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Q.Sanjana and Mehul were partners in a firm sharing profits and losses in the ratio of 4 : 1. From 1st April, 2025, they decided to share future profits and losses in the ratio of 5 : 3. On this date, their balance sheet showed a balance of ₹ 40,000 in General Reserve Account and a debit balance of ₹ 1,80,000 in the Profit and Loss Account. The partners decided to distribute the General Reserve, but decided not to disturb the Profit and Loss Account, which will continue in the books of the reconstituted firm. Pass necessary journal entries for the above transactions on the reconstitution of the firm. Show your workings clearly.

CBSECBSE Class XII Board 2026Subjective· 3mImportance★★★★★
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General Reserve of ₹40,000 distributed in old ratio 4:1 (Sanjana ₹32,000, Mehul ₹8,000); Profit and Loss Account debit balance of ₹1,80,000 remains undistributed and continues in the books.


Concept and Treatment

When partners change their profit-sharing ratio, the firm undergoes reconstitution. At the moment of reconstitution, all accumulated reserves and undistributed profits or losses belong to the existing partners in their old profit-sharing ratio — they represent past earnings or losses that accrued under the old arrangement.

The accounting treatment depends on what the partners decide:

1. General Reserve (Credit balance — an accumulated profit)

The partners have decided to distribute it. Distribution means transferring the reserve to the partners' capital accounts in the old ratio. The entry debits General Reserve Account (to close it) and credits each partner's Capital Account with their share.

2. Profit and Loss Account (Debit balance — an accumulated loss)

The partners have decided not to disturb it, meaning it will not be transferred to capital accounts. The debit balance simply continues to appear on the liabilities side of the reconstituted firm's balance sheet. No journal entry is needed for an item that remains unchanged.

Watch out

A common mistake is to distribute both reserves and losses, or to use the new ratio. Always distribute accumulated items in the old ratio only when the partners choose to settle them. If they decide to leave an item undisturbed, no entry is passed.

The old profit-sharing ratio is Sanjana : Mehul = 4 : 1, so Sanjana's share is 45\frac{4}{5} and Mehul's share is 15\frac{1}{5}.


Solution

Journal Entries

DateParticularsL.F.Debit (₹)Credit (₹)
2025
Apr 1
General Reserve Account
To Sanjana's Capital Account
To Mehul's Capital Account
(Being General Reserve distributed among partners in old ratio 4:1)
40,000
32,000
8,000

Working Notes

W.N. 1: Distribution of General Reserve

Old profit-sharing ratio = Sanjana : Mehul = 4 : 1

Total General Reserve = ₹40,000

  • Sanjana's share = 40,000×45=₹32,00040,000 \times \frac{4}{5} = ₹32,000 …

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