Which account to put the refrigerator in: 01 or 10?

The question of which accounting account to use to reflect the cost of a purchased refrigerator is a classic example professional (judgment) accountant. At first glance, a simple purchase of household appliances for office or industrial needs may cause disputes between the accountant and the tax inspector if the criteria for classifying the asset as fixed assets or inventories are not met. Correct classification directly affects the procedure for calculating depreciation, the taxable base for income tax and the correctness of inventory management.

The key point here is not so much the name of the item, but its cost, useful life and functional purpose in the organization's activities. If you purchased industrial refrigeration cabinet for a workshop or household refrigerator for an employee break room, the algorithm of actions will be similar, but the postings may differ depending on the accounting policies of your company. In this article we will analyze all the nuances so that you do not have problems when submitting reports.

Modern accounting standards require careful attention to the cost limits that the organization sets independently. An error in account selection can result in distorted financial statements and the need to correct errors retrospectively, which is always time-consuming. Therefore, it is important to clearly understand the difference between fixed assets and material reserves even at the stage of preparing primary documents.

Criteria for classifying a refrigerator as a fixed asset

In order to determine which accounting account the refrigerator should be posted to, you need to refer to PBU 6/01 “Accounting for fixed assets” (or FAS 6/2020 for those who have already switched to the new standards). According to current regulations, an asset is accepted for accounting as fixed asset only if a number of strict conditions are simultaneously met. Ignoring at least one of them requires a revision of the classification of the object.

First of all, the item must be intended for use in the organization's activities for a long time. Typically, this means a useful life exceeding 12 months. Refrigerator, purchased for the office will certainly last longer than a year, so the first criterion is almost always met. However, this is not enough to place it on account 01.

The second and often decisive factor is the value of the asset. An organization has the right to independently set a value limit for recognizing property as a fixed asset, but this limit cannot be higher than 100,000 rubles per unit. If the cost of your refrigerator is below the established limit (for example, 15,000 or 50,000 rubles), then, regardless of its service life, it should be taken into account as part of inventory (MPZ).

⚠️ Attention: If you have set a limit of 50 in your accounting policy 000 rubles, and you bought a refrigerator for 65,000 rubles, you are obliged to take it into account as a fixed asset in account 01, even if you plan to use it for only two years. Understating the value to get into the inventory is unacceptable.

The third criterion is the absence of intention to resell the asset. The refrigerator should be used for management needs, production purposes or social needs of the team. If an organization is engaged in the trade of refrigeration equipment, then the unit purchased for resale is accounted for in account 41 “Goods”, and this is a completely different story, not related to operation.

Accounting for a refrigerator as a fixed asset (Account 01)

If the cost of the purchased equipment exceeds the limit established in the organization (for example, it is powerful warehouse unit or expensive two-chamber refrigerator premium class), it must be put on the balance sheet as a fixed asset. In this case, the main account for accounting becomes account 01 “Fixed assets”. The commissioning process requires a number of mandatory procedures, including the creation of an inventory card.

The initial cost of a fixed asset is formed on account 08 “Investments in non-current assets”. This includes not only the amounts paid to the supplier, but also the costs of delivery, unloading, installation and setup. Only after the object is completely ready for use and the commissioning certificate is signed, the accumulated amount is transferred to account 01. From this moment, the accrual of depreciation begins The following standard entries are used to reflect transactions. First, the equipment is reflected in the debit of account 08 in correspondence with account 60 (settlements with suppliers). After commissioning, a posting is made Debit 01 Credit 08. Depreciation is accrued monthly and is charged to production costs or sales costs, depending on where exactly the refrigerator is used..

The following standard transactions are used to reflect transactions. First, the equipment is reflected in the debit of account 08 in correspondence with account 60 (settlements with suppliers). After commissioning, a posting is made Debit 01 Credit 08. Depreciation is accrued monthly and is charged to production costs or selling expenses, depending on where exactly the refrigerator is used.

It is important to correctly determine useful life (SPI) for calculating depreciation. For refrigeration equipment, the second depreciation group of the OKOF classifier is usually used, where the code may look like 330.28.25.12.111. The service life in this group is 2 to 3 years (25 to 36 months). The choice of a specific period in months remains with the organization’s commission, but must be recorded in the order.

Accounting for the refrigerator as part of inventory (Account 10)

In a situation where the cost of a refrigerator does not reach the fixed asset limit (or the organization has adopted a policy of classifying only objects more expensive than 100,000 rubles as fixed assets, and the refrigerator costs less), account 10 “Materials” comes into effect. Most often, subaccount 10-9 “Inventory and household supplies” is used for such purposes. This allows you to simplify accounting, since it does not require depreciation in the classical sense.

When capitalized to account 10, the value of the asset can be written off as expenses in different ways, which must be specified in the accounting policy. The most common option is a one-time write-off of the cost at the time of commissioning. This means that the entire purchase amount immediately goes to cost accounts (20, 26, 44), reducing the tax base for profit in the current period.

Despite the write-off of the cost, control over the safety of the property must be maintained. To do this, they often use off-balance sheet account 001 “Leased fixed assets” (by analogy) or a specially introduced off-balance sheet account, for example 010 “Low-valued items in operation”. This allows you to see in the accounting program where the refrigerator is located and who is responsible for it, even if its book value is already zero.

