Glossary
Long-Term Liabilities
Long-term liabilities refer to financial obligations or debts that are due beyond a 12-month period, typically extending several years, on a company's balance sheet.
What are long-term liabilities?
Long-term liabilities refer to debts or financial obligations that a company owes to another party and are expected to be paid over a period longer than a year. These can encompass bonds, mortgages, and loans and are typically indicated in the liabilities section of a company's balance sheet.
How to calculate long-term liabilities?
Determining long-term liabilities involves various methods -
- The discounted cash flow method, considering expected cash flows and applying a discount rate, offers a more accurate estimate of their present value. Alternatively, the bond amortization method bases calculations on scheduled payments and the bond's interest rate, more commonly used for bonds than other long-term liabilities.
- Recognizing a business's long-term liabilities is crucial for informed decision-making. They can significantly impact a company's future, including pension liabilities, long-term debts, and other commitments. To manage such obligations, companies often maintain healthy cash flow and a sound credit rating.
