Question & Answer

Gottschalk Company sponsors a defined benefit plan for its 100 employees. On January 1, 2014, the company’s actuary provided the following information. Accumulated other comprehensive loss (PSC) $150,000 Pension plan assets (fair value and market-related asset value) 200,000 Accumulated benefi t obligation 260,000 Projected benefi t obligation 380,000 The average remaining service period for the participating employees is 10 years. All employees are expected to receive benefits under the plan. On December 31, 2014, the actuary calculated that the present value of future benefits earned for employee services rendered in the current year amounted to $52,000; the projected benefit obligation was $490,000; fair value of pension assets was $276,000; the accumulated benefit obligation amounted to $365,000. The expected return on plan assets and the discount rate on the projected benefit obligation were both 10%. The actual return on plan assets is $11,000. The company’s current year’s contribution to the pension plan amounted to $65,000. No benefits were paid during the year. Instructions (a) Determine the components of pension expense that the company would recognize in 2014. (With only one year involved, you need not prepare a worksheet.) (b) Prepare the journal entry to record the pension expense and the company’s funding of the pension plan in 2014. (c) Compute the amount of the 2014 increase/decrease in gains or losses and the amount to be amortized in 2014 and 2015. (d) Indicate the pension amounts reported in the financial statement as of December 31, 2014.

Define nominal surface.

Would redistributing incomes from the rich to the poor reduce the overall problem of scarcity?

Clydesdale Corporation has a cumulative temporary difference related to depreciation of $580,000 at December 31, 2014. This difference will reverse as follows: 2015, $42,000; 2016, $244,000; and 2017, $294,000. Enacted tax rates are 34% for 2015 and 2016, and 40% for 2017. Compute the amount Clydesdale should report as a deferred tax liability at December 31, 2014.

Describe the accounting entry for a stock dividend, if any. Describe the accounting entry for a stock split, if any.

Using IS/LM/BP analysis, trace through the effect of (a) a deflationary fiscal policy and (b) a deflationary monetary policy under (i) a fixed exchange rate; (ii) a free-floating exchange rate.

For 2012, Campbell Soup Company had pension expense of $73 million and contributed $71 million to the pension fund. Prepare Campbell Soup Company’s journal entry to record pension expense and funding.

How do money market funds differ from other types of mutual funds in terms of how they use the money invested by shareholders? Which securities do MMFs invest in most often? How can an MMF accommodate shareholders who wish to sell their shares when the amount of proceeds received from selling new shares is less than the amount needed to cover the withdrawals? (LO3)

Why is the price inelasticity of demand for private car transport a problem when formulating a policy for the reduction of traffic congestion? What could be done to change the price elasticity of demand in a desirable direction?

Monat Company has grown rapidly since its founding in 2004. To instill loyalty in its employees, Monat is contemplating establishment of a defined benefit plan. Monat knows that lenders and potential investors will pay close attention to the impact of the pension plan on the company’s financial statements, particularly any gains or losses that develop in the plan. Monat has asked you to conduct some research on the accounting for gains and losses in a defined benefit plan. Instructions If your school has a subscription to the FASB Codification, go to http://aaahq.org/ascLogin.cfm to log in and prepare responses to the following. Provide Codification references for your responses. (a) Briefly describe how pension gains and losses are accounted for. (b) Explain the rationale behind the accounting method described in part (a). (c) What is the related pension asset or liability that will show up on the balance sheet? When will each of these situations occur?

What layer material is produced by thermal oxidation in IC fabrication?

How are tax credits and tax deductions similar?  How are they dissimilar?

Describe the circumstances in which an S election may be involuntarily terminated.

Shown below is the liabilities and stockholders’ equity section of the balance sheet for Jana Kingston Company and Mary Ann Benson Company. Each has assets totaling $4,200,000. Jana Kingston Co. Mary Ann Benson Co. Current liabilities $ 300,000 Current liabilities $ 600,000 Long-term debt, 10% 1,200,000 Common stock ($20 par) 2,900,000 Common stock ($20 par) 2,000,000 Retained earnings (Cash Retained earnings (Cash dividends, $328,000) 700,000 dividends, $220,000) 700,000 $4,200,000 $4,200,000 For the year, each company has earned the same income before interest and taxes. Jana Kingston Co. Mary Ann Benson Co. Income before interest and taxes $1,200,000 $1,200,000 Interest expense 120,000 –0– 1,080,000 1,200,000 Income taxes (45%) 486,000 540,000 Net income $ 594,000 $ 660,000 At year end, the market price of Kingston’s stock was $101 per share, and Benson’s was $63.50. Instructions (a) Which company is more profitable in terms of return on total assets? (b) Which company is more profitable in terms of return on common stock equity? (c) Which company has the greater net income per share of stock? Neither company issued or reacquired shares during the year. (d) From the point of view of net income, is it advantageous to the stockholders of Jana Kingston Co. to have the long-term debt outstanding? Why? (e) What is the book value per share for each company?

