Some believe that accounting depreciation measures the decline in the value of fixed assets. Do you agree? Explain.

Short Answer

Expert verified

Answer

I disagree with the statement.

Step by step solution

01

Meaning of Depreciation

Depreciation is an annual indirect and explicit expense imposed by a corporationwhen it utilizes a fixed asset like equipment, machinery, or pricey tools. Essentially, it refers to the decrease in the value of a tangible asset.

02

Explaining the statement 

Disagree. Accounting depreciation is the practice of assigning the cost of tangible assets to expenses in a systematic and sensible manner to the periods in which the asset is expected to be used. As a result, depreciation is a cost-allocation tool rather than a valuation tool.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

If Remmers, Inc. uses the composite method and its composite rate is 7.5% per year, what entry should it make when plant assets that originally cost \(50,000 and have been used for 10 years are sold for \)14,000?

(Depreciation—Conceptual Understanding) Rembrandt Company acquired a plant asset at the beginning of Year 1. The asset has an estimated service life of 5 years. An employee has prepared depreciation schedules for this asset using three different methods to compare the results of using one method with the results of using other methods. You are to assume that the following schedules have been correctly prepared for this asset using (1) the straight-line method, (2) the sum-of-the years’-digits method, and (3) the double-declining-balance method.

Year

Straight-Line

Sum-of-the Years’-Digits

Double-Declining Balance

1

\( 9,000

\) 15,000

\(20,000

2

9,000

12,000

12,000

3

9,000

9,000

7,200

4

9,000

6,000

4,320

5

9,000

3,000

1,480

Total

\)45,000

\(45,000

\)45,000

Instructions

Answer the following questions.

  1. What is the cost of the asset being depreciated?
  2. What amount, if any, was used in the depreciation calculations for the salvage value for this asset?
  3. Which method will produce the highest charge to income in Year 1?
  4. Which method will produce the highest charge to income in Year 4?
  5. Which method will produce the highest book value for the asset at the end of Year 3?
  6. If the asset is sold at the end of Year 3, which method would yield the highest gain (or lowest loss) on disposal of the asset?

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. in 2014 reported net income of \(16.4 billion, net sales of \)482.2 billion, and average total assets of $204.2 billion. What is Wal-Mart’s asset turnover? What is Wal-Mart’s return on assets?

(Comprehensive Fixed-Asset Problem) Darby Sporting Goods Inc. has been experiencing growth in the demand for its products over the last several years. The last two Olympic Games greatly increased the popularity of basketball around the world. As a result, a European sports retailing consortium entered into an agreement with Darby’s Roundball Division to purchase basketballs and other accessories on an increasing basis over the next 5 years.

To be able to meet the quantity commitments of this agreement, Darby had to obtain additional manufacturing capacity. A real estate firm located an available factory in close proximity to Darby’s Roundball manufacturing facility, and Darby agreed to purchase the factory and used machinery from Encino Athletic Equipment Company on October 1, 2016. Renovations were necessary to convert the factory for Darby’s manufacturing use.

The terms of the agreement required Darby to pay Encino \(50,000 when renovations started on January 1, 2017, with the balance to be paid as renovations were completed. The overall purchase price for the factory and machinery was \)400,000. The building renovations were contracted to Malone Construction at \(100,000. The payments made, as renovations progressed during 2017, are shown below. The factory was placed in service on January 1, 2018.

1/1

4/1

10/1

12/31

Encino

\)50,000

\(90,000

\)110,000

\(150,000

Malone

30,000

30,000

40,000

On January 1, 2017, Darby secured a \)500,000 line-of-credit with a 12% interest rate to finance the purchase cost of the factory and machinery, and the renovation costs. Darby drew down on the line-of-credit to meet the payment schedule shown above; this was Darby’s only outstanding loan during 2017.

Bob Sprague, Darby’s controller, will capitalize the maximum allowable interest costs for this project. Darby’s policy regarding purchases of this nature is to use the appraisal value of the land for book purposes and prorate the balance of the purchase price over the remaining items. The building had originally cost Encino \(300,000 and had a net book value of \)50,000, while the machinery originally cost \(125,000 and had a net book value of \)40,000 on the date of sale. The land was recorded on Encino’s books at \(40,000. An appraisal, conducted by independent appraisers at the time of acquisition, valued the land at \)290,000, the building at \(105,000, and the machinery at \)45,000.

Angie Justice, chief engineer, estimated that the renovated plant would be used for 15 years, with an estimated salvage value of \(30,000. Justice estimated that the productive machinery would have a remaining useful life of 5 years and a salvage value of \)3,000. Darby’s depreciation policy specifies the 200% declining-balance method for machinery and the 150% decliningbalance method for the

plant. One-half year’s depreciation is taken in the year the plant is placed in service, and one-half year is allowed when the property is disposed of or retired. Darby uses a 360-day year for calculating interest costs.

Instructions

  1. Determine the amounts to be recorded on the books of Darby Sporting Goods Inc. as of December 31, 2017, for each of the following properties acquired from Encino Athletic Equipment Company.
    1. Land.
    2. Buildings.
    3. Machinery.
  2. Calculate Darby Sporting Goods Inc.’s 2018 depreciation expense, for book purposes, for each of the properties acquired from Encino Athletic Equipment Company.
  3. Discuss the arguments for and against the capitalization of interest costs.

(Depreciation for Partial Periods—SL, Act., SYD, and Declining-Balance) The cost of equipment purchased by Charleston, Inc., on June 1, 2017, is \(89,000. It is estimated that the machine will have a \)5,000 salvage value at the end of its service life. Its service life is estimated at 7 years, its total working hours are estimated at 42,000, and its total production is estimated at 525,000 units. During 2017, the machine was operated 6,000 hours and produced 55,000 units. During 2018, the machine was operated 5,500 hours and produced 48,000 units.

Instructions Compute depreciation expense on the machine for the year ending December 31, 2017, and the year ending December 31, 2018, using the following methods.

  1. Straight-line.
  2. Units-of-output.
  3. Working hours.
  4. Sum-of-the-years’-digits.
  5. Declining-balance (twice the straight-line rate).
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