91Ó°ÊÓ

A journal entry is a record made to document the financial transactions in an accounting ledger. When you make a journal entry, you're essentially recording how a transaction impacts your business's accounting books. Let's take a look at how this relates to amortization expenses. In the case of Venture Company, they needed to record the amortization expense of their patent for the year ended December 31, 2008. Amortization is basically spreading a tangible cost over its useful life. Here, the initial cost and subsequent legal expenses related to the patent must be spread over a period of useful life as journal entries. The journal entry involves two accounts:

• Amortization Expense (an expense account) is debited because expenses lead to a decrease in equity.
• Accumulated Amortization-Patents (a contra-asset account) is credited because it's used to reduce the value of an intangible asset, like a patent, over time.

At Venture, the amortization for 2008 was $63,875, so they recorded this with a debit to Amortization Expense and a credit to Accumulated Amortization-Patents.

Intangible assets are non-physical assets that add value to a company. Unlike tangible assets like machinery or buildings, intangible assets do not have a physical substance. However, they can still be very valuable to a company. Examples of intangible assets include:

• Patents
• Trademarks
• Copyrights
• Franchises
• Goodwill

Patents are a good example of intangible assets that need accounting care and management. They grant exclusive rights to an invention or process for a set period, allowing companies to protect their innovations legally. In accounting, these assets are typically amortized over their useful lives, which reduces the carrying amount on the balance sheet year by year. For Venture Company, the patent they acquired is an intangible asset. Initially, the useful life was determined to be 15 years based on legal rights. But after defending their patent at a cost, this investment is extended, changing its carrying value and amortization schedule.

Patent accounting involves the proper recording and treatment of costs associated with acquiring, defending, or maintaining patents. Patents, like the one Venture Company purchased, are unique in that they offer value through legal rights to an invention or idea. Once acquired, a patent is considered an intangible asset and is initially recorded at its purchase cost. However, additional costs, like legal fees for successful defenses, can also be capitalized. This means they are added to the carrying value of the patent because they extend its useful economic life or enhance it. The initial cost of Venture’s patent was $661,500, and after incurring $105,000 in defense during a lawsuit, this cost was increased. The full carrying value is amortized over its useful life. Amortization, in this context, is essentially writing down the value of the patent over successive time periods, reflecting its economic consumption and decline in value. This careful period-by-period allocation provides a clearer picture of the company’s asset base, ensuring that both balance sheets and income statements accurately represent the financial impacts of holding such intangible properties.