Assume that you are looking for a job and are offered two. One is more enjoyable, but pays less. How would you make a rational choice between the two jobs?

Muggsy Bogues Company purchased equipment for $212,000 on October 1, 2014. It is estimated that the equipment will have a useful life of 8 years and a salvage value of $12,000. Estimated production is 40,000 units and estimated working hours are 20,000. During 2014, Bogues uses the equipment for 525 hours and the equipment produces 1,000 units. Instructions Compute depreciation expense under each of the following methods. Bogues is on a calendar-year basis ending December 31. (a) Straight-line method for 2014. (b) Activity method (units of output) for 2014. (c) Activity method (working hours) for 2014. (d) Sum-of-the-years’-digits method for 2016. (e) Double-declining-balance method for 2015.

The Volcker Rule is intended to prevent banks from engaging in proprietary trading. Write a short essay offering your opinion on whether banks should be allowed to engage in proprietary trading.

Compare and contrast computing the depreciation deduction for tangible personal property versus computing the depreciation deduction for real property under both the regular tax and alternative tax systems.

Explain the circumstances under which an increase in pensions and child benefit would (a) increase national income; (b) leave national income unaffected; (c) decrease national income.

{Research} Last year Acme paid Ralph $15,000 to install a new air-conditioning unit at its headquarters building.  The air conditioner did not function properly, and this year Acme requested that Ralph return the payment.  Because Ralph could not repair one critical part in the unit, he refunded the cost of the repair, $5,000, to Acme. a.       Is Ralph required to include the $15,000 payment he received last year in his gross income from last year? b.       What are the tax implications of the repayment if Ralph was in the 35 percent tax bracket when he received the $15,000 payment from Acme, but was in the 28 percent tax bracket when he refunded $5,000 to Acme? c.       How would you answer part b. if Ralph refunded $2,500 to Acme and not $5,000?

Explain the difference between the DIF system and the National Research Program. How do they relate to each other?

Jhumpa, Stewart, and Kelly are all one-third partners in the capital and profits of Firewalker General Partnership. In addition to their normal share of the partnership’s annual income, Jhumpa and Stewart receive an annual guaranteed payment of $10,000 each to compensate them for additional services they provide. Firewalker’s income statement for the current year reflects the following revenues and expenses: Sales revenue $340,000 Interest income 3,300 Long-term capital gains 1,200 Cost of goods sold (120,000) Employee wages (75,000) Depreciation expense (28,000) Guaranteed payments (20,000) Miscellaneous expenses (4,500) Overall net income $97,000

List the basic steps in the traditional ceramics processing sequence.

Why would it be difficult for a central bank to predict the precise effect on money supply of open-market operations?

Amanda would like to organize BAL as either an LLC (taxed as a sole proprietorship) or a C corporation. In either form, the entity is expected to generate an 8 percent annual before-tax return on a $500,000 investment. Amanda’s marginal income tax rate is 37 percent, and her tax rate on qualified dividends and net capital gains is 20%. Assume that BAL will distribute half of its after-tax earnings every year as a dividend if it is formed as a C corporation. Assume the income is not eligible for the QBI deduction. Further, when computing your answers, include the self-employment tax (use a 2.9% marginal rate for self-employment income because Amanda has salary in excess of the wage base limit) but not the additional Medicare tax or the net investment income tax.    a. How much cash after taxes would Amanda receive from her investment in the first year if BAL is organized as an LLC? What if BAL is organized as a C corporation?  b. What is the overall tax rate on BAL’s income in the first year if BAL is organized as an LLC or it is organized as a C corporation? c. At a high level, explain the primary factors contributing to differences between entities in cash flow and overall tax rate on business income.