State BPA Fundamental Accounting Practice Exam

If a credit decreases an account's balance, which type of account is likely being affected?

1. Liability account

2. Expense account

3. Asset account

4. Equity account

The correct answer is: Asset account

In accounting, the effects of debits and credits on account balances vary depending on the type of account involved. When a credit decreases an account’s balance, it typically indicates that the account in question is an asset account. Asset accounts normally have a debit balance; when a credit is recorded, it reduces the overall balance of that account. For example, if cash or inventory (both asset accounts) is credited due to a transaction such as payment made or inventory sold, the balance in those accounts will decrease. This relationship is a crucial principle in double-entry accounting, where maintaining the accounting equation (Assets = Liabilities + Equity) necessitates that any decrease in assets must be matched by an equivalent increase in liabilities or equity, or a decrease in other assets. In contrast, liability and equity accounts normally carry credit balances, and a credit to these accounts results in an increase, not a decrease. Expense accounts, on the other hand, typically carry debit balances, and a credit to an expense account would reduce its balance, making them less commonly associated with a structure where a credit decreases the balance in the context of this question. Thus, the correct identification of the account being affected, which is the asset account, aligns with how credits function in the