Question & Answer

Shared bonus pool Sarah Tesar is the lead partner of a medium-sized accounting firm. The eight partners share in an annual bonus pool. The characteristics of the bonus pool system include: • The bonus pool size each year is calculated as 40 per cent of annual profit. • The bonus pool is allocated on the basis of bonus units awarded according to the partners’ performance against target fees generated from new clients. This is meant to reinforce the firm’s strategy of growth through new client acquisition. If the fees target is met, one bonus unit is awarded; if the fees target is exceeded by 10 per cent, two bonus units are awarded; if the fees target is exceeded by 20 per cent, four bonus units are awarded; and if the fees target is exceeded by more than 20 per cent, six bonus units are awarded.   This year the annual profit was $2.2 million and the partner performance according to their fees from new client target was as follows: three partners achieved 10 per cent above target; three other partners achieved 20 per cent above target; and two partners exceeded the target by more than 20 per cent.   Required (a) Calculate: (i) the value of the bonus pool to be shared (ii) the value of one bonus unit (iii) the value of the bonus each manager would receive for the year.   One of the partners, Russell Morris, has sought a meeting with Sarah to discuss the shared bonus pool system. He wrote in an email to Sarah ‘I spend a lot of my time providing our in-house training programs . . . I can’t be out chasing new clients at the same time! Why do we only have one measure for the bonus system?’   (b) How important is the selection of the bonus allocation formula and the measure(s) to be used? (c) In the light of Russell’s email, would you advise Sarah to make any changes to the current system? Explain. (LO4)

What is a solid solution in the context of alloys?

Clarence Weatherspoon, a super salesman contemplating retirement on his fifty-fifth birthday, decides to create a fund on an 8% basis that will enable him to withdraw $20,000 per year on June 30, beginning in 2018 and continuing through 2021. To develop this fund, Clarence intends to make equal contributions on June 30 of each of the years 2014–2017. Instructions (a) How much must the balance of the fund equal on June 30, 2017, in order for Clarence Weatherspoon to satisfy his objective? (b) What are each of Clarence’s contributions to the fund?

Briefly describe the Glass-Steagall Act, and then explain how the related regulations have changed since it was enacted. (LO2)

In the past several years, Shakira had loaned money to Shakira Inc. (an S corporation) to help the corporation keep afloat in a downturn.  Her stock basis in the S corporation is now $0, and she has deducted $40,000 in losses, reducing her debt basis from $100,000 to $60,000.  Things appear to be turning around this year, and Shakira Inc. repaid Shakira $20,000 of the $100,000 outstanding loan.  What is Shakira’s income, if any, on the partial loan repayment?

What is meant by the terms elements and items as they relate to the income statement? Why might items have to be disclosed in the income statement?

Explain how the Sarbanes-Oxley Act improved the transparency of banks. Why might the act have a negative impact on some banks? (LO2)

Vandross Company has recorded bad debt expense in the past at a rate of 1½% of net sales. In 2014, Vandross decides to increase its estimate to 2%. If the new rate had been used in prior years, cumulative bad debt expense would have been $380,000 instead of $285,000. In 2014, bad debt expense will be $120,000 instead of $90,000. If Vandross’s tax rate is 30%, what amount should it report as the cumulative effect of changing the estimated bad debt rate?

Explain why Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac experienced mortgage problems during the credit crisis. (LO5)

What is the nature of a “sale-leaseback” transaction?

Presented below is information related to Ivan Calderon Corp. for the year 2014. Net sales $1,300,000 Write-off of inventory due to obsolescence $ 80,000 Cost of goods sold 780,000 Depreciation expense omitted by accident in 2013 55,000 Selling expenses 65,000 Casualty loss (extraordinary item) before taxes 50,000 Administrative expenses 48,000 Cash dividends declared 45,000 Dividend revenue 20,000 Retained earnings at December 31, 2013 980,000 Interest revenue 7,000 Effective tax rate of 34% on all items Instructions (a) Prepare a multiple-step income statement for 2014. Assume that 60,000 shares of common stock are outstanding. (b) Prepare a separate retained earnings statement for 2014.

Why might pension funds be exposed to interest rate risk? How can pension funds reduce their exposure to interest rate risk? (LO7)

What is a “wash sale”? What is the purpose of the wash sale tax rules?

