Vehicle payment vs Interest expense Account

JRG26 · ‎October 22, 2024

Hello,

My question is this: Should I enter a vehicle payment or use an interest expense account?

I don't have the beginning balance of the loan, nor the end balance for the client's vehicle loan(s) from year to year. On top of that, the loan was refinanced during the next few years. I have the bank statements for the company, and payments have been made toward the vehicle(s) to each vendor.

I also would like to know if a journal entry is best vs write a check.

Thanks for the advice!

Sherrie_F

Hi there, @JRG26. I've got the best way to efficiently record the payment in QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT).

First, I highly suggest you enter the vehicle payment as an expense account. This will allow you to track the actual payments made towards the loan. However, if the interest on the loan is separately stated on the bank statement, you'll want to consider setting up an interest expense account to track those expenses as well.

For your second concern, it would be best to write a check to document the payment. A journal entry can also be appropriate if you're making multiple payments or need to adjust the balance of the loan, but for individual payments, a check is the best option.

Moreover, I've added these articles for more tips about managing accounts in QuickBooks Desktop:

I'll be here in the Community forum whenever you need help with payments. My goal is to make your financial transactions as smooth as silk, and sometimes that means breaking down complex processes into bite-sized, easy-to-understand pieces. Best wishes!

View solution in original post

Sherrie_F

Hi there, @JRG26. I've got the best way to efficiently record the payment in QuickBooks Desktop (QBDT).

First, I highly suggest you enter the vehicle payment as an expense account. This will allow you to track the actual payments made towards the loan. However, if the interest on the loan is separately stated on the bank statement, you'll want to consider setting up an interest expense account to track those expenses as well.

For your second concern, it would be best to write a check to document the payment. A journal entry can also be appropriate if you're making multiple payments or need to adjust the balance of the loan, but for individual payments, a check is the best option.

Moreover, I've added these articles for more tips about managing accounts in QuickBooks Desktop:

I'll be here in the Community forum whenever you need help with payments. My goal is to make your financial transactions as smooth as silk, and sometimes that means breaking down complex processes into bite-sized, easy-to-understand pieces. Best wishes!

JRG26

Thank you, Sherri_F. this is exactly the way I was doing it! Just wanted to get an expert's opinion!

Have a beautiful day!

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Vehicle payment vs Interest expense Account