Branches of Accounting

Branches of Accounting:

Learning Objectives:

1. What are the branches of accounting?

Accounting has three main forms of branches, viz, financial accounting, cost accounting, and management accounting. These forms of accounting have been developed to serve different types of objectives.

Financial Accounting:

It is the original form of accounting. It is mainly confined to the preparation of financial statements for the use of outsiders like creditors, banks and financial institutions etc. The chief purpose of financial accounting is to calculate profit or loss made by the business during the year and exhibit financial position of the business as on a particular date.

Cost Accounting:

Function of cost accounting is to ascertain the cost of the product and to help the management  in the control of cost.

Management Accounting or Managerial Accounting:

It is accounting for management. i.e., accounting which provides necessary information to the management for discharging its functions. It is the reproduction of financial accounts in such a way as will enable the management to take decisions and to control various business activities.

You may also be interested in other articles from “bookkeeping chapter” chapter:

1. Definition and Explanation of Bookkeeping
2. Important Bookkeeping Terms
3. Double Entry System of Bookkeeping
4. Single Entry Vs Double Entry System of Bookkeeping
5. Definition and Explanation of Accounting
6. Branches of Accounting
7. Functions of Accounting
8. Parties Interested in Accounting Information
9. Systems of Accounting – Cash System of Accounting and Accrual System of Accounting
10. Bookkeeping Vs. Accounting/Difference Between Bookkeeping and Accounting
11. Accounting Cycle

Other Related Accounting Articles:

• Bookkeeping Versus Accounting
• Systems of Accounting
• Definition and Explanation of Bookkeeping
• Bookkeeping
• Double Entry System of Bookkeeping
• Important Bookkeeping Terms
• Extended Example of Net Present Value Method