Eddie Zambrano Corporation began operations on January 1, 2011. During its first 3 years of operations, Zambrano reported net income and declared dividends as follows. Net Income Dividends Declared 2011 $ 40,000 $ –0– 2012 125,000 50,000 2013 160,000 50,000 The following information relates to 2014. Income before income tax $240,000 Prior period adjustment: understatement of 2012 depreciation expense (before taxes) $ 25,000 Cumulative decrease in income from change in inventory methods (before taxes) $ 35,000 Dividends declared (of this amount, $25,000 will be paid on Jan. 15, 2015) $100,000 Effective tax rate 40% Instructions (a) Prepare a 2014 retained earnings statement for Eddie Zambrano Corporation. (b) Assume Eddie Zambrano Corp. restricted retained earnings in the amount of $70,000 on December 31, 2014. After this action, what would Zambrano report as total retained earnings in its December 31, 2014, balance sheet?

Suppose in Example 30.3 in the text that the fuel used in the welding operation is MAPP instead of acetylene, and the proportion of heat concentrated in the 9 mm circle is 60% instead of 75 %. Compute (a) rate of heat liberated during combustion, (b) rate of heat transferred to the work surface, and (c) average power density in the circular area.

Red Hot Chili Peppers Co. had the following activity in its most recent year of operations. (a) Purchase of equipment. (g) Amortization of intangible assets. (b) Redemption of bonds payable. (h) Purchase of treasury stock. (c) Sale of building. (i) Issuance of bonds for land. (d) Depreciation. (j) Payment of dividends. (e) Exchange of equipment for furniture. (k) Increase in interest receivable on notes receivable. (f) Issuance of capital stock. (l) Pension expense exceeds amount funded. Instructions Classify the items as (1) operating—add to net income; (2) operating—deduct from net income; (3) investing; (4) financing; or (5) significant non-cash investing and financing activities. Use the indirect method.

Explain how the accounting method applied to mortgage-backed securities made it more difficult for banks to satisfy capital requirements during the credit crisis of 2008–2009. (LO2)

Potlatch Corporation has issued various types of bonds such as term bonds, income bonds, and debentures. Differentiate between term bonds, mortgage bonds, debenture bonds, income bonds, callable bonds, registered bonds, bearer or coupon bonds, convertible bonds, commodity-backed bonds, and deep discount bonds.

Explain how TARP was expected to help resolve problems during the credit crisis. (LO6)

Explain the similarities and dissimilarities between depreciation, amortization, and depletion. Describe the cost recovery method used for each of the four asset types (personal property, real property, intangible property, and natural resources).

How would a redistribution of income to the powerful be likely to affect GNY?

Presented below is a combined single-step income and retained earnings statement for Nerwin Company for 2014. (000 omitted) Net sales revenue $640,000 Costs and expenses Cost of goods sold $500,000 Selling, general, and administrative expenses 66,000 Other, net 17,000 583,000 Income before income tax 57,000 Income tax 19,400 Net income 37,600 Retained earnings at beginning of period, as previously reported 141,000 Adjustment required for correction of error (7,000) Retained earnings at beginning of period, as restated 134,000 Dividends on common stock (12,200) Retained earnings at end of period $159,400 Additional facts are as follows. 1. “Selling, general, and administrative expenses” for 2014 included a charge of $8,500,000 that was usual but infrequently occurring. 2. “Other, net” for 2014 included an extraordinary item (charge) of $6,000,000. If the extraordinary item (charge) had not occurred, income taxes for 2014 would have been $21,400,000 instead of $19,400,000. 3. “Adjustment required for correction of an error” was a result of a change in estimate (useful life of certain assets reduced to 8 years and a catch-up adjustment made). 4. Nerwin Company disclosed earnings per common share for net income in the notes to the financial statements. Instructions Determine from these additional facts whether the presentation of the facts in the Nerwin Company income and retained earnings statement is appropriate. If the presentation is not appropriate, describe the appropriate presentation and discuss its theoretical rationale. (Do not prepare a revised statement.)

Give some examples of supply-side policies that would help to reduce the natural rate of unemployment.

According to this chapter, have banks been able to insulate themselves against interest rate movements? Explain. (LO3)

Identify three ways taxpayers can pay their income taxes to the government.