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What is Bank Overdraft ?

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Question added by Abdul Rasheed Mohammed , accountant general , New Generation Consultants
Date Posted: 2016/08/15
SHAHZAD Yaqoob
by SHAHZAD Yaqoob , SENIOR ACCOUNTANT , ABDULLAH H AL SHUWAYER

A bank overdraft is flexible borrowing facility on a bank current account which is repayable on demand.

A bank overdraft does not actually result in cash flowing into a business.  Instead the business is allowed to let its bank account become “overdrawn” – i.e. in the red, up to a maximum amount.

For example, a business may find that it expects to have a cash shortfall of £15,000 during a month as a result of paying wages and suppliers.  If the bank allows it, the overdraft facility can be used to temporarily “borrow” the cash from the bank.

A good way to think about a bank overdraft is to imagine a bank current account which can have either a positive (i.e. cash in the bank) or negative (i.e. cash owed to the bank) status.

The maximum amount that the bank account can go into the red is known as the overdraft facility.

How much interest does a business pay on a bank overdraft? It depends on what the bank balance is day to day.  Interest is calculated daily, usually at a high rate, on the overdrawn balance.

You can see that a bank overdraft is a flexible form of finance.  A business only pays interest on the amount of the overdraft facility used.

However it is important to realise that a bank overdraft is essentially a short-term source of finance designed to cover temporary shortages of cash.  If a business finds itself using the expensive overdraft month after month, then it ought to consider whether a cheaper, long-term bank loan would be a more suitable source of finance.

 

Muhammad Sultan AbdulRafiq
by Muhammad Sultan AbdulRafiq , Chief Accountant , Afaq Foods Co.

Bank Overdraft is a previlage from the bank to its Customer or Client which will allow him to make a debit transaction when his account is nil, & only through a criteria where the client have some standard credentials.

Muhammad Saeed
by Muhammad Saeed , Accountant , CitroPak Limited

bank overdraft is flexible borrowing facility on a bank current account which is repayable on demand. A bank overdraft does not actually result in cash flowing into a business. Instead the business is allowed to let its bank account become “overdrawn” – i.e. in the red, up to a maximum amount.

Arun Mamgain
by Arun Mamgain , Sr. Finance Execuitve/Administrator , Dubai Healthcare City Community Management FZ LLC(Govt. of Dubai)

Bank Overdraft is a Banking Facility Availed by a concumer to a certain limit in case of shortage of funds in the cunsumers Account & Bank charges certain % of Interest for the same Facility.

Jaypal Raulji
by Jaypal Raulji , Sr. Account , GTPL Broadband Pvt Ltd

Bank overdraft facility is the facility which allows its client to us amount without placing any balance with in defined limit against depositing valueables

Zulfikar Mohamed
by Zulfikar Mohamed , Assistant Accounts Manager , Ocean Mills LLC

A Bank Overdraft is a line of credit that covers your transactions if your bank account balance drops below zero.

Muhammad Waleed
by Muhammad Waleed , Assistant Manager Finance , Turnotech (Private) Limited

Overdraft is a facility extended by bank and limits of which are agreed with the bank. This means that when we want to make some payments but we don't have enough balance in the account then the bank gives us credit as per agreed limits so that our checks are not dishonored/bounced.

SATISH CHAND
by SATISH CHAND , Accounts Manager , Royal Orchid Hotels Regenta Almeida

Bank Overdraft is a facility given by the bank to its customer to withdraw the amount up-to a specific limit even there is no required balance amount in the Bank Account. 

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