 49 of June 13, 1995), they list the composition of property and liabilities subject to audit, and the forms of documents that can be used to document the results.
The main stages of inventory are shown in the table:
Stage | Document | Explanation |
Preparation | Manager's order to conduct an inventory | The order indicates: the timing of the inventory, the reason for the inventory, the list of inventory property, the list of financially responsible persons and the composition of the commission |
Carrying out | Inventory list | Members of the commission maintain an inventory (count) of property and its condition |
Data Mapping | Comparison sheet | Reconciliation of the data presented in the inventory with the data in accounting. Drawing up comparison sheets to identify discrepancies. |
Registration and approval of results | Accounting certificate | Bringing accounting data into correspondence with actual availability. Write-off of shortages or capitalization of surpluses |
Reasons for conducting an inventory, in addition to the annual obligation, may be:
- Change of financially responsible person;
- Fact of theft or damage;
- Natural disaster;
- Organizational reasons (change of manager, reorganization, etc.):
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The results of the inventory can be:
To carry out an inventory at the enterprise, a commission consisting of at least three people is formed. Based on the results of the inventory, the commission draws up matching statements, inventory lists, acts:
We document the inventory results in postings
The final stage of the inventory is the reconciliation of accounting data, and there is often a need to write off shortages or, on the contrary, to capitalize excess values.
How to reflect in postings the identified shortages during inventory
The shortage must be reflected on account 94 in correspondence with the account for the property being written off:
- Dt 94 K 10(41,43,01)
1) The perpetrators have not been identified (not found).
You can write off the shortage within the approved norms of natural loss as expenses for the main activity. Shortage during wiring inventory:
- Dt 20 (23,25,26,44) Kt 94
If natural loss rates for certain types of property are not established or the shortage exceeds them, then it is charged to other expenses and reflected by posting:
- Dt 91.2 Kt 94
It is important to remember that in tax accounting it is impossible to recognize expenses in excess of the norms of natural loss (Article 254 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation).
2) The perpetrators are identified, the damage is compensated at their expense.
In this situation, an important role is played by the presence and content of an agreement on financial liability, as well as the norms of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, which contain instructions on the maximum amount and procedure for deducting amounts from employees’ wages. If the guilty person is not an employee of the organization and agrees to compensate for the damage (it is better to draw up an agreement on voluntary compensation for damage), then you can deposit the funds into the cash register or into a current account. The accountant will reflect the shortage by posting:
- Dt 73 Kt 94 - the shortage is attributed to the guilty person;
- Dt 50 (51) Kt 73 – the guilty person compensated for the shortage.
If compensation for the shortfall is determined at a market value exceeding the book value, then the excess amount is reflected in the following entries:
- Dt 73 Kt 98 - the difference in the cost of the shortage is reflected;
- Dt 98 Kt 91 - the difference is attributed to other income.
If a person does not plead guilty and does not agree to compensate for the damage, then the shortfall is written off as other expenses (as in the case of an unidentified culprit) and awaits a court decision.
How to reflect in postings identified surpluses during inventory
As a rule, surpluses are detected less frequently during inventory. They are accounted for at market value, which must be confirmed in one of the following ways:
- A company certificate compiled on the basis of an analysis of prices for similar property (invoices from suppliers, advertisements for the sale of similar objects in the media, a certificate from statistical authorities, etc.);
- A certificate prepared by an independent appraiser (more preferable).
Excess valuables at market prices are included in other income and capitalized using the following entry:
- Dt 10 (41,01,50) Kt 91.1
Re-grading
If the audit reveals a shortage of one value and a surplus of another, this fact must also be reflected in accounting.
Situation: An inventory of the spare parts warehouse revealed a shortage of three bushings costing 4,500 rubles/piece, and a surplus in the form of three nozzles costing 6,700 rubles/piece.
Let's reflect in accounting:
Dt | CT | Sum | Explanation | Document |
94 | 10.5 | 13 500,00 | A shortage of bushings was determined (writing off inventory items) | Inventory INV-3, statement INV-19 |
10.5 | 94 | 20 100,00 | Injectors are capitalized | Inventory INV-3, statement INV-19 |
94 | 91.1 | 6 600,00 | Other income recognized | Accounting certificate |
An inventory is an audit in which the amount of an organization’s property as of a specific date is determined by reconciling accounting data and actual indicators. This is a way to control the safety of material assets and property.
Goals and requirements
During the inventory check, material assets stored in the warehouse are reweighed, recalculated, and measured; cash on hand, in circulation in production and in trade.
