You have recently been hired as the assistant controller for Clayton, Inc., a large,
publicly held manufacturing company. Your immediate superior is the controller who,
in turn, is responsible to the chief financial officer. The controller has assigned the task
of preparing the year-end adjusting entry for bad debts to you. The allowance for
uncollectibles accounts has a credit balance of $86,000 before the year-end adjustment.
Your analysis indicates that an appropriate balance for the allowance account is
$210,000. After showing your analysis to the controller, she tells you to adjust the
allowance account to $310,000. Tactfully, you ask the controller for an explanation for
the amount and she tells you, “We are having a really good year. Let’s bump up the
allowance.” Required:
Discuss the ethical dilemma you face. Consider your options and responsibilities along
with the possible consequences of any action you might take.