Legal Definitions - real account

A real account is a type of accounting record that tracks assets and liabilities rather than receipts and payments. It is used to keep track of a company's financial position and is important for creating financial statements.

Examples of real accounts include:

• Accounts payable: a record of money owed to creditors
• Accounts receivable: a record of money owed to the company by customers
• Capital account: a record of a partner's share of the partnership's capital

For example, a company's accounts payable real account would show how much money the company owes to its suppliers. This information is important for creating a balance sheet, which shows the company's assets and liabilities.