Question & Answer

What are some aspects of business that require knowledge of taxation?  What are some aspects of personal finance that require knowledge of taxation?

Describe some ways in which taxes affect the political process in the United States.

Courtney recently received a speeding ticket on her way to the university.  Her fine was $200.  Is this considered a tax?  Why or why not?

Presented below are two independent situations. 1. On January 1, 2014, Simon Company issued $200,000 of 9%, 10-year bonds at par. Interest is payable quarterly on April 1, July 1, October 1, and January 1. 2. On June 1, 2014, Garfunkel Company issued $100,000 of 12%, 10-year bonds dated January 1 at par plus accrued interest. Interest is payable semiannually on July 1 and January 1. Instructions For each of these two independent situations, prepare journal entries to record the following. (a) The issuance of the bonds. (b) The payment of interest on July 1. (c) The accrual of interest on December 31.

To help pay for the city’s new stadium, the city of Birmingham recently enacted a 1 percent surcharge on hotel rooms. Is this a tax?  Why or why not?

If the general objective of our tax system is to raise revenue, why does the income tax allow deductions for charitable contributions and retirement plan contributions?

One common argument for imposing so-called sin taxes is the social goal of reducing demand for such products.  Using cigarettes as an example, is there a segment of the population that might be sensitive to price and for whom high taxes might discourage purchases?

Dontae stated that he didn’t want to earn any more money because it would “put him in a higher tax bracket.”  What is wrong with Dontae’s reasoning?

Describe the three different tax rates discussed in the chapter and how taxpayers might use them.

Which is a more appropriate tax rate to use to compare taxpayers’ tax burdens – the average or the effective tax rate?  Why?

Reichenbach Co., organized in 2013, has set up a single account for all intangible assets. The following summary discloses the debit entries that have been recorded during 2014 and 2015. Intangible Assets 7/1/14 8-year franchise; expiration date 6/30/22 $ 48,000 10/1/14 Advance payment on laboratory space (2-year lease) 24,000 12/31/14 Net loss for 2013 including state incorporation fee, $1,000, and related legal fees of organizing, $5,000 (all fees incurred in 2013) 16,000 1/2/15 Patent purchased (10-year life) 84,000 3/1/15 Cost of developing a secret formula (indefinite life) 75,000 4/1/15 Goodwill purchased (indefinite life) 278,400 6/1/15 Legal fee for successful defense of patent purchased above 12,650 9/1/15 Research and development costs 160,000 Instructions Prepare the necessary entries to clear the Intangible Assets account and to set up separate accounts for distinct types of intangibles. Make the entries as of December 31, 2015, recording any necessary amortization and reflecting all balances accurately as of that date. (Ignore income tax effects.)

Which is the largest tax collected by the U.S. government?  What types of taxpayers are subject to this tax?

What is the tax base for the Social Security and Medicare taxes for an employee or employer?  What is the tax base for Social Security and Medicare taxes for a self-employed individual?  Is the self-employment tax in addition to or in lieu of federal income tax?

What is the distinguishing feature of an excise tax?

What is the distinguishing feature of an excise tax?

What are some of the taxes that currently are unique to state and local governments?  What are some of the taxes that the federal, state, and local governments each utilize?

What are some of the taxes that currently are unique to state and local governments?  What are some of the taxes that the federal, state, and local governments each utilize?

What is the difference between a sales tax and a use tax?

What is an ad valorem tax?  Name an example of this type of tax.

When we calculate average and effective tax rates, do we consider implicit taxes?  What effect does this have on taxpayers’ perception of equity?

Patrick Corporation’s adjusted trial balance contained the following asset accounts at December 31, 2014: Prepaid Rent $12,000; Goodwill $50,000; Franchise Fees Receivable $2,000; Franchises $47,000; Patents $33,000; Trademarks $10,000. Prepare the intangible assets section of the balance sheet.

On December 31, 2014, Faital Company acquired a computer from Plato Corporation by issuing a $600,000 zero-interest-bearing note, payable in full on December 31, 2018. Faital Company’s credit rating permits it to borrow funds from its several lines of credit at 10%. The computer is expected to have a 5-year life and a $70,000 salvage value. Instructions (Round answers to the nearest cent.) (a) Prepare the journal entry for the purchase on December 31, 2014. (b) Prepare any necessary adjusting entries relative to depreciation (use straight-line) and amortization (use effective-interest method) on December 31, 2015. (c) Prepare any necessary adjusting entries relative to depreciation and amortization on December 31, 2016.

In January, Prahbu purchased for $90,000 a new machine for use in an existing production line of his manufacturing business. Assume that the machine is a unit of property and is not a material or supply. Prahbu pays $2,500 to install the machine, and after the machine is installed, he pays $1,300 to perform a critical test on the machine to ensure that it will operate in accordance with quality standards. On November 1, the critical test is complete, and Prahbu places the machine in service on the production line. On December 3, Prahbu pays another $3,300 to perform periodic quality control testing after the machine is placed in service. How much will Prahbu be required to capitalize as the cost of the machine?

What is the difference between the income and substitution effects?  For which types of taxpayers is the income effect more likely descriptive?  For which types of taxpayers is the substitution effect more likely descriptive?

What is the difference between horizontal and vertical equity?  How do tax preferences affect people’s view of horizontal equity?