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.?

Short Answer

Expert verified

The change in accounting principles is related to depreciation methods which can be found in IAS 8, paragraphs 32-38

Step by step solution

01

Accounting and reporting guidelines

The guideline for reporting the change in accounting principle is related to the depreciation methods which can be found in IAS 8, paragraphs 32-38 under the heading of changes in accounting estimates.

02

Conditions that justify a change in depreciation methods

According to paragraph 14, the business entity shall change an accounting policy only if the change:

1 Is required by an IFRS or

2 results in the financial statements providing reliable and more relevant information about the effects of transactions other events or conditions on the entity’s financial position, financial performance, or cash flows.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Simms Corp. controlled four domestic subsidiaries and one foreign subsidiary. Prior to the current year, Simms Corp. had excluded the foreign subsidiary from consolidation. During the current year, the foreign subsidiary was included in the financial statements. How should this change in accounting entity be reflected in the financial statements?

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.

Lowell Corporation has used the accrual basis of accounting for several years. A review of the records, however, indicates that some expenses and revenues have been handled on a cash basis because of errors made by an inexperienced bookkeeper. Income statements prepared by the bookkeeper reported \(29,000 net income for 2016 and \)37,000 net income for 2017. Further examination of the records reveals that the following items were handled improperly.

1. Rent was received from a tenant in December 2016. The amount, \(1,000, was recorded as revenue at that time even though the rental pertained to 2017.

2. Salaries and wages payable on December 31 have been consistently omitted from the records of that date and have been entered as expenses when paid in the following year. The amounts of the accruals recorded in this manner were:

December 31, 2015 \)1,100

December 31, 2016 1,200

December 31, 2017 940

3. Invoices for supplies purchased have been charged to expense accounts when received. Inventories of supplies on hand at the end of each year have been ignored, and no entry has been made for them.

December 31, 2015 $1,300

December 31, 2016 940

December 31, 2017 1,420

Instructions

Prepare a schedule that will show the corrected net income for the years 2016 and 2017. All items listed should be labeled clearly. (Ignore income tax considerations.)

  1. On January 1, 2014, Jackson Company purchased a building and equipment that have the following useful lives, salvage values, and costs. Building, 40-year estimated useful life, \(50,000 salvage value, \)800,000 cost Equipment, 12-year estimated useful life, \(10,000 salvage value, \)100,000 cost The building has been depreciated under the double-declining-balance method through 2017. In 2018, the company decided to switch to the straight-line method of depreciation. Jackson also decided to change the total useful life of the equipment to 9 years, with a salvage value of $5,000 at the end of that time. The equipment is depreciated using the straight-line method.
  2. Instructions (a) Prepare the journal entry(ies) necessary to record the depreciation expense on the building in 2018.
  3. (b) Compute depreciation expense on the equipment for 2018.

In January 2017, installation costs of \(6,000 on new machinery were charged to Maintenance and Repairs Expense. Other costs of this machinery of \)30,000 were correctly recorded and have been depreciated using the straight-line method with an estimated life of 10 years and no salvage value. At December 31, 2018, it is decided that the machinery has a remaining useful life of 20 years, starting with January 1, 2018. What entry(ies) should be made in 2018 to correctly record transactions related to machinery, assuming the machinery has no salvage value? The books have not been closed for 2018 and depreciation expense has not yet been recorded for 2018.

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