Inventory is also carried out:
- to identify unused objects that are subsequently sold;
- in order to detect expired or damaged goods;
- to check the safety of material assets and property.
The inspection can be complete or partial, planned or unexpected. But in any case, the following requirements must be met:
- surprise for the person bearing financial responsibility;
- appointment of a commission to conduct an inspection;
- actual recount of values;
- regularity of inspections with the mandatory participation in them of persons responsible for the safety of material assets.
After the inventory, its results are summed up, which are as follows:
- the amount of property corresponds to the actual availability and accounting data;
- surpluses or shortages are identified.
If, as a result of the inventory, a shortage is identified, more difficulties arise with the preparation of documents for its write-off. In order to correctly write off a shortage, it is necessary to establish the cause of its occurrence. These could be:
- production costs and circulation features;
- losses caused by the perpetrators;
- other costs for which the perpetrators were absent or it is impossible to prove their guilt in court.
The amount of the shortfall can be written off in various ways depending on the reason for its formation.
To confirm production costs and losses due to handling, it is necessary to have appropriate documentation (documented various acts of shortages and damage), for the preparation of which a standard form can be used or developed independently.
Inventory procedure
Before starting an inventory, its procedure is prescribed in the accounting policy indicating:
- deadlines;
- cases;
- composition of the commission. Typically, the commission includes accounting employees and other specialists with the necessary knowledge and qualifications. Since during inventory the goods are not only counted, but also weighed and measured; an analysis of financial liabilities and assets is also carried out;
- standard schemes for identifying shortages or surpluses.
The order issued by the head of the organization must contain information regarding the composition of the commission, the timing of the inspection, and the types of property that will be inspected.
The commission should not include persons who are financially responsible and have assets under their control that are subject to verification.
During the inventory, a continuous or selective method can be used. The continuous method consists of checking all property and all types of financial obligations of organizations. Selective involves checking only certain types of property (for example, food).
What actions are taken when shortages or surpluses are identified?
Shortages or surpluses identified during the inventory process are documented upon completion. In such documents, the person responsible for the inspection indicates the actual amounts of shortages or surpluses. The document in which surpluses or shortages are written off must be accompanied by an inspection report and other documentation confirming the quantity of goods remaining in stock.
How to prepare documents for write-off of shortages
Write-off of shortages should be carried out taking into account the norms of natural loss and the accounting policies of the enterprise.
Natural loss is written off only after its amount has been calculated by the accounting department and the results have been verified by the management of the enterprise and an independent inventory commission.
After this, a decision is made on the need for an official investigation and identification of those responsible. An investigation is necessary when the amount of the shortage exceeds the norms of natural loss.
The application of natural loss norms is provided for any quantitative and qualitative goods, with the exception of those packaged and supplied individually.
The procedure for writing off the shortage
The inventory shortage should be written off:
- during the calendar year in which the inspection was carried out;
- one person responsible for conducting the inventory;
- from property or goods of the same name;
- from property or goods in the same quantity.
Inventory shortages are written off in the following order:
- receiving a write-off order from management;
- write-off of the residual value of fixed assets, the cost of finished products and materials, the purchase price of goods (the write-off is made from a credit to a debit to account 94 “Shortages and losses from damage to valuables”), as well as transportation costs and payment for the work of employees who carried out the inventory;
- comparison of the total amount of expenses with the norms of natural loss after calculating them in the accounting department. If this amount turns out to be less than the norms of natural loss, then it can be written off as expenses of the organization.
At the last stage, the issue of VAT is resolved. It may or may not recover. If VAT is subject to recovery, then a certain amount is reflected as a debit to credit.
List of documents
As a result of the inventory, the material assets available are verified with accounting documents. If inconsistencies are identified during weighing, measurement, or recalculation, an inventory is made or a document is filled out (in accordance with the order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation “On approval of Methodological Guidelines for the Inventory of Property and Financial Liabilities” No. 49 of June 13, 1995). If deviations are identified, marks are placed in the statement of discrepancies in form 0504092.
The list of mandatory documents includes the following types of acts:
- No.TORG-6;
- No.TORG-7 – form for filling out the inventory log;
- No.TORG-15 – for low-quality products;
- No.TORG-16 – information on write-off of goods;
- No. TORG -20 – further actions with surpluses or shortages;
- No.TORG-21 – re-sorting of fruits and vegetables.
Responsibility and consequences
If a shortage is discovered during the inventory process, then financial responsibility is assigned to the guilty party, who is obliged to compensate for the damage. To do this, an inspection report is first drawn up, which confirms the fact of guilt in accordance with current legislation. When an employee agrees with the amount of damage, he writes an explanation indicating the motives and reasons for causing material damage to the company.
