Help Centre · Accounts Notes · 3 min read

Current asset investments note (FRS 102 Section 1A)

Analyse the current asset investments on your balance sheet between listed and unlisted holdings.

Current asset investments are investments the company holds for the short term – for example quoted shares it expects to sell, or short-term deposits that are not cash at bank. This note analyses the balance sheet figure between listed and unlisted investments.

What this note shows

The note is a small table with up to three lines for each year:

RowWhat it means
Listed investmentsInvestments listed on a recognised stock exchange.
Unlisted investmentsAny other current asset investments.
TotalThe sum of the two, which should equal the balance sheet line.

The note is available in FRS 102 Section 1A accounts only. FRS 105 micro-entity accounts do not have it. It is only relevant if the balance sheet shows current asset investments; if yours does not, leave the note switched off.

Investments the company intends to hold for the long term, such as shares in a subsidiary, are fixed assets and are covered by the fixed asset investments note.

Where the figures come from

Unlike most table notes, the listed and unlisted figures are not taken from the trial balance. You type them in, for the current year and the comparative year. The balance sheet figure itself still comes from your trial balance, so the total you enter in the note must agree to it. If the note total and the balance sheet differ, the accounts will not tie up – check before filing.

Completing the note in Tax Optimiser

Open the period, choose View Accounts, then Notes in the left Actions menu. Select Current asset investments in the list.

  1. Set Show this note in the accounts to Yes.
  2. Enter the Listed investments and Unlisted investments figures under Current Year and Last Year. The Total row adds them up for you.
  3. Compare the total with the current asset investments line on the balance sheet.
  4. Click Save changes to save the note and rebuild the accounts preview.

In the demo company the note is switched off, because Example Notes Ltd has no current asset investments, so every box shows 0.00.

Current asset investments note editor with Show this note in the accounts set to No and Listed investments, Unlisted investments and Total rows all at 0.00 for current and last year

If you want to add a sentence – for example how the investments are valued – use the Additional note for Current asset investments section below the table section.

How it appears in the accounts

When switched on, the note prints under the heading "Current asset investments" with a £ column for each year. The listed and unlisted rows print only if they have a figure in at least one of the two years, followed by the total with a double underline. Any additional note text prints beneath. The demo company does not use this note, so there is no printed example.

Frequently asked questions

What counts as a current asset investment?

An investment the company holds for the short term rather than as a long-term holding – for example quoted shares held to sell, or short-term deposits that are not cash at bank. Long-term holdings such as shares in a subsidiary are fixed asset investments.

Why doesn't the note pick up my trial balance figures?

The split between listed and unlisted investments is not held in the trial balance, so Tax Optimiser asks you to type it in. Make sure the total you enter equals the current asset investments line on the balance sheet.

Do I need this note if I have no investments?

No. Leave Show this note in the accounts set to No and nothing prints.

Can I show only listed investments?

Yes. Leave the unlisted row at zero for both years and it will not print.

Where to go next

The short version

Current asset investments note (FRS 102 Section 1A) — in brief

The current asset investments note breaks down the "Current asset investments" line on the balance sheet into listed and unlisted investments, with a total and the prior-year comparative.

In Tax Optimiser the listed and unlisted figures are typed into the note; they are not read from the trial balance. The total you enter must agree to the balance sheet line.

Most small companies have no current asset investments, so the note starts switched off. Only switch it on if the balance sheet shows the line.