Which of the following is not considered a liability on a balance sheet?

Retained earnings are not considered a liability on a balance sheet. Instead, they are part of the equity section. Retained earnings represent the cumulative amount of net income that a company has retained, rather than distributed to its shareholders as dividends. This figure reflects the company's profits that are reinvested in the business.

In contrast, next week's payroll, outstanding loans, and accounts payable all represent obligations that the company has to settle in the future, thus qualifying as liabilities. Next week’s payroll indicates an obligation to pay employees for work they have already performed. Outstanding loans reflect borrowed funds that must be repaid according to the loan agreement, while accounts payable represent amounts owed to suppliers for goods or services received but not yet paid for. These components are important in assessing the financial health and liquidity of a business, but they belong to different categories on the balance sheet compared to retained earnings.