If the employee does not admit his guilt, the employer creates a commission and conducts an internal investigation. The commission reveals the employee’s involvement in this fact. Then an act of refusal by the employee to repay the missing amount is drawn up. This act is sent for consideration to the head of the company, who makes a decision on the forced recovery of material damage from the employee. The manager issues an order to withhold money from his salary, partially or in full. After this, the accounting department makes the appropriate deductions.
When calculating losses, the purchase price of the missing product is taken into account without taking into account lost profits or possible profits as a result of use.
If the employee does not agree with the deductions, then he has the right to appeal the employer’s action in court.
To recover damages from a guilty person with whom a liability agreement was not concluded, an application is submitted to the court along with evidence confirming his guilt. If the employee’s guilt in the loss of goods is not established, then compensation for losses or writing them off as expenses is impossible.
You can understand all these nuances only if you have the appropriate accounting and financial knowledge. This will make it possible to correctly record the shortage during inventory and bring to justice exactly those persons who are actually guilty of its formation.
№ 1/2009
The agricultural organization conducted an inventory of the property. Based on its results, both surpluses and shortages were simultaneously identified. There is an opportunity to count missing values as superfluous. But this is not always possible...
We reflect the situation in accounting. Shortages and surpluses can be offset
Mutual offset of surpluses and shortages can be allowed only if they arose as a result of misgrading. Reason – clause 5.3 of the Guidelines for inventory of property and financial obligations.
What conditions must be met?
There are four conditions for recognition of misgrading. So, surpluses and shortages should be formed:
– for the same audited period;
– from the same person being checked;
– in relation to inventory items of the same name;
- in identical quantities.
The same conditions are specified in paragraph 127 of the Methodological Recommendations for Accounting of Inventories in Agricultural Organizations (approved by Order of the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia dated January 31, 2003 No. 26).
Let us pay special attention to the requirement that regrading is possible only in relation to the values of one item.
So, the complexity of the issue is that the concept of “name” is not established by law. Therefore, in practice, it may not be entirely clear whether it is permissible in each specific case to offset the misgrading. Specialists from the Ministry of Finance, in a letter dated August 19, 2004 No. 07-05-14/217, recommended using the All-Russian Product Classifier for these purposes.
Of course, regrading assumes that the surplus and shortage of values of one item will be in identical quantities. After all, the main reason for its occurrence is the mistakes of the financially responsible person, who mixed up, for example, the type of grain.
In addition, it is clear that the culprit of the misgrading can only be the same person. But the situation of a simultaneous shortage in one warehouse and a surplus of stock of the same item in another warehouse (under the jurisdiction of another storekeeper) does not apply to the case of misgrading.
We are conducting a test
The initiator of the classification for regrading is the inventory commission. However, in fact, it can only be produced by decision of the management of the agricultural organization.
In any case, financially responsible persons who have committed misgrading must provide detailed explanations to the inventory commission.
The difference arising as a result of offset by regrading is accounted for in accounting in the following order. It may turn out that the value of the missing assets is higher than the value of those that are in excess. Then the corresponding difference is attributed to the guilty parties. But the specific culprits of the misgrading may not be identified. Then it is written off as an expense.
Keep in mind: in this case, the inventory commission must give comprehensive explanations about the reasons why the difference is not attributed to the perpetrators.
Reflection of the situation in tax accounting. Credit is not possible
The Tax Code of the Russian Federation does not at all provide for the offset of shortages with surpluses in case of re-grading. Therefore, for the purpose of calculating income tax, the accountant should take into account separately.
Thus, the value of surplus property identified during inventory must be included in non-operating income. The basis is paragraph 20 of Article 250 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation.
But shortages and losses of inventories during storage and transportation within the limits of natural loss norms are included in material costs (subclause 2, clause 7, article 254 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation).
As for shortages in excess of the norms of natural loss, they are not taken into account as expenses that reduce income. An exception is the cases provided for in subparagraph 5 of paragraph 2 of Article 265 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation. That is, the organization has the right to take into account shortages in excess of the norms of natural loss in the absence of guilty persons as. But if the person responsible for the shortage of valuables is identified, this rule does not apply.
Amounts recovered from the guilty employee as compensation for damage should be included in non-operating income on the basis of paragraph 3 of Article 250 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation.
What if the organization is a single agricultural tax payer?
The “accounting” mechanism is not applicable in this case either.
The organization's income includes the same non-operating income that, according to Article 250 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation, is recognized for profit tax purposes. The basis is paragraph 1 of Article 346.5 of the main tax document.