Transactions when accounting as part of the inventory look like this: upon receipt Debit 10 Credit 60. Upon transfer to the department (for example, to the accounting department or to the kitchen) Debit 26 (or 44) Credit 10. At the same time, an entry is made on the off-balance sheet account: Debit 010. This approach significantly reduces the accountant’s labor costs compared to maintaining fixed asset cards.

Tax nuances: VAT and income tax

Accounting issues are closely intertwined with tax legislation. When purchasing a refrigerator, the organization that is the payer VAThas the right to accept the “input” tax as a deduction. To do this, you must have a correctly executed invoice (or UPD) and post the goods to your balance sheet. It doesn’t matter to which account (01 or 10) you put the refrigerator - this does not limit the right to deduct VAT if the equipment is used in activities subject to VAT.

The situation with income tax also depends on the chosen accounting method. If the refrigerator is accounted for as a fixed asset, its cost is transferred to expenses gradually through the depreciation mechanism. This creates temporary differences: accounting profit may differ from tax profit if the methods of calculating depreciation in accounting and accounting records differ (although now they are often synchronized).

If the refrigerator is accounted for as a material and its cost is written off at a time, then in tax accounting (when using a non-linear method or subject to the limit of 100,000 rubles for depreciable property in accounting) expenses They admit it right away. Everything that is cheaper is written off at a time as material expenses.

Documentation and inventory

Regardless of the selected account, the movement of the refrigerator must be documented. The basis for acceptance for accounting is a consignment note (TORG-12) or a universal transfer document (UDD). If the refrigerator requires assembly, a transfer and acceptance certificate must be drawn up. For fixed assets, the form is OS-1, although for individual cases you can use a self-developed form.

Particular attention should be paid to inventory. Fixed assets are inventoried, as a rule, once a year (before preparing annual reports), and materials - as needed or also once a year, depending on company policy. When checking the availability of a refrigerator, the commission checks the actual availability with the data of accounting cards (for operating systems) or accounting sheets (for inventories).

If during the inspection it turns out that the refrigerator is missing or broken ahead of time, a write-off report is drawn up. For fixed assets, the form OS-4is used, for materials - an act on write-off of inventory items. The report must indicate the reason for the write-off (for example, “obsolescence” or “physical breakdown”) and the composition of the commission that made this decision.

What to do if the refrigerator was stolen?

In case of theft, you must call the police, get a notification coupon and draw up a report of the shortage. The cost of stolen property is attributed to the guilty persons (account 73) or to the financial results (account 91), if the perpetrators are not found.

Typical mistakes of accountants when accounting for equipment

One ​​of the most common mistakes is an attempt to “adjust” the cost to the limit by separating components. For example, purchasing a separate freezer and refrigeration cabinet in order to classify them as materials, although in fact they are a single unit. During an audit, tax authorities may combine such purchases and charge additional taxes, considering this an artificial understatement of the cost of a fixed asset.

Another mistake is the lack of control over items written off as one-time expenses. Accounting believes that since the cost is written off to account 26 or 44, then there is nothing to control. As a result, “dead souls” are listed on the balance sheet, but in reality the refrigerators were taken home by employees or thrown away long ago. Maintaining off-balance sheet accounting (account 001 or 010) helps to avoid this problem.

They also often forget to update inventory numbers. If the refrigerator is moved from one office to another or transferred to another department, this must be recorded in the accounting card. The lack of up-to-date information leads to chaos during inventory and lengthy searches for property throughout the office or production.

⚠️ Attention: When changing legislation or switching to new FSBU (for example, FSBU 6/2020), be sure to audit your accounting policies. Old limits and methods may no longer meet new requirements, which will lead to distortion of reporting.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions

Is it possible to take into account a refrigerator on account 91 if it immediately breaks down?

If the breakdown occurred before commissioning and it is not repaired by the supplier, the cost can be written off to other expenses (account 91.2), but this requires documentary evidence (marriage certificate, conclusion of the service center). You cannot simply write off a serviceable but unnecessary refrigerator on account 91 - it must either be sold or disposed of with an act.

Which OKOF should be used for a household refrigerator in the office?

For refrigerators used in office premises, the OKOF code is suitable 330.28.25.12.119 "Refrigeration equipment other." Depreciation group - second (service life 2-3 years). Using COVs for industrial equipment would be a mistake.

Is it necessary to charge VAT when transferring a refrigerator to an employee?

If an organization transfers a refrigerator to an employee free of charge, this is recognized as a sale. It is necessary to charge VAT on the market value and reflect the transaction as a gratuitous transfer. Also, an employee may have income in kind (personal income tax 13%), which the organization must track if it is specified in the contract.

How to account for a refrigerator purchased on lease?

When leasing, accounting depends on the terms of the contract and on whose balance sheet the item is listed. If it is on the lessor's balance sheet, you account for it in off-balance sheet account 001. If on your balance sheet, it is in account 08, then 01 (or 001 for inventory, if leasing is for a low price), while simultaneously reflecting the debt on lease payments.

Is it possible to change the method of accounting for a refrigerator in the middle of the year?

Changing the accounting method (for example, transferring from OS to materials or vice versa) is possible only in cases of reorganization or changes in legislation. Just like that, at the request of the accountant, it is impossible to change the classification of an object that has already been put into operation - this would be a violation of the principle of constancy of accounting policies.