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Accounting Methods
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Uniform Capitalization Rules (UNICAP)-IRC Section 263A
What Are the Uniform Capitalization Rules?
Section 263A of the Internal Revenue Code deals with the capitalization and inclusion of certain costs in inventory.
For example:
- Manufacturers must include the cost of direct labor and materials and certain indirect costs related to overhead in the cost of finished goods.
- Merchants who purchase inventory for resale must include shipping expenses in the cost of goods sold.
However, under Revenue Procedure 2002-28, for taxpayers exempted from using the accrual method, the uniform capitalization rules under IRC Section 263A DO NOT APPLY.
Revenue Procedure 2002-28 allows inventoriable items to be accounted for as nonincidental materials and supplies under Reg. 1.162-3.
What it Means to Capitalize a Cost
To capitalize a cost simply means you do not take an immediate deduction for the cost of the item(s).
Instead, you initially set up the cost in your books as an asset by debiting the cost to an asset account such as an Inventory account.
The cost in the Inventory account is eventually expensed when the inventory is sold.
Inventory that is sold is debited to the cost of goods sold account.
EXAMPLE
- You purchase $5,000 worth of T-shirts for resale.
- You pay cash for the T-shirts.
- All the T-shirts are sod.
Result:
- Initially, you debit the Inventory account (an asset account) for $5,000
- You credit the cash account for $5,000 to record the payment.
- There are no T-shirts left in your inventory.
- You debit the Cost of Goods Sold account for your cost, $5,000
- You credit the Inventory account for $5,000.
The above entries transfer the $5,000 carried in the asset account (Inventory) to the expense account (Cost of Goods Sold).
Next:
Accounting Methods-Cash Method: Inventoriable Items Treated as Nonincidental Materials and supplies; Valuing Inventoriable Items
Related Links
- Types of Accounting Methods
- The Cash Method
- Expenses Paid By Credit Card Under the Cash Method
- Expenses Paid Via Pay-By-Phone Payments Under the Cash Method
- Prepaid Interest: Individuals versus Businesses
- Who uses the cash method?
- Can you use the cash method if you carry inventory for resale?
- Who may not use the cash method?
- Constructive Receipt of Income
- Using an agent and Constructive Receipt
- Examples of constructive receipt
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