Therefore, if surpluses and shortages are detected that arose through the fault of a financially responsible person, the following must be included in income:
– the cost of surplus valuables that were identified during the inventory;
– amounts of compensation for damages recognized by the guilty employees.
When it comes to writing off shortfall amounts, the situation is more complicated.
On the one hand, expenses in the form of shortages are not mentioned in paragraph 2 of Article 346.5 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation. And in subparagraph 42 of paragraph 2 of this article, it is allowed to include in expenses only losses from the death of poultry and animals within the limits of the norms approved by the Government of the Russian Federation.
However, organizations using the Unified Agricultural Tax have the right to take into account material costs in the same manner as firms under the general taxation regime (subclause 5, clause 2, article 346.5 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation). This means that an agricultural organization can include shortages and losses of stocks during storage and transportation. But only within the limits of natural decline.
Should value added tax be reinstated?
If there is a shortage of valuables, it turns out that they will no longer be used by the organization for the purposes for which they were acquired. In the event that an organization has already deducted “input” VAT from their value, the question arises: does it need to be restored? Let's consider different points of view.
Officials' opinion
Financiers took a position that allowed them to replenish the state budget. In their opinion, in such a situation, the value added tax should be restored in the period when the missing property is written off. In particular, this is stated in letters of the Ministry of Finance of Russia dated May 15, 2008 No. 03-07-11/194, dated July 31, 2006 No. 03-04-11/132.
Analysis of arbitration practice
But judges usually take the side of taxpayers. They argue that it is not necessary to restore VAT, previously legally claimed for deduction, when writing off shortages and losses from theft. After all, the Tax Code of the Russian Federation does not require this.
Thus, the Federal Antimonopoly Service of the North Caucasus District, in resolution dated March 27, 2008 No. F08-1468/08-536A, came to the conclusion: the taxpayer is not obliged to restore value added tax on inventory items written off due to their damage or loss.
Indeed, paragraph 3 of Article 170 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation establishes an exhaustive list of cases when an organization is obliged to restore VAT.
These include:
– transfer of property as a contribution or share;
– further use of property on which VAT has already been claimed for deduction for the operations listed in paragraph 2 of Article 170 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation.
In the second case, we are talking about a situation where, for example, an agricultural organization intended to manufacture products subject to VAT from purchased materials, but then decided to manufacture products exempt from VAT. Or use materials when performing work and providing services, the place of which is not the Russian Federation.
But nothing is said about cases when an organization writes off shortages. Moreover, in this case it is the write-off that occurs, and not the “further use” of the property.
So, having considered the position of officials and arbitration practice, the accountant of an agricultural organization must make his choice. Moreover, this fact should be provided for in the accounting policy.
Ideal accounting of surpluses and shortages (Petrukhina T.)
Article posted date: 01/10/2016
It's good when the inventory goes to zero. That is, the accounting ones turned out to be the same as the actual ones. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Sometimes surpluses and shortages of property are discovered. How to take such deviations into account will be discussed.
To begin with, let us recall the general rule that is relevant for both accounting and taxation. Reflect in the accounting surpluses or shortages at the time of completion of the inventory (drawing up an act of the inventory commission) or at the date of drawing up the annual financial statements. In other words, in the case of an annual inventory, the entry must be made no later than December 31 of the reporting year.
How to account for surplus
The identified surplus is income. In accounting this is other income, and in tax accounting it is non-operating income. Account for property at market price - this is the value that can be obtained by selling things. Confirm information about the level of current market prices with documents or data from an appraiser (clause 10.3 of PBU 9/99, clause 20 of Article 250, clause 6 of Article 274 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation).
Let us dwell in more detail on surplus inventories (MPI), because this is the most common situation. Of course, they can be used in production or sold. When you use materials and equipment, write off their cost as part of material expenses. Include in expenses the same amount that was previously taken into account in income when posting surpluses. When selling, the proceeds received can also be reduced by previously recorded non-operating income (paragraph 2, paragraph 2, article 254, paragraph 2, paragraph 1, article 268 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation).
There are no restrictions in accounting on the cost of inventories, which are written off when calculating book profit. Include the market price of the property in full as expenses. This is allowed by paragraphs 73 and 91 of the Methodological Instructions, approved by Order of the Ministry of Finance of Russia dated December 28, 2001 N 119n. This means that the differences according to PBU 18/02 will not have to be taken into account.
Example 1. Before preparing annual reports, Mechanics LLC carried out an inventory of the raw materials warehouse. The inventory ended on December 31, and surplus raw materials were identified. The market value of the surplus was 25,000 rubles.
