Question & Answer

What effect does this have on the injections (J) line in the simple Keynesian model?

Explain how to calculate a weighted average contribution margin per unit.

Jill Vogel and Pete Dell have to do a class presentation on GAAP rules for reporting pension information. In developing the class presentation, they decided to provide the class with a series of questions related to pensions and then discuss the answers in class. Given that the class has all read the rules related to pension accounting and reporting, they felt this approach would provide a lively discussion. Here are the questions: 1. In an article in BusinessWeek prior to new rules related to pensions, it was reported that the discount rates used by the largest 200 companies for pension reporting ranged from 5% to 11%. How can such a situation exist, and does GAAP alleviate this problem? 2. An article indicated that when new GAAP rules were issued related to pensions, it caused an increase in the liability for pensions for approximately 20% of companies. Why might this situation occur? 3. A recent article noted that while “smoothing” is not necessarily an accounting virtue, pension accounting has long been recognized as an exception—an area of accounting in which at least some dampening of market swings is appropriate. This is because pension funds are managed so that  their performance is insulated from the extremes of short-term market swings. A pension expense that reflects the volatility of market swings might, for that reason, convey information of little relevance. Are these statements true? 4. Understanding the impact of the changes required in pension reporting requires detailed information about its pension plan(s) and an analysis of the relationship of many factors, particularly the: (a) Type of plan(s) and any significant amendments. (b) Plan participants. (c) Funding status. (d) Actuarial funding method and assumptions currently used. What impact does each of these items have on financial statement presentation? 5. An article noted “You also need to decide whether to amortize gains and losses using the corridor method, or to use some other systematic method. Under the corridor approach, only gains and losses in excess of 10% of the greater of the projected benefit obligation or the plan assets would have to be amortized.” What is the corridor method and what is its purpose? Instructions What answers do you believe Jill and Pete gave to each of these questions?

Describe the shared-appreciation mortgage. (LO2)

C. Reither Co. reports the following information for 2014: sales revenue $700,000; cost of goods sold $500,000; operating expenses $80,000; and an unrealized holding loss on available-for-sale securities for 2014 of $60,000. It declared and paid a cash dividend of $10,000 in 2014. C. Reither Co. has January 1, 2014, balances in common stock $350,000; accumulated other comprehensive income $80,000; and retained earnings $90,000. It issued no stock during 2014. Instructions Prepare a statement of stockholders’ equity.

Are all capital gains (gains on the sale or disposition of capital assets) taxed at the same rate? Explain.

Using the facts in problem 62, could Adam and Tom lower their payroll tax exposure if they operated their business as a partnership?  Why or why not?

Discuss the behavioural issues that need to be considered when establishing a standard cost.

Ballard Co. reported $145,000 of net income for 2014. The accountant, in preparing the statement of cash flows, noted the following items occurring during 2014 that might affect cash flows from operating activities. 1. Ballard purchased 100 shares of treasury stock at a cost of $20 per share. These shares were then resold at $25 per share. 2. Ballard sold 100 shares of IBM common at $200 per share. The acquisition cost of these shares was $145 per share. This investment was shown on Ballard’s December 31, 2013, balance sheet as an available-for-sale security. 3. Ballard revised its estimate for bad debts. Before 2014, Ballard’s bad debt expense was 1% of its net sales. In 2014, this percentage was increased to 2%. Net sales for 2014 were $500,000, and net accounts receivable decreased by $12,000 during 2014. 4. Ballard issued 500 shares of its $10 par common stock for a patent. The market price of the shares on the date of the transaction was $23 per share. 5. Depreciation expense is $39,000. 6. Ballard Co. holds 40% of the Nirvana Company’s common stock as a long-term investment. Nirvana Company reported $27,000 of net income for 2014. 7. Nirvana Company paid a total of $2,000 of cash dividends to all investees in 2014. 8. Ballard declared a 10% stock dividend. One thousand shares of $10 par common stock were distributed. The market price at date of issuance was $20 per share. Instructions Prepare a schedule that shows the net cash flow from operating activities using the indirect method. Assume no items other than those listed above affected the computation of 2014 net cash flow from operating activities.

Villa Company has experienced tough competition, leading it to seek concessions from its employees in the company’s pension plan. In exchange for promises to avoid layoffs and wage cuts, the employees agreed to receive lower pension benefits in the future. As a result, Villa amended its pension plan on January 1, 2014, and recorded negative past service cost of $125,000. Current service cost for 2014 is $26,000. Interest expense is $9,000, and interest revenue is $2,500. Actual return on assets in 2012 is $1,500. Compute Villa’s pension expense in 2014.

How are realized income, gross income, and taxable income similar, and how are they different?

Since 2008, the UK government has provided free off-peak bus travel for the over-60s in England and Wales. What do you think the impact of this policy has been on car usage? Is there a case for extending the policy to (a) bus travel for pensioners at all times of the day, as is the case in Scotland (b) bus travel for all?

