An asset is anything purchased or acquired that adds monetary value to a company, to a government, or to an individual’s personal portfolio.

1. An Overview of Business Assets
By Cecilia Ibru

2. The Balance Sheet
● An entrepreneur’s balance sheet presents a
comprehensive look at his or her company’s
assets, liabilities, and shareholder equity.
● A basic grasp of each of these balance
sheet categories can be very helpful in
following the flow of funds into and out of the
business.

3. What is an Asset?
● Simply speaking, an asset is anything purchased
or acquired that adds monetary value to a
company, to a government, or to an individual’s
personal portfolio.
● The expectation is that such an asset will
continue to make a positive contribution to the
company’s net worth.

4. Intangible Assets
● Assets may be intangible; these include
patents and trademarks, as well as
copyrighted material.
● Intangible assets such as a company’s
reputation, the goodwill of its customers, and
the value of its brands are not calculable in
dollars and therefore would not appear on a
standard balance sheet.

5. Bearing on the Balance Sheet
● The definition of “balance” comes into play
here: Assets equal the sum total of liabilities
and common or preferred stock, as well as
retained income.
● Assets on a balance sheet may be classified
into groups with respect to the ease of
converting them into cash.