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Q.Aaria, Beenu and Clara were partners in a firm sharing profits and losses in the ratio of 4 : 3 : 3. On 30th June, 2023, Clara died. Clara's share in the profits of the firm till the date of death was to be calculated on the basis of sales. Sales during the year 2022 – 23 were ₹20,00,000 and sales from 1st April, 2023 to 30th June, 2023 were ₹4,00,000. The profit for the year ended 31st March, 2023 was ₹5,00,000. Calculate Clara's share of profit up to the date of death and pass the necessary journal entry for the same in the books of the firm. Show your workings clearly.

CBSECBSE Class XII Board 2024Subjective· 3mImportance★★★★★
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Clara’s share of profit up to the date of death is ₹30,000. The journal entry is: Profit and Loss Suspense A/c Dr. ₹30,000; To Clara’s Capital A/c ₹30,000.

Concept and Accounting Treatment

When a partner dies during the accounting year, the firm must calculate the deceased partner’s share of profit from the last balance sheet date (usually 1st April) up to the date of death. This is because the deceased partner (or their legal heirs) is entitled to a portion of the profit earned during that period.

The question specifies that Clara’s share of profit till death is to be calculated on the basis of sales. This is a common method when the firm’s profit is closely related to its sales volume. The logic is simple: if the total sales for the year generated a certain profit, then the sales in the partial period should generate a proportionate profit.

Why use a suspense account? The profit for the current year is not yet known (the books are still open). Instead of disturbing the regular Profit and Loss Account, we credit the deceased partner’s capital account and debit a temporary account called Profit and Loss Suspense Account. This suspense account will later be closed when the final accounts for the year are prepared.

The journal entry follows the golden rule of accounting for a real account (the suspense account is treated as an asset/expense) and a personal account (Clara’s capital is a personal account of the partner). Since we are recording an entitlement (an expense/loss for the firm) and giving it to Clara (increasing her capital), we debit the suspense account and credit her capital account.


Working Notes

Working Note 1: Profit for the year 2022–23

Profit for the year ended 31st March, 2023 = ₹5,00,000

Sales for the year 2022–23 = ₹20,00,000

Working Note 2: Profit rate based on sales

Profit as a percentage of sales = (₹5,00,000 / ₹20,00,000) × 100 = 25%

This means for every ₹1 of sales, the firm earned ₹0.25 profit.

Working Note 3: Sales from 1st April 2023 to 30th June 2023

Sales during this period = ₹4,00,000

Working Note 4: Total profit for the period 1st April to 30th June 2023

Profit for the period = 25% of ₹4,00,000 = ₹1,00,000

Working Note 5: Clara’s share of profit

Profit-sharing ratio among Aaria, Beenu, and Clara = 4 : 3 : 3

Clara’s share = 3/10 of the profit for the period

Clara’s share = (3/10) × ₹1,00,000 = ₹30,000

Watch out

A common mistake is to calculate Clara’s share directly on the full year’s profit without adjusting for the sales proportion. Always first find the profit for the period using the sales ratio, then apply the profit-sharing ratio.


Journal Entry

| Date | Particulars | L.F. | Debit (₹) | Credit (₹) |

|------|-------------|------|-----------|------------| …

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