Difference Between Gross Income and Net Income (With Table)

When referring to a company’s earnings, terms such as gross profit, operational profit, and net income are used. The difference is that each one reflects income at a different level of the manufacturing and revenue cycle. The term gross profit is also known as gross income at different times.

Gross Income vs Net Income

The main difference between gross income and net income is that the income after deducting production and distribution costs is referred to as gross income. Income after the expenditures have been removed from revenues is known as net income.

Gross income can refer to both an employee’s paycheck as well as a company’s revenue, depending on the context. While discussing a person’s gross income, one means the total amount of money that he receives from all sources combined.

A person’s or a business’s net income could both be described as net income. To calculate a person’s net income, subtract everything from their gross income except for expenses (sales & distribution, workplace, and administration), interests and taxation, as well as any damages and other disbursements, and you’ll have their net income (like dividend).

Comparison Table Between Gross Income and Net Income

Parameters of Comparison

Gross Income

Net Income

Significance

Gross income is mostly the level of income before any deductions are made. In short, it is the income before any adjustments are made.

Net income is the remaining amount after taxation, as well as other expenses that have been deducted.

Which one is higher

Since there are no deductions made, Gross Income is always higher than the latter one.

Whereas, due to the deductions made by taxation and other expenses, net income is lower.

Dependency

As a matter of fact, Gross income isn’t dependent on its peer since it’s the raw part of income.

Because net income is originally conceptualized on gross income, it’s the most relevant distinction between the 2 figures.

Expense Deduction

When it comes down to the operational expenses of a corporation, it relies on Gross income.

Whereas net income comes into play in terms of all the non-operational expenditures in a business.

Recorded at

When an income statement is considered, Gross income is always mentioned at the top part.

On the other hand, net income gets listed at the bottom (due to all the deductions made).

What is Gross Income?

Gross income can refer to both an employee’s paycheck as well as a company’s revenue, depending on the context. While discussing a person’s gross income, one means the total amount of money that he receives from all sources combined.

Gross income is the sum of all the corporation’s receipts, less the different costs incurred in creating and delivering commodities to their present location and status. It’s the income before any modifications or appropriations have been made to it.

Cost of goods sold (COGS) is a measure of a company’s earnings after removing its production and sales costs (COGS). According to Gross Profit, companies are more efficient at controlling manufacturing costs such as labor and supplies to generate revenue through the sale of their goods and services. 

When calculating a corporation’s gross profit, deducting the company’s total income from the cost of products sold for the accounting cycle.

What is Net Income?

A person’s or a business’s net income could both be described as net income. To calculate a person’s net income, subtract everything from their gross income except for expenses (sales & distribution, workplace, and administration), interests and taxation, as well as any damages and other disbursements, and you’ll have their net income (like dividend).

As a result of all modifications, it represents the amount that is left (i.e., Provisions). Rental revenue and profit from the sale of assets are included in it. Net income is the profit remaining over once all expenses have been paid. 

In large enterprises, this can get exceedingly complex. As a result, the bookkeeper and accountant should determine and divide revenues and expenses in a manner that is appropriate to their work scope and context.

It is customary to estimate net income per year within each fiscal year. Income tax, finance expense (interest expense), and related interest are typical deductions. Dividends on preferred shares, which are not an expense, will also be deducted from the total.

Main Differences Between Gross Income and Net Income

  1. Gross income is mostly the level of income before any deductions are made. In short, gross income is the income before any adjustments are made to the total income. On the other hand, net income is the remaining amount after taxation, as well as other expenses that have been deducted.
  2. Since there are no deductions made, Gross Income is always higher than the latter one. Whereas, due to the deductions made by taxation and other expenses, net income is lower.
  3. As a matter of fact, Gross income isn’t dependent on its peer since it is the raw part of income. Because net income is originally conceptualized on gross income, it’s the most relevant distinction between the 2 figures.
  4. When it comes down to the operational expenses of a corporation, it relies on Gross income. Whereas net income comes into play in terms of all the non-operational expenditures in a business.
  5. When an income statement is considered, Gross income is always mentioned at the top part. On the other hand, net income gets listed at the bottom (due to all the deductions made).

Conclusion

Using gross income, one can determine a company’s profitability while also regulating its production and labor expenditures. Determining the reasons why a company’s earnings are growing or dropping by looking at sales, cost of production, labor costs, and performance is, therefore, a crucial indicator to use. 

An increase in income that is more than compensated by increased production expenses (such as labor) will result in a decrease in gross profit for the relevant period. Several indicators may be used to evaluate how well a firm is doing, including gross profit as well as net income. EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) is an instance of operating income.

References

  1. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/roiw.12233
  2. https://apps.bea.gov/scb/pdf/2004/04April/0404PI&AG.pdf