Nominal Account
Definition
An account for incomes, expenses, gains and losses, closed to the profit and loss at period end. It contrasts with real accounts (assets) and personal accounts (people and entities).
Related Terms in Accounting Principles
Real Account
An account for assets and property whose balance carries forward from one period to the next rather than being closed to profit and loss. Examples include cash, inventory and equipment.
Personal Account
An account relating to persons or entities a business deals with, such as customers, suppliers and lenders. Its balance represents amounts owed to or by those parties.
Adjusting Entries
Journal entries posted at the end of a period so that revenue and expenses fall in the right period under accrual accounting. The usual categories are accruals, prepayments, depreciation, and provisions such as doubtful debts.
Revenue Recognition
The rules determining when a sale may be recorded as revenue, which is when control of the goods or services passes to the customer rather than when cash arrives. Misapplying it is one of the most common causes of restated accounts.
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