Prepare a journal entry to capitalize the total costs you’ve calculated. Increase the general ledger asset account with a debit on the first line of the entry. On the second line, record the offsetting decrease in the general ledger cash account with a credit.

In accounting, capitalization refers to the process of expensing the costs of attaining an asset over the life of the asset, rather than the period the expense was incurred. Rather than listing the asset as an expense, the asset is added to the company’s balance sheet and depreciated over its useful life.

A cost can be either an asset or an expense. If the item acquired has already been used in the process of earning revenue, its cost represents an expense. If the item will be used in the future to generate revenue, its cost represents an asset. When does a cost become an expense?

Purchase is the cost of buying inventory during a period for the purpose of sale in the ordinary course of the business. It is therefore a kind of expense and is hence included in the income statement within the cost of goods sold.

Capital asset, as defined by Sec 2(14) of ITA does not include items held for personal use such as furniture, air-conditioners, refrigerators, motor cars etc. Therefore, a car used for personal purpose (depreciation is not charged), is not a capital asset.

Account Types

Capital account is the account of a natural person, i.e. an account of person who is alive. Hence, it can be classified as a personal account.