ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE, in accounting terminology, amounts due to a business by its trade debtors for merchandise sold to them, or for services rendered, on a credit basis. It should be noted that only obligations arising from trade trans actions should be included. Loans to officers of a company should be considered as loans receivable rather than accounts receivable ; creditors' accounts with debit balances should be considered as an offset against accounts payable rather than accounts receivable. In the preparation of a balance sheet, this term, without qualifica tion, may be assumed to represent items which can be collected within a period usual to the trade or industry of which the busi ness is a part. In its broader sense, the term includes all unset tled claims against debtors which are not represented in the form of promissory notes or trade acceptances. (G. L. C.)