The following are three independent, unrelated sets of facts relating to accounting changes.

Situation 1: Sanford Company is in the process of having its first audit. The company has used the cash basis of accounting for revenue recognition. Sanford president, B. J. Jimenez, is willing to change to the accrual method of revenue recognition.

Situation 2: Hopkins Co. decides in January 2018 to change from FIFO to weighted-average pricing for its inventories.

Situation 3: Marshall Co. determined that the depreciable lives of its fixed assets are too long at present to fairly match the cost of the fixed assets with the revenue produced. The company decided at the beginning of the current year to reduce the depreciable lives of all of its existing fixed assets by 5 years.

Instructions

For each of the situations described, provide the information indicated below.

(a) Type of accounting change.

(b) Manner of reporting the change under current generally accepted accounting principles, including a discussion where applicable of how amounts are computed.

(c) Effect of the change on the balance sheet and income statement

Short Answer

Expert verified

All types of accounting changes are explained with the manner of reporting and their effect on financial statements.

Step by step solution

01

Part A

1. Correct error

2. Change in accounting principle

3. Change in accounting estimate

02

Part B

Manner of reporting

  1. Errors are retrospective and must include a restatement of financials.
  2. It will be reported as a retrospective change, and its calculation requires the previous financial statements to be calculated if the principle were used.
  3. It is reported as the change going forward.
03

Effect on the balance sheet and income statement

  1. It will affect the income statement of the company as noncash revenues are also recorded.
  2. It will affect the income statement as it will affect the cost of goods sold and closing inventory in the balance sheet.
  3. It will affect the income statement (depreciation expense) and the book value of the asset on the balance sheet.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

The management of Utrillo Instrument Company had concluded, with the concurrence of its independent auditors, that results of operations would be more fairly presented if Utrillo changed its method of pricing inventory from last-in, first-out (LIFO) to average-cost in 2017. Given below is the 5-year summary of income under LIFO and a schedule of what the inventories would be if stated on the average-cost method.

UTRILLO INSTRUMENT COMPANY STATEMENT OF INCOME AND RETAINED EARNINGS FOR THE YEARS ENDED MAY 31 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 Sales—net \(13,964 \)15,506 \(16,673 \)18,221 \(18,898 Cost of goods sold Beginning inventory 1,000 1,100 1,000 1,115 1,237 Purchases 13,000 13,900 15,000 15,900 17,100 Ending inventory (1,100) (1,000) (1,115) (1,237) (1,369) Total 12,900 14,000 14,885 15,778 16,968 Gross profi t 1,064 1,506 1,788 2,443 1,930 Administrative expenses 700 763 832 907 989 Income before taxes 364 743 956 1,536 941 Income taxes (50%) 182 372 478 768 471 Net income 182 371 478 768 470 Retained earnings—beginning 1,206 1,388 1,759 2,237 3,005 Retained earnings—ending \) 1,388 \( 1,759 \) 2,237 \( 3,005 \) 3,475 Earnings per share \(1.82 \)3.71 \(4.78 \)7.68 \(4.70 SCHEDULE OF INVENTORY BALANCES USING AVERAGE-COST METHOD FOR THE YEARS ENDED MAY 31 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 \)1,010 \(1,124 \)1,101 \(1,270 \)1,500 $1,720

Instructions Prepare comparative statements for the 5 years, assuming that Utrillo changed its method of inventory pricing to average-cost. Indicate the effects on net income and earnings per share for the years involved. Utrillo Instruments started business in 2012. (All amounts except EPS are rounded up to the nearest dollar.)

Sesame Company purchased a computer system for \(74,000 on January 1, 2016. It was depreciated based on a 7-year life and an \)18,000 salvage value. On January 1, 2018, Sesame revised these estimates to a total useful life of 4 years and a salvage value of $10,000. Prepare Sesame’s entry to record 2018 depreciation expense. Sesame uses straight-line depreciation.

You have been engaged to review the financial statements of Gottschalk Corporation. In the course of your examination, you conclude that the bookkeeper hired during the current year is not doing a good job. You notice a number of irregularities as follows.

1. Year-end wages payable of \(3,400 were not recorded because the bookkeeper thought that “they were immaterial.”

2. Accrued vacation pay for the year of \)31,100 was not recorded because the bookkeeper “never heard that you had to do it.”

3. Insurance for a 12-month period purchased on November 1 of this year was charged to insurance expense in the amount of \(2,640 because “the amount of the check is about the same every year.” 4. Reported sales revenue for the year is \)2,120,000. This includes all sales taxes collected for the year. The sales tax rate is 6%. Because the sales tax is forwarded to the state’s Department of Revenue, the Sales Tax Expense account is debited. The bookkeeper thought that “the sales tax is a selling expense.” At the end of the current year, the balance in the Sales Tax Expense account is $103,400.

Instructions Prepare the necessary correcting entries, assuming that Gottschalk uses a calendar-year basis.

Discuss briefly the three approaches that have been suggested for reporting changes in accounting principles.

(Change in Principle, Estimate) As a certified public accountant, you have been contacted by Joe Davison, CEO of Sports-Pro Athletics, Inc., a manufacturer of a variety of athletic equipment. He has asked you how to account for the following changes.

1. Sports-Pro appropriately changed its depreciation method for its machinery from the double-declining-balance method to the units-of-production method effective January 1, 2017.

2. Effective January 1, 2017, Sports-Pro appropriately changed the salvage values used in computing depreciation for its office equipment.

3. On December 31, 2017, Sports-Pro appropriately changed the specific subsidiaries constituting the group of companies for which consolidated financial statements are presented.

Instructions

Write a 1–1.5 page letter to Joe Davison explaining how each of the above changes should be presented in the December 31, 2017, financial statements.

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