ABNORMAL LOSS &ABNORMAL GAIN
Omkar Pradeep Phutane
(Roll no. 24)
WHAT IS ABNORMAL LOSS & ABNORMAL GAIN?
Imagine that a tank is filled with some chemical. This chemical has a tendency to evaporate at
the rate of 10ml every hour. This evaporation loss is NORMAL LOSS. This loss is inevitable &cannot be
controlled due to physical/ chemical properties. But if there is mishandling or leakage in the tank then
any amount of chemical would be wasted. This is obviously controllable. If such loss occurs then it is
ABNORMAL LOSS however, if the loss is less thananticipated then it is ABNORMAL GAIN. In other
wordsabnormal gain is opposite of abnormal loss.
Normal wastage arises out of breakage, evaporation, deterioration, shrinkage, etc. whereas,
Abnormal wastage occurs because of an avoidable or abnormal reason.On the other hand, abnormal
gain arises because of an abnormal efficiency in the performance or use of raw material. Thus abnormal
gain or abnormal effective will reduce the normal loss.
HOW TO CALCULATE?
Abnormal loss = (No. of units of abnormal loss * per unit cost of normal output)
Abnormal gain = (No. of units of abnormal gain * per unit cost of normal output)
ACCOUNTING TREATMENT
Abnormal Loss: Loss due to the abnormal wastage should not be treated as a part of the
manufacturing cost but must be regarded as a financial loss in no way connected with manufacturing.
Such abnormal wastage minus realization from sale of wasted units must be charged to profit and loss
account.
Abnormal Gain: The process account under which abnormal gain arises is debited with the
abnormal gain and credited to the abnormal gain account which is closed by transferring to the costing
profit and loss account.
IMPORTANCE
Organizations can increase their efficiency by calculating and reducing abnormal loss, as we know
that it’s avoidable or controllable.
Abnormal gain is a sign of efficient business. It shows that all resources are utilized very
efficiently.
2 | P a g e
EXAMPLE
Question In a process 3000 units @ Rs. 9 per unit are issued. The normal loss is 10% of the units
introduced. The actual output of the said process is 2820 units. The sale price of the normal loss is Rs. 3
per unit.
Answer
Units introduced = 3000 units
Less normal loss @ 10% = 300 units
Normal output = 2700 units
The actual output in this process is 2820 units which is (2820- 2700) = 120 units more than the expected
or normal output. Hence these 120 units will be known as abnormal gain (if actual output is less than
expected or normal output then, it’s called as abnormal loss).
Cost of abnormal gain: The cost calculation is important as the benefit of this extra efficiency
should not be absorbed in the process but it should be separately accounted for, and hence the profit
due to abnormal gain should be credited to costing profit and loss account.
Cost of abnormal gain = * Abnormal gain (in units)
Normal cost of the normal output = (cost – Sale value of normal loss)
= (3000*9 – 300*3)
= 26100
So, cost of abnormal gain = (26100/ 2700)* 120 = 1160
Amount to be taken to profit and loss account
Abnormal gain = 1160
Sale price of the abnormal gain (120*3) = 360
Gain due to abnormal = 800
Note: Calculation is same for the abnormal loss.
THANK YOU
Normal cost of the normal output
Normal output