What are Retained Earnings in QuickBooks: How to Calculate?

When the accounting periods end, the remaining net income of a business after dividing the dividends to the shareholders, owners, and partners is retained earnings. They play a primary role in any business. So it is essential to have awareness regarding retained earnings. Here in the below article, we will explore in-depth the role of retained earnings in QuickBooks.

What are the Retained Earnings in QuickBooks?

QuickBooks retained earnings display the profit & loss of the past year. When the new financial year begins, the accounting software automatically fills the previous year’s net income into the active year balance. If the current year’s total assets are equal to liability in the balance sheet, your retained earnings will be zero for the ongoing year.

In the Retained earnings, all the profits get distributed to a suitable person. It acts as one of the components of an owner’s or shareholder’s equity. The major objective of these types of earnings is to re-invest the amount for the organization’s further assets.

Retained Earnings Formula:

Every organization at the end of the accounting period calculated its retained earnings. It is often based on monthly, quarterly, or annually. Here is the formula:

Retained Earnings (RE) = Net income+ Beginning RE – Dividends.

How do I Adjust Retained Earnings in QuickBooks?

At the closing of the accounting year, the profit balance retains. These retained earnings transfer directly into the proceeding year’s balance sheet as the retained earning’s account. It will get automatically refresh when occurs a new closing date. Here are the steps you need to follow to modify the closing date:

• Open the QuickBooks
• Locate Edit option appearing in the menu bar
• Now you need to choose the preferences
• Choose Accounting button
• Hit on date/password through the company preferences
• Once done, specify the closing date along with the password
• Now confirm it in the next button

How To Zero Out Retained Earning in QuickBooks?

Retained earnings help to analyze the previous year’s profit and loss. When the new financial year begins, the previous year’s net income automatically enters the current year’s balance sheet as the retained earnings. The retained earning becomes zero if the total assets are equal to the balance sheet’s sum of liability.

There is no legal method to zero out the retained earnings in QuickBooks. However, if any error occurs while filling an amount in the income statement, there is zero out retaining in QuickBooks. One can quickly correct the mistakes by monitoring the financial reports of the firm. You can even verify the General ledger and journal report and verify the expenses and revenues amount with the basic instructions.

How to Close Opening Balance Equity Account?

• Open your QuickBooks application.
• Locate P& L report/income statement
• Now you have to filter the income statement report to the fiscal period closing out.
• After this, make a note of the opening balance.
• Now locate the New Journal entry Window to make a new journal entry by entering the last day of the closing period date.
• Open the income statement and click on Opening balance equity account and create a debit account.
• Proceed with the last line of the entry; you require choosing the income summary account.
• Create credit to all the opening balance equity account
• Once done, hit on the Save button and then choose the Close option.
• Ensure that all calculations you perform are accurate to zero out the equity or opening a Balance account.

How to Organize the Closing Income Summary?

• Initially, you require making a new journey entry containing the date of the last closing period.
• Now you require debit or credit of the net income amount in the income summary account.
• If you have more expenses compared to revenue, then debit it, or if you have less profit from expenses, you need to credit it.
• Choose the retained earning amount and now credit and debit matching to the income summary report.
• Hit on the Save button and then close it.

How to Close out Retained Earnings in QuickBooks?

If the retained earning displays zero, that means there is an error in the income statement. Here are the steps of the expense account:

• Open your QuickBooks
• Locate Chart of Accounts
• Discover the income summary
• If the option does not display, then add Expense Account.
• Now you have to add the owner’s equity account as a Retained Earning account.
• Now locate income statement or profit & loss account report.
• After this, you require to filter the P& L account as fiscal period.
• Now create a note regarding all expense and revenue accounts.
• Now discover the New Journal Entry Window for making new journal entries.
• After this, write the day’s date of the closing date.
• Locate P& L account
• Choose all the debit amounts and all revenues.
• For the last line of the entry, you need to choose an income summary account that you newly created and write the total revenue accounts.
• Now hit on the Save button and then choose the Close option
• Point to note: Ensure that all the numbers and calculations are filled correctly. It will enhance accuracy. After this, use the journal entry to fix How to Zero out Retained Earnings in QuickBooks.

How to Enter Retained Earnings in QuickBooks?

• Locate Create(+) icon
• Choose Journal Entry
• Now adjust the preferred date that you need the opening balance to match.
• Locate the Account column and go to the first line
• Choose Retained earnings
• Fill in the amount of the balance appearing in the column which says Credits.
• Now go to the second line, fill in the amount you are accessing to create the balance.
• Write the amount in the column which says Debits.
• Hit on the Save button and then Close.

Conclusion

Here the article about what is Retained Earnings in QuickBooks completes. If you are still confused or need to explore more insights related to the same or on other components, connect with the QuickBooks team. Simply dial a toll-free QuickBooks ProAdvisor Support. The team member will help you to clear out all your issues. You can drop an email or do a live chat for on-spot assistance.