For profit tax purposes, the organization uses the accrual method. The reporting period is a month.
On December 31, the organization’s accountant made the following entry in accounting:
Debit 10 Credit 91-1
- 25,000 rub. - reflects the cost of surplus raw materials identified during inventory.
Also on December 31, the accountant also included this amount in non-operating income when calculating income tax.
In January 2016, these raw materials were transferred to production. Therefore, the mechanics accountant made the following entry:
Debit 20 Credit 10
- 25,000 rub. - reflects the cost of raw materials transferred to production.
When calculating the advance income tax for January, the accountant took into account the entire cost of raw materials transferred to production. Material costs included 25,000 rubles.
What if we are talking about surplus property, which, by its criteria, is a fixed asset? First, show the income, and then write off the cost of such operating systems through depreciation. Calculate the initial cost according to the rules of paragraph. 2 p. 1 art. 257 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation. Focus on the market price of the property, which was previously taken into account in income (clause 8 of Article 250 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation).
If you decide to sell surplus OS, write off their market value as expenses. This is what clause 1 of Art. 268 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation. The identified property will be considered goods.
A few words about VAT. Charge tax if the company sells property identified during inventory. When using such property in production, VAT is not required (Article 146 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation).
How to account for shortfalls in accounting
Shortages are a little more difficult than surpluses. Let us consider separately the rules for accounting and taxation.
In accounting, reflect the shortage in the debit of account 94 in correspondence with the property accounting accounts. Account for missing inventory items or inventories at the actual cost, which is determined based on accounting data. Fixed assets - at residual value.
Accounting for the shortage depends on the reason for which it arose. Four options are possible.
Option N 1. Shortage within the limits of natural loss
Write off shortages and damage to valuables within the limits of loss norms as production and distribution costs based on the order of the general director (sample on p. 31). Determine the natural shortage after regrading, that is, after you have carried out a mutual offset of surpluses and shortages for the same audited period from the same audited person in relation to inventory items of the same name and in the same quantities. When offset by misgrading in accounting there is no need to reflect the cost of offset shortfalls in expenses, and the cost of offset surpluses in income. Reflect the offset of regrading with postings (in terms of subaccounts for the corresponding items of inventory items):
Debit 10 (41, 43) Credit 10 (41, 43)
- the offset of shortages against identified surpluses is reflected.
Write off the cost of missing inventory items that are not offset against surplus as shortages.
The wiring is like this:
Debit 94 Credit 10, 41, 43
- reflects the cost of the shortage identified during the inventory;
Debit 20 (23, 44...) Credit 94
- the cost of missing inventory items was written off within the limits of natural loss norms.
Option No. 2. Shortage due to the fault of an employee
Attribute the shortage of goods in excess of the norms of natural loss, as well as the shortage of other property, to the perpetrators. In this case, the employee must compensate the organization for the entire amount of damage caused. Determine the amount of damage based on the market price of the missing property, but not lower than its value according to accounting data (Article 246 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation).
If a person only reimburses the book value of the missing items, the postings are as follows:
Debit 73 Credit 94
- the shortage of property is attributed to the employee at book value;
Debit 50 (51, 70) Credit 73
If the culprit compensates for damage based on the market price of the missing property, make the following entries:
Debit 73 Credit 94
- the shortage of property is attributed to the employee at book value;
Debit 73 Credit 98
- the difference between the market and book value of the missing property is taken into account;
Debit 50 (51, 70) Credit 73
- the employee repaid the debt for the shortage.
As you pay off the debt, write off the difference in proportion to the share of the debt repaid:
Debit 98 Credit 91-1
- the difference between the market and book value of the missing property is taken into account in other income.
Option N 3. Shortage due to force majeure or when there are no culprits
Let’s say the shortage was caused by force majeure. For example, fire or flood. Then take into account the shortage of property as part of the losses of the reporting year at book value (clause 13 of PBU 10/99).
It also happens that the perpetrators are not identified or the court refuses to recover the amount of damage caused from them. In this situation, attribute the lack of property to the financial results of the company. Refer the amount of the shortfall to other expenses. A document that can confirm the absence of guilty persons can be, for example, a court acquittal, a decision to suspend a criminal case, etc. Determine the amount of loss based on the value of the missing property according to accounting data (clause 11 of PBU 10/99).
In both cases, make the wiring:
Debit 91-2 Credit 94
- loss from a shortage of property resulting from force majeure (due to the absence of the culprit or refusal to recover damages) is written off.
