What would interest on a loan be classified as in accounting?

Interest on a loan is classified as an expense in accounting because it represents the cost of borrowing money. When a business takes out a loan, it agrees to pay back the principal amount plus interest. The interest portion reflects the cost of using that borrowed capital and impacts the company’s net income.

Expenses reduce the overall profit for a period, and since interest payments are outflows of cash that do not contribute to revenue generation, they are recorded as an expense on the income statement. This classification helps stakeholders understand the financial performance and the costs associated with financing activities.

In contrast, revenue reflects earnings from sales or services, an asset represents resources owned by the business, and a liability is a financial obligation. These definitions clarify that interest payments are fundamentally a cost incurred by borrowing rather than an inflow or obligation.