You Win Some, You Lose Some
August 20, 2012 Blog Post by Josiah Osibodu, Managing Partner – Consulting Services
The focus of this blog discussion is centered around those “credits” on the balance sheet (or were on the balance sheet at some point) that could result in unclaimed property or unclaimed credits. The accounting term “credit” typically connotes amounts due to or given to someone. In addition, it also represents individual items or sum of items entered on the right-hand side of a general ledger account.
Some companies are surprised to learn that the states unclaimed property definition of “property” also includes “credits.” For example, the 1995 Uniform Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act (adopted by about eleven states) provides that “intangible property” includes….credit balances, customer overpayments, gift certificates, refunds, credit memos, .….. and unidentified remittances. In general, these transactions represent fixed and certain obligations on a company’s books and records. Other credits or credit balances found on the balance sheet that may be unclaimed property include customer deposits, accounts payable credit balances, un-invoiced transactions, goods received/invoice received (GR/IR), un-vouched payables, unidentified credit balances, etc.
As states continue to look for new categories of unclaimed property to satisfy their need for additional revenue, “credits” will remain attractive as low hanging fruits. As mentioned above, “credits” cover a broad range of accounting transactions, however, it is important to distinguish between these credits, especially since some credits could result in unclaimed property while others are not unclaimed property. For example, if your company has those outstanding credits resulting from un-invoiced transactions, GR/IR, un-vouched payables or un-invoiced payables, then your company is lucky because some states have exempted or excluded these types of credits from their definition of unclaimed property. However, if your company has outstanding credits resulting from accounts receivable or accounts payable, customer overpayments, unredeemed gift certificates, customer refunds, credit memos, rebates, unidentified remittances or receipts, then your company may be looking at potential unclaimed property due for reporting to the states.
In conclusion, your company could end up winning or losing the unclaimed property battle, depending on the types of accounting credits in question or reflected on your company’s books and records.