Option No. 4. Shortage of property written off the balance sheet
Separately, let’s talk about the shortage of property that has already been written off. For example, an inexpensive computer or office furniture was written off as a lump sum as inventory. And after some time it turned out that there was no asset.
Although the value of the property has already been written off, such a shortage is still a loss for the company. The procedure for reflecting such a shortage in accounting depends on the reasons for its occurrence. The reasons for this may be the same as described in options 1 - 3. That is, natural loss, the actions of perpetrators or force majeure.
If the shortage arose due to natural loss or force majeure, no postings need to be made. Simply write off the missing property from off-balance sheet accounting (if it was listed in off-balance sheet accounts). Proceed in the same way if the source of the shortage has not been identified. The reason is this. There is no reason to take into account expenses in the company's accounting, since the property has already been written off. There is also no reason to record income, because there will be no revenue for damages.
But when there is a culprit behind the shortage, everything becomes more interesting. The organization has the right to recover material damage (clause 1 of article 1064 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, article 243 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation). Since the cost of the item has already been written off, compensation for damage resulting from the shortage is possible either using account 94 or without it. You can choose any of the above options.
Example 2. In October, Mechanics LLC, in accordance with industry standards, purchased special clothing for mechanics (wearable for 12 months) worth 1,770 rubles. (including VAT - 270 rubles). In the same month, the worker was given special clothing.
According to the accounting policy of the organization, workwear costing less than 20,000 rubles. taken into account in the composition of materials. At the same time, such clothes with a wear period of no more than 12 months are written off as expenses at a time.
In December, one of the mechanics quits and refuses to return the workwear. The director decided to recover the shortage of protective clothing from the employee’s salary. To pay off material damage, the cost of special clothing in the amount of 1,500 rubles was collected from the employee’s last salary.
The accountant reflected the amount of the shortfall in accounting using account 94.
In October:
Debit 10-11 Credit 10-10
- 1500 rub. - special clothing was issued to the employee;
Debit 20 Credit 10-11
- 1500 rub. - the cost of special clothing is written off as expenses.
In December:
Debit 94 Credit 98
- 1500 rub. - the amount of the identified shortage is reflected;
Debit 73 Credit 94
- 1500 rub. - the employee’s debt for damages is reflected;
Debit 70 Credit 73
- 1500 rub. - the cost of lost workwear is withheld from the employee’s salary;
Debit 98 Credit 91-1
- 1500 rub. - the amount of repaid damage is reflected in other income.
If you decide to do without account 94, the postings will be as follows:
Debit 73 (76) Credit 98
- reflects the damage that must be compensated by MOL (another culprit);
Debit 70 (76) Credit 73 (76)
- the damage caused is withheld from the salary (remuneration) of the culprit;
Debit 50 (51) Credit 73 (76)
- the amount of damage has been repaid;
Debit 98 Credit 91-1
- the amount of repaid damage is taken into account in other income.
How to take into account shortfalls when calculating taxes
Unlike accounting, for tax purposes, shortages and surpluses cannot be offset during regrading. This is simply not provided for by the norms of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation. Therefore, take into account the deviations that arise as a result of regrading according to the general rules. That is, surpluses in non-operating income, and reflect shortfalls depending on the reason.
As for the reasons, everything is essentially the same as in accounting. The simplest thing is if the shortage arose due to natural loss. Write it off as part of material expenses (clause 2, clause 7, article 254 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation).
As for shortages in excess of attrition norms, the important fact is whether the culprit has been identified or not.
Option N 1. There is a culprit
Let's say the culprit is identified. Moreover, he compensates for the damage. Such compensation is non-operating income for the organization in accordance with clause 3 of Art. 250 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation. Using the accrual method, reflect income in tax accounting on the date at the time the employee admitted his guilt or at the time the court decision entered into force (clause 4, clause 4, article 271 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation). Let us remind you that if the decision is not appealed, it comes into force 10 days after it is made (Article 209 of the Code of Civil Procedure of the Russian Federation). When using the cash method, take into account the amount of compensation as part of income at the time the culprit compensates for the damage (clause 2 of Article 273 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation). For example, on the day of depositing money into the company’s cash register.
The shortage itself can be taken into account in non-operating expenses in accordance with paragraphs. 20 clause 1 art. 265 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation. To write off an expense, the amount of the shortfall must be justified and documented. The justification is the fact that when the shortage is compensated, the organization also receives income. For some documents, you will need a matching sheet, an explanatory note from the employee and other papers.
