Journal Entry for Goods Given as Charity

Written by True Tamplin, BSc, CEPF®

Reviewed by Subject Matter Experts

Updated on June 13, 2023

A business organization may give some goods as charity to a charitable institution or directly to people in need of charity.

Goods given away as charity reduce the merchandise without any consideration. They are recorded as an expense in the books of the business.

Journal Entry

When goods are given as charity, the charity account is debited and the purchases account is credited. The journal entry is given below:

Charity Journal Entry

Example

On 20 April 2016, the Metro Trading Company gives away merchandise amounting to $350 to a charitable institution.

Required: How would the company record this transaction in its general journal?

Solution

Charity Journal Entry Solution

Journal Entry for Goods Given as Charity FAQs

About the Author

True Tamplin, BSc, CEPF®

True Tamplin is a published author, public speaker, CEO of UpDigital, and founder of Finance Strategists.

True is a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF®), author of The Handy Financial Ratios Guide, a member of the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing, contributes to his financial education site, Finance Strategists, and has spoken to various financial communities such as the CFA Institute, as well as university students like his Alma mater, Biola University, where he received a bachelor of science in business and data analytics.

To learn more about True, visit his personal website or view his author profiles on Amazon, Nasdaq and Forbes.