Palmer Co. is evaluating the appropriate accounting for the following items. 1. Management has decided to switch from the FIFO inventory valuation method to the LIFO inventory valuation method for all inventories. 2. When the year-end physical inventory adjustment was made for the current year, the controller discovered that the prior year’s physical inventory sheets for an entire warehouse were mislaid and excluded from last year’s count. 3. Palmer’s Custom Division manufactures large-scale, custom-designed machinery on a contract basis. Management decided to switch from the completed-contract method to the percentage-of-completion method of accounting for longterm contracts. Identify and explain whether each of the above items is a change in accounting principle, a change in estimate, or an error

Short Answer

Expert verified

The first part is a change in accounting principle, the second part is a change due to an error, and the third part is the change in accounting principle

Step by step solution

01

First Part

It is a change in accounting principles. In this case, the company is changing its policy of inventory valuation from FIFO to LIFO.

02

Second Part

It is a change due to an error. There was an error in recording the last year’s count.

03

Third Part

It is the change in accounting principles. The company is changing the accounting method from the completed-contract method to the percentage-of-completion method

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Most popular questions from this chapter

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.?

Peter Henning Tool Company’s December 31 year-end financial statements contained the following errors.

December 31, 2017 December 31, 2018

Ending inventory \(9,600 understated \)8,100 overstated

Depreciation expense \(2,300 understated —

An insurance premium of \)66,000 was prepaid in 2017 covering the years 2017, 2018, and 2019. The entire amount was charged to expense in 2017.

In addition, on December 31, 2018, fully depreciated machinery was sold for $15,000 cash, but the entry was not recorded until 2019.

There were no other errors during 2017 or 2018, and no corrections have been made for any of the errors. (Ignore income tax considerations.)

Instructions

(a) Compute the total effect of the errors on 2018 net income.

(b) Compute the total effect of the errors on the amount of Henning’s working capital at December 31, 2018.

(c) Compute the total effect of the errors on the balance of Henning’s retained earnings at December 31, 2018.

Pam Erickson Construction Company changed from the completed-contract to the percentage-of-completion method of accounting for long-term construction contracts during 2018. For tax purposes, the company employs the completed-contract method and will continue this approach in the future. (Hint: Adjust all tax consequences through the Deferred Tax Liability account.) The appropriate information related to this change is as follows. Pretax Income from: Percentage-of-Completion Completed-Contract Difference 2017 \(780,000 \)590,000 $190,000 2018 700,000 480,000 220,000 Instructions (a) Assuming that the tax rate is 35%, what is the amount of net income that would be reported in 2018? (b) What entry(ies) are necessary to adjust the accounting records for the change in accounting principle?

A partial trial balance of Julie Hartsack Corporation is as follows on December 31, 2018.

Dr. Cr.

Supplies \( 2,700

Salaries and wages payable \) 1,500

Interest receivable 5,100

Prepaid insurance 90,000

Unearned rent –0–

Interest payable 15,000

Additional adjusting data:

1. A physical count of supplies on hand on December 31, 2018, totaled \(1,100.

2. Through oversight, the Salaries and Wages Payable account was not changed during 2018. Accrued salaries and wages on December 31, 2018, amounted to \)4,400.

3. The Interest Receivable account was also left unchanged during 2018. Accrued interest on investments amounts to \(4,350 on December 31, 2018.

4. The unexpired portions of the insurance policies totaled \)65,000 as of December 31, 2018.

5. \(28,000 was received on January 1, 2018, for the rent of a building for both 2018 and 2019. The entire amount was credited to rent revenue.

6. Depreciation on equipment for the year was erroneously recorded as \)5,000 rather than the correct figure of \(50,000.

7. A further review of depreciation calculations of prior years revealed that equipment depreciation of \)7,200 was not recorded. It was decided that this oversight should be corrected by a prior period adjustment.

Instructions

(a) Assuming that the books have not been closed, what are the adjusting entries necessary at December 31, 2018? (Ignore income tax considerations.)

(b) Assuming that the books have been closed, what are the adjusting entries necessary at December 31, 2018? (Ignore income tax considerations.)

(c) Repeat the requirements for items 6 and 7, taking into account income tax effects (40% tax rate) and assuming that the books have been closed.

Equipment was purchased on January 2, 2017, for $24,000, but no portion of the cost has been charged to depreciation. The corporation wishes to use the straight-line method for these assets, which have been estimated to have a life of 10 years and no salvage value. What effect does this error have on net income in 2017? What entry is necessary to correct for this error, assuming that the books are not closed for 2017?

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