preview

A Significant Difference Between Absorption Costing And Marginal Costing

Decent Essays
Open Document

A significant difference between Absorption costing and Marginal Costing
The costs that vary with a decision should only be included in decision analysis. For many decisions that involve relatively small variations from existing practice and/or are for relatively limited periods of time, fixed costs are not relevant to the decision. This is because either fixed costs tend to be impossible to alter in the short term or managers are reluctant to alter them in the short term.
To begin with, Marginal Costing which is formally defined as the cost accounting in which variable costs are charged to cost units (product costs) and the fixed costs of the period are written-off in full against the aggregate contribution (thus, the difference between …show more content…

A system which ignores fixed costs is less effective since a major portion of fixed cost is not taken care of under marginal costing.
On the other hand, Absorption costing is the financial accounting statements. It is the method of product costing in which fixed cost together with variable cost forms the total cost of production. Thus in absorption costing total cost of product is made up of fixed and variable cost. In short, absorption costing is a cost technique where fixed as well as variable cost are allocated to cost units (products).
Besides, there are advantages and disadvantages of absorption costing. To begin with, it is a suitable way of pricing since some firms’ fixed cost may be extremely higher than the variable cost. Again, fixed cost must be incurred for production to proceed at all. Example, rent and rate have to be paid. Absorption costing allow for this fact by including all relevant costs, fixed and variable, in the cost of production. More so, sales demand and mix are very unpredictable. The business is better insured against fluctuations in demand, etc. if the total cost (or net profit) position is considered instead of marginal profit (or contribution).
Besides these the disadvantages of absorption costing is that, it could lead to wrong decision making when irrelevant cost re taken in consideration especially the decision as to whether to close down a

Get Access