Once such requirements are met, the shortage at actual cost can be written off entirely. The correctness of such actions is also confirmed by the Russian Ministry of Finance (see Letters dated 08/27/2014 N 03-03-06/1/42717, dated 04/17/2007 N 03-03-06/1/245).
Option N 2. There is no culprit
Let's move on to the situation where the culprits of the shortage have not been identified or the court has refused to recover the amount of damage caused from them. When calculating income tax, take into account the shortage of property as part of non-operating expenses. In this case, the fact of the absence of perpetrators must be documented by an act of the authorized agency, as required by paragraphs. 5 p. 2 art. 265 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation.
With the accrual method, the shortfall can be written off as expenses at the moment when the fact of the absence of villains is documented. With the cash method, it is also necessary to confirm full payment for the property, the shortage of which has been identified (clause 3 of Article 273 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation).
What documents are needed? These are acts of authorized bodies, for example preliminary investigation bodies or courts. A specific list of such documents is not specified by law.
The Russian Ministry of Finance is confident that shortages can be written off on the basis of a copy of the resolution to suspend the preliminary investigation or inquiry. Such clarifications are in Letters dated 03.08.2011 N 03-03-06/1/448 and dated 20.06.2011 N 03-03-06/1/365.
You can write off losses even when the company has a copy of the decision to terminate the criminal case. Such a decision can be made by the investigator only after the expiration of the statute of limitations for criminal prosecution (Part 1 of Article 78 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation).
When considering a case in court, the fact that there are no guilty persons may result in an acquittal (Part 2 of Article 302 of the Code of Criminal Procedure of the Russian Federation). This document will be the basis for writing off losses (shortages) from theft of property.
If an organization is ready to argue with tax authorities, the shortfall can be written off on the basis of any document. For example, letters or certificates issued by authorized officials of internal affairs bodies, which indicate that there are no perpetrators of the theft. Or a decision to refuse to initiate criminal proceedings. Often the courts confirm the correctness of such actions (see, for example, Determination of the Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation dated December 10, 2007 N 16216/07, Resolutions of the Federal Antimonopoly Service of the West Siberian District dated August 7, 2007 N F04-5161/2007(36812-A46-15), Moscow District dated 09.11.2007 N KA-A40/10001-07).
Option N 3. Force majeure
Finally, the shortage may be caused by force majeure circumstances. In this case, we are also talking about non-operating expenses (clause 6, clause 2, article 265 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation). Write off losses according to the general rules - at the time of completion of the inventory or on the date of preparation of the annual financial statements. Don’t forget that you also need a document from authorized bodies. Usually this is a certificate from the Ministry of Emergency Situations, for example, about a fire, hurricane or flood.
Finally, a few words about VAT. If you are guaranteed to avoid disputes with the tax authorities, it is safer to restore the “input” tax on the value of the lost property. It is only necessary to restore VAT on the cost in excess of the norms of natural loss.
Currently, there are conflicting explanations from the Ministry of Finance and the Federal Tax Service on this matter. Moreover, tax officials insist that there is no need to restore VAT. They say that such requirements are absent in Chapter. 21 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation (Letters of the Federal Tax Service of Russia dated June 17, 2015 N GD-4-3/10451@ and dated May 21, 2015 N GD-4-3/8627@).
But the Ministry of Finance thinks differently. Representatives of the financial department are confident that the tax should be restored (see, for example, Letter of the Ministry of Finance of Russia dated 08/09/2012 N 03-07-08/244).
Due to such discrepancies, we recommend that you still restore VAT if you want to avoid disputes. But if the company is not afraid of the prospect of litigation, it is possible to successfully challenge the demands of the tax authorities. Extensive judicial practice confirms that arbitrators are on the side of companies. Evidence of this is the Decision of the Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation dated May 19, 2011 N 3943/11, the Determination of the Supreme Arbitration Court of the Russian Federation dated October 21, 2009 N VAS-13771/09, Resolutions of the Federal Antimonopoly Service of the Moscow District dated July 15, 2014 N F05-7043/2014, the Central District dated October 18, 2012 N A35-10180/2011, etc.
Pay attention! Simplified companies that have chosen the “income minus expenses” object can take into account for tax purposes only the shortage within the limits of natural loss norms (Article 346.16 of the Tax Code of the Russian Federation).
During the inventory check, the controlling commission draws up inventories. If a discrepancy is detected between the actual data on the availability of the objects being taken into account and the organization’s accounting information, comparison sheets are filled out, which record both surpluses and shortages discovered during the inventory.
