Brief Exercise 8-5 Blossom Company uses the percentage-of-receivables basis to record bad debt expense and concludes that 4% of accounts receivable will become uncollectible. Accounts receivable are $419,300 at the end of the year, and the allowance for doubtful accounts has a credit balance of $2,941. Prepare the adjusting journal entry to record bad debt expense for the year.

The adjusting journal entry to record bad debt expense for the year:

Debit Bad debts expense $13,831

Credit Allowance for doubtful accounts $13,831

Explanation:

Blossom Company uses the percentage-of-receivables basis to record bad debt expense.

At the end of the year, Accounts receivable are $419,300 and 4% of accounts receivable will become uncollectible.

Estimated uncollectible = $419,300 x 4% = $16,772

Before adjusting, the allowance for doubtful accounts has a credit balance of $2,941.

Bad debts expense = $16,772 - $2,941 = $13,831

The adjusting journal entry:

Debit Bad debts expense $13,831

Credit Allowance for doubtful accounts $13,831