Business Entity Concept

The business entity concept declares that a business stands independently from its owner, and hence the two should be treated as separate entities when recording transactions. Therefore, all business transactions (income, expenses, assets, liabilities, and equity) must be kept separate from the owner's account to ensure accurate accounting records.

In accounting, the business entity concept increases the owner’s accountability whenever the business capital is utilized for personal use. It compels the business and owner to be responsible for their separate financial obligations. This principle can also apply to the owners of multiple companies.

• The business entity concept is a principle of accounting that implies business owners should keep personal and business records separate. It can assist in maintaining accurate accounting records and ensuring easier tax filing.
• This concept allows individuals to analyze the financial performance accurately, whether inside the company or not.
• The business entity concept is not the same as the corporate veil. It’s considered an accounting practice rather than a legal one.

The business entity concept should be applied to every type of business (sole proprietorship, partnership, and corporation) to retain financial integrity for those involved in the company. The purpose of the concept is to ensure the business’ financial statements reflect the company’s performance. It allows shareholders and other stakeholders to determine its financial performance and positioning.

In accounting, the business entity concept prevents personal and business expenses from becoming entangled, interfering in determining the correct taxable information. Any money moving to or from the company should be recorded in a separate accounting journal to avoid confusion.

• Owners Draw - Let’s say, for example, you’re the owner of a business, and you decide to withdraw money to pay for your child’s tuition. Such a withdrawal acts as an expense for the business as it allows a loss of capital to fund a personal expense. The transaction must be written as an owner's draw to signify the transaction is for personal use. It doesn’t include paying yourself a salary, which would be considered regular wages.

• Loaning Money - If you’d like to lend personal money to your business, it will be considered a liability to the company. The loan amount will be treated as a debt that must pay off as per the loan terms with consequences for missed payments. It can typically be done through an attorney.
• Contributed Capital -  It can be tough for small business owners to manage two separate accounts: business and personal. If you accidentally use your credit card to pay a business expense, such as office supplies, it would be considered a case of contributed capital by the owner.

The business entity concept is extremely important for business owners for several reasons described below.

1. Increased accountability -  Like we pointed out before, an obvious benefit is enabling a check on the owner's actions whenever company funds are involved. Since any utilization of business capital for personal expenditure is considered an expense, it increases the owner's liability. It obligates the owner to be accountable for the loss of funds and requires them to repay.
2. Separate Taxation – When it comes to tax filing, you will be thankful you kept your personal and business records separate. If you were to intertwine them, it would not only get cumbersome. It may cause disruptions to the cash flow and profitability.
3. Measure Business Performance – The business entity concept is important because it allows individuals to determine a specific business's financial performance. For example, investors look through a company's financial reports to compare them with others in the industry to determine what business to invest in for the best returns. Having separate accounting records will enable you to distinguish how well a company performs.
4. Auditing - If the financial records are compromised or become mixed, it makes it nearly impossible for auditors to separate the information. The purpose of audits is to assure a business's financial integrity and confirm all events affecting a company's performance.
5. Competitor Comparisons – A critical part of any business model is to have the ability to compare its performance with the competitors. A key component of thee SWOT analysis ( Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) comes from analyzing the competition and determining where your business fits in the industry. Through this technique, you can determine what is working for you and what needs to be changed. However, it will be a challenge to compare your business to others accurately without proper accounting records.
6. Keeps Multiple Businesses Separate – Just like how you would compare your business to the competition, you can compare your companies to one another accurately to determine how well they are performing.
7. Shareholders/ Stakeholders – For those involved in the business, such as shareholders and stakeholders, accurate financial data is critical for making certain business decisions.

Although the concept is helpful in many situations, it also has limitations. These include:

• Detailed Record Keeping - One of the limitations is the necessity to keep accurate data for accounting purposes. Business owners must keep personal and business information separate to maintain correct records. It can be especially challenging when managing more than one business's records.
• Legal or Accounting Regulation – There is a concept known as the “corporate veil” or “corporate shield” that applies to certain business entities, including corporations.
  • Limited Liability Companies

A corporate shield is a legal form of protection, whereas the business entity concept applies to recordkeeping and accounting practices. The corporate veil shields the owners from liabilities about the business, like lawsuits. Legally, it’s important to understand this concept does not include basic partnerships or sole proprietorships.

• Personal Finances – Another limitation with the business entity concept is that individuals will not have the ability to view the owner's finances or net worth as those records will be separate.

This has been a guide to Business Entity Concept and its definition. Here we discuss how it works along with the examples and why it is important. You may also have a look at the following articles to learn more –

• Chattel Mortgage
• Business Life Cycle
• Business Structure
• Business Transaction