What is petty cash and how does it work?

A petty cash fund is a small amount of company cash, often kept on hand (e.g., in a locked drawer or box), to pay for minor or incidental expenses, such as office supplies or employee reimbursements. A petty cash fund will undergo periodic reconciliations, with transactions also recorded on the financial statements.

What type of account is petty cash?

current asset
The petty cash account is a current asset and will have a normal debit balance (debit to increase and credit to decrease).

Why do businesses use petty cash?

The purpose of a petty cash fund is to provide business units with sufficient cash to cover minor expenditures. The intent is to simplify the reimbursement of staff members and visitors for small expenses that generally do not Exceed $25.00, such as taxi fares, postage, office supplies, etc.

How do you reimburse petty cash?

Petty cash imprest funds are provided to enable departments to make cash conveniently available for minor business expenditures. The preferred method of reimbursements is by check, requested via a properly authorized and documented check request.

How can I get petty cash?

Companies assign responsibility for the petty cash fund to a person called the petty cash custodian or petty cashier. To establish a petty cash fund, someone must write a check to the petty cash custodian, who cashes the check and keeps the money in a locked file or cash box.

Where does petty cash go in the trial balance?

current assets section
Petty cash appears within the current assets section of the balance sheet. This is because line items in the balance sheet are sorted in their order of liquidity. Since petty cash is highly liquid, it appears near the top of the balance sheet.

Is petty cash an income?

At the end of the period or year, the petty cash balance will be present in the company’s balance sheet with cash on hand and cash in the bank. It is not present in the company income statement, and it is not considered an expense.

What is the maximum amount for petty cash?

Most companies set the maximum amount of cash they carry in the petty cash fund, or petty cash float, between $30 and $500, depending on how much money the business needs to cover its small expenses for emergencies and convenience over a designated period, which is typically one month.

How often is a petty cash fund replenished?

every two to four weeks
For this reason, companies typically establish a petty cash fund that needs to be replenished every two to four weeks. Companies assign responsibility for the petty cash fund to a person called the petty cash custodian or petty cashier.

How much petty cash is allowed?

The amount of money kept on hand varies by organization, but most businesses establish a petty cash fund between $50 and $500. This money is typically kept in a secure location within the office, such as a locked drawer or cash register, and the business will use a system to keep track of deposits and withdrawals.

What are the risks associated with petty cash?

Petty cash is an example of accepting inherent risks of holding cash against its potential benefits….Internal auditors need to be aware of these risks, which include:

• Waste. Wasting resources on activities not in line with business objectives.
• Misappropriation of funds.
• Human error.

What are the problems of petty cash?

Disadvantages of Petty Cash Accounting Errors. Your business’s petty cash system is susceptible to accounting errors because of the absence of a secondary documentation for tracking the cash. Theft. Without proper controls, the business’s petty cash account becomes vulnerable to theft by employees, and it’s hard for you to know who took the cash. Misappropriation. Overspending.

Is petty cash considered an asset?

Petty cash, considered a current asset, doesn’t show on the balance sheet but is included within the total cash account. However, companies do have a general ledger account for petty cash funds to disclose the balance.

Why is petty cash is important to small businesses?

It records all the petty expenses incurred in the organization

What should petty cash funds be used for?

Coffee and other beverages