Question

Credit to a zero out a ledger

Forum|Forum|4 months ago
March 4, 2026
1 reply
18 views

I have an asset register called 'loans to others'. The company lent a few dollars to some people which mostly got paid back. My boss asked me to zero out the remaining balance (like a credit). How can I do so without physically getting the funds returned?

QuickBooks Online

J

Jessavell_A

QuickBooks Team

Hi there, @sw1222. In accounting terms, when you zero out a loan that isn't being repaid, you are essentially writing off the debt. Since you aren't receiving cash from this loan, you need to transfer that balance from your Assets account to your Expenses account.

To do this, you'll need to create a Clearing account first. A Clearing account is used to move money between accounts when direct transfers aren't possible.

Before proceeding, I recommend consulting your accountant as you go through the steps. They can provide guidance tailored to your business setup and situation.

Here’s how to set up a Clearing account:

Navigate to the Gear icon, then select Chart of accounts.
Click on New account.
In the New account window, select Bank from the Account Type dropdown menu.
Enter "Clearing account" in the Account Name field.
Do NOT enter an opening balance.
Click Save.

After creating the account, since there isn't an actual bank transaction (no money coming in), you'll have to use a Journal Entry to move the figures. For further guidance on the next steps, please refer to this article: Use a clearing account.

If you have any additional questions, please feel free to revisit this thread.

S

sw1222Author

Thank you! But once i create that clearing account, wont i have to create an additional journal entry to make the balance zero?

L

Lyn_D

QuickBooks Team

Good day, @sw1222. That is a great catch, and you are exactly right. Using a clearing account is a two-step process to ensure your books stay balanced while moving the money to the right place. Here is how those two entries work together to get you to zero:

The transfer involves moving the balance from your Loans to Others asset into the Clearing Account. This makes the loan account zero, but ''parks'' the money in the clearing account.
The write-off transfers the balance from the Clearing Account to an expense account, such as Bad Debt. This empties the clearing account to zero and officially records the loss for the company.

With that said, after creating the clearing account, record the Journal Entry (JE) to zero out the Loan. However, before you proceed, it's advisable to consult your accountant. They can provide guidance on which accounts to debit or credit, ensuring that everything is configured correctly. Then, follow these steps to move the money from the Loans to Others asset into the Clearing Account:

Click +Create and select Journal Entry (JE).
Consult your accountant regarding which accounts to debit and credit.
Enter the balance.
In the memo section, you can write something like "Zeroing out remaining loan balance per Boss."
Click Save and Close.

Once this is done, your Loans to Others balance will be $0, while your Clearing Account will now show a balance. To bring everything to zero, you will need to transfer that balance to an expense. This requires creating another JE. Again, be sure to seek your accountant's guidance before completing these steps to confirm that the correct accounts will be debited or credited.

I know that adding an extra step can feel like more work, but using this clearing account method provides a crystal-clear audit trail that your boss and accountant will appreciate. It ensures that every dollar is accounted for as it moves from an asset to a final expense.

Once you’ve had that quick chat with your accountant to confirm the specific categories, you'll be all set to clear those balances for good. Let me know if you have other QuickBooks questions. I'm here to help.

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