Chapter 22: Question 3 (page 1305)
Discuss briefly the three approaches that have been suggested for reporting changes in accounting principles.
The three approaches are currently, retrospectively, and prospectively.
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(Analysis of Various Accounting Changes and Errors) Mathys Inc. has recently hired a new independent auditor, Karen Ogleby, who says she wants “to get everything straightened out.” Consequently, she has proposed the following accounting changes in connection with Mathys Inc.’s 2017 financial statements.
1. At December 31, 2016, the client had a receivable of \(820,000 from Hendricks Inc. on its balance sheet. Hendricks Inc. has gone bankrupt, and no recovery is expected. The client proposes to write off the receivable as a prior period item.
2. The client proposes the following changes in depreciation policies.
(a) For office furniture and fixtures, it proposes to change from a 10-year useful life to an 8-year life. If this change had been made in prior years, retained earnings at December 31, 2016, would have been \)250,000 less. The effect of the change on 2017 income alone is a reduction of \(60,000.
(b) For its new equipment in the leasing division, the client proposes to adopt the sum-of-the-years’-digits depreciation method. The client had never used SYD before. The first year the client operated a leasing division was 2017. If straight-line depreciation were used, 2017 income would be \)110,000 greater.
3. In preparing its 2016 statements, one of the client’s bookkeepers overstated ending inventory by \(235,000 because of a mathematical error. The client proposes to treat this item as a prior period adjustment.
4. In the past, the client has spread preproduction costs in its furniture division over 5 years. Because its latest furniture is of the “fad” type, it appears that the largest volume of sales will occur during the first 2 years after introduction. Consequently, the client proposes to amortize preproduction costs on a per-unit basis, which will result in expensing most of such costs during the first 2 years after the furniture’s introduction. If the new accounting method had been used prior to 2017, retained earnings at December 31, 2016, would have been \)375,000 less.
5. For the nursery division, the client proposes to switch from FIFO to LIFO inventories because it believes that LIFO will provide a better matching of current costs with revenues. The effect of making this change on 2017 earnings will be an increase of \(320,000. The client says that the effect of the change on December 31, 2016, retained earnings cannot be determined.
6. To achieve an appropriate recognition of revenues and expenses in its building construction division, the client proposes to switch from the completed-contract method of accounting to the percentage-of-completion method. Had the percentage-of-completion method been employed in all prior years, retained earnings at December 31, 2016, would have been \)1,075,000 greater.
Instructions
(a) For each of the changes described above, decide whether:
(1) The change involves an accounting principle, accounting estimate, or correction of an error.
(2) Restatement of opening retained earnings is required.
(b) What would be the proper adjustment to the December 31, 2016, retained earnings?
On March 5, 2018, you were hired by Hemingway Inc., a closely held company, as a staff member of its newly created internal auditing department. While reviewing the company’s records for 2016 and 2017, you discover that no adjustments have yet been made for the following items. Items
1. Interest income of \(14,100 was not accrued at the end of 2016. It was recorded when received in February 2017.
2. A computer costing \)4,000 was expensed when purchased on July 1, 2016. It is expected to have a 4-year life with no salvage value. The company typically uses straight-line depreciation for all fixed assets.
3. Research and development costs of \(33,000 were incurred early in 2016. They were capitalized and were to be amortized over a 3-year period. Amortization of \)11,000 was recorded for 2016 and \(11,000 for 2017.
4. On January 2, 2016, Hemingway leased a building for 5 years at a monthly rental of \)8,000. On that date, the company paid the following amounts, which were expensed when paid. Security deposit \(20,000 First month’s rent 8,000 Last month’s rent 8,000 \)36,000
5. The company received \(36,000 from a customer at the beginning of 2016 for services that it is to perform evenly over a 3-year period beginning in 2016. None of the amount received was reported as unearned revenue at the end of 2016.
6. Merchandise inventory costing \)18,200 was in the warehouse at December 31, 2016, but was incorrectly omitted from the physical count at that date. The company uses the periodic inventory method.
Instructions
Indicate the effect of any errors on the net income figure reported on the income statement for the year ending December 31, 2016, and the retained earnings figure reported on the balance sheet at December 31, 2017. Assume all amounts are material, and ignore income tax effects. Using the following format, enter the appropriate dollar amounts in the appropriate columns. Consider each item independent of the other items. It is not necessary to total the columns on the grid.
Lenexa State Bank has followed the practice of capitalizing certain marketing costs and amortizing these costs over their expected life. In the current year, the bank determined that the future benefits from these costs were doubtful. Consequently, the bank adopted the policy of expensing these costs as incurred. How should the bank report this accounting change in the comparative financial statements?
As part of the year-end accounting process and review of operating policies, Cullen Co. is considering a change in the accounting for its equipment from the straight-line method to an accelerated method. Your supervisor wonders how the company will report this change in accounting. It has been a few years since he took intermediate accounting, and he cannot remember whether this change would be treated in a retrospective or prospective manner. Your supervisor wants you to research the authoritative guidance on a change in accounting policy related to depreciation methods.
Instructions
(a) What are the accounting and reporting guidelines for a change in accounting policy related to depreciation methods?
(b) What are the conditions that justify a change in depreciation method, as contemplated by Cullen Co.?
Below is the net income of Anita Ferreri Instrument Co., a private corporation, computed under the three inventory methods using a periodic system. FIFO Average-Cost LIFO 2015 \(26,000 \)24,000 $20,000 2016 30,000 25,000 21,000 2017 28,000 27,000 24,000 2018 34,000 30,000 26,000
Instructions (Ignore tax considerations.) (a) Assume that in 2018 Ferreri decided to change from the FIFO method to the average-cost method of pricing inventories. Prepare the journal entry necessary for the change that took place during 2018, and show net income reported for 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018.
(b) Assume that in 2018 Ferreri, which had been using the LIFO method since incorporation in 2015, changed to the FIFO method of pricing inventories. Prepare the journal entry necessary to record the change in 2018 and show net income reported for 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018
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