25-07-2012, 02:34 PM
BANK RECONCILIATION STATEMENT
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You operate a bank account in which you deposit money and withdraw
money from time to time. You maintain a record with yourself of these
deposits and withdrawals. One day you get your pass-book (statement
issued by the bank) updated but are surprised to find that the balance shown
by the pass book was different from what it should have been as per your
records. What will you do in this case? It is obvious that you will compare
the two sets of records and find out items which are recorded in one but
not in the other. Similar situation may arise in case of a business concern
which operates a bank account. These business concerns maintain record
of all of their banking transactions in their bank column of the cash book.
On any particular date the bank balance shown by the bank column cash
book and that shown by the pass book should be the same.
BANK RECONCILIATION STATEMENT - MEANING AND
NEED
It shows the balance of both at the end of a period.
Bank also maintains an account for each customer in its book. All deposits
by the customer are recorded on the credit side of his/her account and all
withdrawals are recorded on the debit side of his/her account. A copy of
this account is regularly sent to the customer by the bank. This is called
‘Pass Book’ or Bank statement. It is usual to tally the firm’s bank
transactions as recorded by the bank with the cash book. But sometimes
the bank balances as shown by the cash book and that shown by the pass
book/bank statement do not match. If the balance shown by the pass book
is different from the balance shown by bank column of cash book, the
business firm will identify the causes for such difference.
Need of preparing Bank Reconciliation Statement
It is neither compulsory to prepare Bank Reconciliation Statement nor a date
is fixed on which it is to be prepared. It is prepared from time to time to
check that all transactions relating to bank are properly recorded by the
businessman in the bank column of the cash book and by the bank in its
ledger account. Thus, it is prepared to reconcile the bank balances shown
by the cash book and by the bank statement. It helps in detecting, if there
is any error in recording the transactions and ascertaining the correct bank
balance on a particular date.
Cheques issued by the firm but not yet presented for payment
When cheques are issued by the firm, these are immediately entered on the
credit side of the bank column of the cash book. Sometimes, receiving
person may present these cheques to the bank for payment on some later
date. The bank will debit the firm’s account when these cheques are
presented for payment. There is a time period between the issue of cheque
and being presented in the bank for payment. This may cause difference
to the balance of cash book and pass book.
Cheques deposited into bank but not yet collected
When cheques are deposited into bank, the firm immediately enters it on
the debit side of the bank column of cash book. It increases the bank balance
as per the cash book. But, the bank credits the firm’s account after these
cheques are actually realised. A few days are taken in clearing of local
cheques and in case of outstation cheques few more days are taken. This
may cause the difference between cash book and pass book balance.
Amount directly deposited in the bank account
Sometimes, the debtors or the customers deposit the money directly into
firm’s bank account, but the firm gets the information only when it receives
the bank statement. In this case, the bank credits the firm’s account with
the amount received but the same amount is not recorded in the cash book.
As a result the balance in the cash book will be less than the balance shown
in the Pass book.