What would qualify as a cash payment in accounting?

Wages paid to employees qualify as a cash payment in accounting because they represent actual cash outflows from a company to its personnel. In the context of accounting, cash payments are transactions where cash is disbursed immediately, reflecting a decrease in the cash balance. Wages, being compensation for labor, are typically paid out in cash or through direct deposits, making this type of transaction a straightforward example of cash payment.

Interest payments on loans also involve cash but are often categorized differently due to the nature of the obligation under financial reporting. Depreciation of fixed assets does not involve cash at all, as it is an accounting method for allocating the cost of a tangible asset over its useful life, but does not result in actual cash transactions. Selling of investments can generate cash inflows, but it is classified as a cash receipt rather than a cash payment. Therefore, wages are the clear example of a cash payment.