The management of the organization should find out the reasons and circumstances of their loss from the persons responsible for the safety of actually missing assets. In accordance with the explanations received, it is necessary to make a decision about whether the missing objects will be written off at the expense of the guilty parties or the loss will be attributed to production and distribution costs.
This procedure is prescribed by the Methodological Guidelines for Inventorying Property and Financial Liabilities, approved by Order of the Ministry of Finance of the Russian Federation dated June 13, 1995 N 49. Let's look at it in detail.
Preparation of matching statements
Drawing up matching statements is the first stage of registering shortages during inventory.
Comparison statements can be compiled in two ways:
- as a separate document. In this case, the form of such a document can be developed independently or you can use the INV-19 form, approved by Resolution of the State Statistics Committee of the Russian Federation dated August 18, 1998 No. 88.
- in the form of a single document based on the inventory form, supplemented with the parameters necessary for the formation of a matching statement.
The amount of discrepancies is determined as their value according to accounting data.
Explanatory note about shortages during inventory. A sample of its preparation
The next stage of registering a shortage is to find out the reasons and circumstances of its occurrence.
Based on the fact of loss reflected in the matching statements, the management of the organization in accordance with Art. 247 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation is obliged to demand from the employee in whose charge the lost valuables were located an explanation in writing. This is necessary to resolve the issue of sources of compensation for the shortage discovered during the inventory, namely, whether there are grounds to attribute the shortage to the responsible person.
The employee, in accordance with Art. 193 of the Labor Code of the Russian Federation, within two working days from the receipt of such a request, it is possible to submit an explanatory statement about the reasons for the lack of values.
The explanatory note is addressed to the head of the organization or the immediate supervisor of the person who committed the shortage. It is preferable that it be handwritten rather than printed. The note must indicate the position, surname and initials of the employee who wrote it. Certification of the note with his personal signature is also required.
In the text of the explanatory note, the employee must clearly state the reasons for the shortage, if they are known to him.
Example 1: “The shortage of 17 cans of paint “Zinc White” produced by the Ivanovo paint and varnish plant was discovered by me when opening a box received on September 13, 2016 according to consignment note No. 145 from LLC “World of Paints”, about which I wrote a memo addressed to the head of the warehouse Ivanova A.P. I am attaching a copy."
The employee has the right to express his assumptions about the reasons for the shortage, but must report the facts that took place, indicating dates and times if necessary.
Example 2: “I assume that the 857 grams of dairy sausages produced at the Tomarovsky meat processing plant that were missing in the refrigerator display case were eaten by a cat, which I discovered in the refrigerator display case at 2 p.m. on October 25, 2016, after my return from a lunch break. At 13-00 I closed the refrigerator, but during the lunch break the cleaning lady Petrushko G.I. I was washing the glass in the refrigerator display case and forgot to close it.”
Example 3: “A shortage of goods for all specified items in the store could have occurred as a result of theft of goods by customers, because in the store hall, customers take goods on their own and one inspector cannot keep track of everyone and prevent theft.”
Explanatory note
When receiving the explanatory note, the responsible person of the organization marks it with the date of receipt and the incoming number.
Inventory shortage order. Sample compilation.
Having considered the facts set out in the explanatory note, the manager decides whether the person in whose charge the valuables were guilty of their loss, and reflects this in the resolution on the note.
If the employee has not provided an explanatory note or additional investigation into the reasons for the shortage is required, the organization appoints a commission. Then, when making a decision, the manager is based on her conclusions.
The manager's decision is enshrined in the order. Issuing an order is the third stage of processing the identified shortage of goods based on the results of the inventory.
If an employee is to blame for the shortage, then the text of the order may be as follows: “Accounting Department of Teplaya Kompaniya LLC.” In connection with the identification of a shortage of a water meter of the “B123” brand due to its loss by the plumber of Teplaya Kompaniya LLC, Semenovich S.S. I order that Semenovich S.S. be withheld from his salary. 10,000 (ten thousand rubles).”
If the shortage arose as a result of natural attrition, then the text of the order may be as follows: “Accounting departments of Teplaya Kompaniya LLC.” In connection with the identification of a shortage in the amount of natural loss norms approved by Order of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Russia dated March 1, 2013 N 252, write off 1.5 tons of pineapples worth 70,000 rubles. on production costs."
If the shortage occurred due to the fault of unidentified persons, then the text of the order may be as follows: “Accounting departments of Teplaya Kompaniya LLC.” Due to the discovery of a shortage of three bottles of Sloboda vegetable oil worth 300 rubles. due to their theft from the trading floor by unidentified persons, write off the identified losses to the financial result.”
Order to write off shortages discovered based on inventory results