Question

The following errors took place in journalizing and posting transactions:

Insurance of $18,800 paid for the current year was recorded as a debit to Insurance Expense and a credit to Prepaid Insurance. Dividends of $18,000 were recorded as a debit to Wages Expense and a credit to Cash. Journalize the entries to correct the errors.

Answer 1

Journal 1

Debit : Prepaid Expense $37,600

Credit : Cash $18,800

Credit : Insurance Expense $18,800

Journal 2

Debit : Dividends $18,000

Credit : Wages $18,000

Step-by-step explanation:

Journal 1

The first error has to be corrected by debiting the Prepaid Expenses by twice the amount paid to cancel the effect of a credit entry made to that account. Cash is credited to show the correct credit entry that was supposed to be made. Insurance expense is credited to cancel the debit entry made to this account in error.

Journal 2

The error made is called error of principle. This is were the transaction is recorded in the wrong class of accounts. Simply, Debit the Dividends and credit the Wages Account to record and reverse the error out of the Wages Account into the Dividends Account.