Prepare for the Utah Contractor Exam with comprehensive quizzes and study resources. Gain confidence by accessing multiple-choice questions designed to enhance your knowledge and skills for the licensing exam.

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.


An income journal is characterized by what?

  1. Debits only

  2. Credits only

  3. Credits and debits of unequal value

  4. Credits and debits of equal value

The correct answer is: Credits and debits of equal value

An income journal records all transactions related to revenue generation, capturing both the funds received and the corresponding accounts affected in a systematic manner. In accounting, each transaction will typically involve a credit to the income account as revenue is recognized, and a corresponding debit to either cash or accounts receivable, depending on whether the income is received immediately or to be collected later. The principle that governs this is the double-entry accounting system, where every transaction is recorded with equal debits and credits to maintain the accounting equation's integrity: Assets = Liabilities + Equity. This ensures that the financial statements accurately reflect the company's financial position. When reflecting these transactions in the income journal, the equal value of debits (money received or owed) and credits (recognized income) enhances the reliability and transparency of financial reporting. Thus, the correct characteristic of an income journal is that it maintains a balanced approach with credits and debits of equal value.