Is a Loan an Asset or a Liability? Explained

There may be a few misconceptions when it comes to loans, and how they are used in accounting. One of the most common questions surrounding this topic is if a loan is an asset or a liability?

In this article we will go over some of the most common questions about loans and accounting, and whether a loan is an asset or a liability.

Is a loan an asset or liability?

A loan is usually considered a liability for both individuals and companies. This is because liabilities include the money that is owed by a company or an individual.

They are recorded on the balance sheet, and they can be considered a current or long-term liability depending on the maturity of the loan. The interest paid on the loan is considered an expense, and it is usually recorded on the income statement.

Can a loan be considered an asset?

Although loans tend to be considered a liability, they can also be considered an asset. For example, when a bank loans money to an individual or a company, that loan is considered an asset for the company. 

Since the bank will receive that money in the future, it is considered an asset, as opposed to a liability. On the other hand, the bank also has a liability when it issues a loan. That liability represents the money that is credited to the customer’s account.

Therefore, on the bank’s balance sheet, the loan will be included in its asset account. The amount credited to the customer will be on the liabilities account.

There are several types of companies that loan money, and whose assets include loans.

Is a loan an asset on the balance sheet?

For companies and individuals that borrow money, a loan will appear on their balance sheet as a liability. It can either be considered a short-term liability, if it is to be paid in the following 12 months, or it can be considered a long-term liability if the payment is to be made over a year from now.

For banks or companies that issue loans, the loan will be considered an asset. It will either appear as a current asset if the loan is to be paid in the preceding 12 months. Or it can appear under the non-current assets account if the payment will be made in a period of over 12 months.

Are loans liabilities?

Yes, for individuals and companies that borrow money a loan will be considered a liability. It is also important to keep in mind, that some businesses like banks will concede loans to their customers. In this case, the loan will be considered a liability for the individual taking the loan, but it will be considered an asset for the bank.

Since the loan will generate interest payments and it's a valuable financial asset that it owns.

What type of liability is a loan?

Liabilities are divided into short-term and long-term. Short-term liabilities will have to be paid in the next year, and long-term liabilities need to be paid in a period longer than a year.

A loan can either be a short-term liability if it is going to be paid in the next 12 months.

It can also be a long-term liability if the payment will be made for a period longer than a year.

What type of asset is a loan?

A loan is considered a financial asset, that can either be a current or non-current asset. 

It is a financial asset because it is intangible, and its value is created through a contractual agreement between the debtee and the debtor.

It can be considered a current asset if the payment is expected to be made in the following 12 months. Current assets are assets that can be converted into cash in under a year. 

If the loan is to be paid over a period longer than a year then it is considered a non-current asset. Since it will only be converted into cash in a period longer than a year.

Why is a loan an asset?

A loan is an asset to companies that lend money because it is a valuable intangible financial asset that they can earn interest on, convert into cash, and in some cases even sell.

How do you record a loan in accounting?

When a loan is conceded, the debtor will have to record it in its balance sheet. It can be considered a current liability if the payment is to be made in under 12 months. It can also be a long-term liability if the loan is expected to be paid in a period longer than a year.

Interest payments on the loan also need to be accounted for. They appear on the income statement, as an expense of the business.