I think that would be when a third party owes a debt to you.
That would be an asset and some companies do sell the 'note' to another
party for immediate cash.
Then again... the crazy Americans do things differently...so my thinking may
not match what happens south of the border.

Doug Kanter wrote in message
...
Maybe it's an asset in some companies because you can sell the debt to
another firm and MAKE money on it. Like mortgages. :-)