How is a loss shown in partners' accounts at the time of profit distribution?

Correct answer: Debit

In a partnership, a loss reduces partners' claims (capital or current accounts), so each partner's account is debited with their share of the loss. The typical journal entry: Partner's Capital/Current A/c Dr; To Profit & Loss Appropriation/Account Cr. Option B (Credit) is wrong because credit entries generally increase capital or liabilities, whereas a loss reduces capital. Option C (Reserve) is incorrect since a reserve is a retained fund, not the method of allocating the partners' share of loss. Option D (Profit and Loss Account) is related—loss is closed to/cleared by the P&L—but the question asks how the loss appears in partners' own accounts, which is by debiting them. Exam tip: remember the rule—profit is credited to partners; loss is debited to partners.