Jorge is puzzled that the IRS and his CPA could legitimately reach different conclusions on a tax issue.  Why does this happen?

Why do loans that can be prepaid on a moment’s notice complicate the bank’s assessment of interest rate risk? (LO3)

At January 1, 2014, Eikenberry Inc. had accounts receivable of $72,000. At December 31, 2014, accounts receivable is $54,000. Sales revenue for 2014 total $420,000. Compute Eikenberry’s 2014 cash receipts from customers.

In examining the costs of pension plans, Helen Kaufman, CPA, encounters certain terms. The components of pension costs that the terms represent must be dealt with appropriately if generally accepted accounting principles are to be reflected in the financial statements of entities with pension plans. Instructions (a) (1) Discuss the theoretical justification for accrual recognition of pension costs. (2) Discuss the relative objectivity of the measurement process of accrual versus cash (pay-as-yougo) accounting for annual pension costs. (b) Explain the following terms as they apply to accounting for pension plans. (1) Market-related asset value. (2) Projected benefit obligation. (3) Corridor approach. (c) What information should be disclosed about a company’s pension plans in its financial statements and its notes?

In 2024, Juanita is married and files a joint tax return with her husband.  What is her tentative minimum tax in each of the following alternative circumstances?

Snider Corporation, a publicly traded company, is preparing the interim financial data which it will issue to its shareholders at the end of the first quarter of the 2014–2015 fiscal year. Snider’s financial accounting department has compiled the following summarized revenue and expense data for the first quarter of the year. Sales revenue $60,000,000 Cost of goods sold 36,000,000 Variable selling expenses 1,000,000 Fixed selling expenses 3,000,000 Included in the fixed selling expenses was the single lump-sum payment of $2,000,000 for television advertisements for the entire year. Instructions (a) Snider Corporation must issue its quarterly financial statements in accordance with IFRS regarding interim financial reporting. (1) Explain whether Snider should report its operating results for the quarter as if the quarter were a separate reporting period in and of itself, or as if the quarter were an integral part of the annual reporting period. (2) State how the sales revenue, cost of goods sold, and fixed selling expenses would be reflected in Snider Corporation’s quarterly report prepared for the first quarter of the 2014–2015 fiscal year. Briefly justify your presentation. (b) What financial information, as a minimum, must Snider Corporation disclose to its shareholders in its quarterly reports?

On December 31, 2013, Main Inc. borrowed $3,000,000 at 12% payable annually to finance the construction of a new building. In 2014, the company made the following expenditures related to this building: March 1, $360,000; June 1, $600,000; July 1, $1,500,000; December 1, $1,500,000. The building was completed in February 2015. Additional information is provided as follows. 1. Other debt outstanding 10-year, 13% bond, December 31, 2007, interest payable annually $4,000,000 6-year, 10% note, dated December 31, 2011, interest payable annually $1,600,000 2. March 1, 2014, expenditure included land costs of $150,000 3. Interest revenue earned in 2014 $49,000 Instructions (a) Determine the amount of interest to be capitalized in 2014 in relation to the construction of the building. (b) Prepare the journal entry to record the capitalization of interest and the recognition of interest expense, if any, at December 31, 2014.

When the accounts of Daniel Barenboim Inc. are examined, the adjusting data listed below are uncovered on December 31, the end of an annual fiscal period. 1. The prepaid insurance account shows a debit of $5,280, representing the cost of a 2-year fire insurance policy dated August 1 of the current year. 2. On November 1, Rent Revenue was credited for $1,800, representing revenue from a subrental for a 3-month period beginning on that date. 3. Purchase of advertising materials for $800 during the year was recorded in the Advertising Expense account. On December 31, advertising materials of $290 are on hand. 4. Interest of $770 has accrued on notes payable. Instructions Prepare the following in general journal form. (a) The adjusting entry for each item. (b) The reversing entry for each item where appropriate.

Olga is married and files a joint tax return with her husband.  What amount of AMT exemption may she deduct under each of the following alternative circumstances?  a.  Her AMTI is $390,000.

Which is preferable: general subsidies for public transport, or cheap fare policies for specific groups (such as children, students and pensioners)?

Justine would like to clarify her understanding of a code section recently enacted by Congress.  What tax law sources are available to assist Justine?

Alan Meer inherits a hotel from his grandmother, Mary, on February 11 of the current year. Mary bought the hotel for $730,000 three years ago. Mary deducted $27,000 of cost recovery on the hotel before her death. The fair market value of the hotel in February is $725,000. (Assume that the alternative valuation date is not used.) a. What is Alan’s adjusted basis in the hotel? b. If the fair market value of the hotel at the time of Mary’s death was $500,000, what is Alan’s basis?

Explain the difference between pretax financial income and taxable income.