Long-term liabilities, or non-current liabilities, are
liabilities that are due beyond a year or the normal operation period of the company.
The normal operation period is the amount of time it takes for a company to turn inventory into cash.
On a classified
balance sheet
In financial accounting, a balance sheet (also known as statement of financial position or statement of financial condition) is a summary of the financial balances of an individual or organization, whether it be a sole proprietorship, a Partnersh ...
, liabilities are separated between current and long-term liabilities to help users assess the company's financial standing in short-term and long-term periods. Long-term liabilities give users more information about the long-term prosperity of the company,
while current liabilities inform the user of debt that the company owes in the current period. On a balance sheet, accounts are listed in order of liquidity, so long-term liabilities come after current liabilities. In addition, the specific long-term liability accounts are listed on the balance sheet in order of liquidity. Therefore, an account due within eighteen months would be listed before an account due within twenty-four months. Examples of long-term liabilities are bonds payable, long-term loans, capital leases, pension liabilities, post-retirement healthcare liabilities, deferred compensation, deferred revenues, deferred income taxes, and derivative liabilities.
Exceptions
If a liability is currently due in fewer than twelve months and is in the process of being refinanced so that it is due after a year, then a company can record this debt in long-term investments.
Additionally, if a liability is to be covered by a long-term investment, it can be recorded as a long-term liability even if it is due in the current period. Still the long-term investment must be sufficient to cover the debt.
See also
*
Fixed liability
*
Creditor falling due after more than one year
References
Liability (financial accounting)
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ja:長期負債