VAT on Purchases

Account Information

Definition

This account represents Value Added Tax (VAT) paid by the company to suppliers on purchases of goods, raw materials, services, or fixed assets. Its normal balance is Debit, as it represents a **tax asset** (the company's right to recover VAT in the future).

**Purpose of this account (Internal Intermediary Account):**
This is an **intermediary account** used only for internal purposes and daily transaction recording. It does not appear separately in the final financial statements. At the end of the period, its balance is transferred to the "VAT Settlement" account (2173) to offset against the balance of "VAT on Sales" (2171).

**What appears in the financial statements?**
Only **one single net amount** representing the tax authority position appears on the balance sheet:
- If net output VAT > net input VAT → "VAT Payable" (current liability).
- If net input VAT > net output VAT → "VAT Recoverable" (current asset).

**Illustrative Example:**
- During January, the company paid input VAT of SAR 10,000 (Debit in account 2172).
- During the same month, it collected output VAT of SAR 12,000 (Credit in account 2171).
- At month end, the difference is transferred to the settlement account (2173):
- Dr. VAT on Sales (2171) 12,000
- Cr. VAT on Purchases (2172) 10,000
- Cr. VAT Payable (2173) 2,000 (net amount due to tax authority).
- The balance sheet shows a single line "VAT Payable" of SAR 2,000 under current liabilities.

**Important notes:**
- This account can be broken down into sub-ledgers by input tax type (goods, expenses, fixed assets, imports) to facilitate the settlement process.
- If local laws allow direct cash refund without offsetting, the balance can be transferred to "Tax Refund Receivable" (current asset).

Common Journal Entries

📐 IFRS vs US GAAP Accounting Treatment

❓ Frequently Asked Questions