SERIAL PROBLEM — SP 7
1. a. Bad debts expense is recorded as 1% of total revenues:
$44,000 x .01 = $440.
2016
Mar. 31
Bad Debts Expense ………………………………………..
440
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts……………...
440
To record estimated bad debts.
1. b. Bad debts expense is recorded as 2% of accounts receivable:
$22,867 x .02 = $457.34, which is $457 rounded to the nearest dollar.
2016
Mar. 31
Bad Debts Expense ………………………………………..
457
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts……………...
457
To record estimated bad debts.
Instructor note: It might help to stress that the beginning balance for the Allowance for
Doubtful Accounts is zero, which is unusual and exists because this is the first period that the
company applies the allowance method.
2. Allowance Balance as of 3/31/16 ………………. $457 Cr.
Less: Account written off ………………………… (100) Dr.
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts……………...
1. Apple’s receivables at September 28, 2013, are $13,102 million.
2. Accounts receivable turnover for 2013 ($ millions)
3. Average collection period = 365 / Turnover = 365 / 14.22 = 25.67 days
4. Liquid assets as a percent of current liabilities ($ millions)
Sep. 28, 2013: = 126.9%
5. Note 1 to Apple’s financial statements describes its accounting
6. Solution depends on the financial statement information obtained.
$170,910
($13,102 + 10,930) / 2
$14,259 + $26,287 + $13,102 + $1,764
$43,658
1. Accounts Receivable Turnover ($ millions)
= 14.22 times
Apple (Prior Year):
2. Average Collection Period (or “Average Days’ Sales Uncollected”)
Apple (Current Year): 365 days / 14.22 times = 25.67 days
Apple (Prior Year): 365 days / 19.20 times = 19.01 days
3. Both companies appear reasonably efficient in collecting accounts
receivable. Apple collects them over a shorter period of time in both
$156,508
($7,885 + $5,427) / 2
$170,910
($13,102 + $10,930) / 2
1. If the estimate for bad debts is reduced then less Bad Debts Expense
will be recognized on the income statement resulting in a higher net
2. Accounting procedures often allow for alternate methods or require the
use of estimates. Therefore, managers have some leeway in their
3. An informed owner or an effective board of directors will be aware of
alternate accounting methods and how estimates can affect the
financial statements. The owner or board should review the
reasonableness of the manager’s and accountant’s estimate for bad
debts expense. Also, if the company is audited, the auditors will review
eventually prove to be uncollectible. The fact that some accounts will
become uncollectible is what gives rise to bad debts expense and the
allowance for doubtful accounts.
Determining Bad Debts Expense
Bad debts expense represents the estimated amount of the year’s sales
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts balance. However, when specific
accounts receivable are written off, they decrease the Allowance for
Doubtful Accounts balance. Prior to this year’s bad debts expense
calculation, the cumulative total of writing off specific accounts was
$16,000 greater than the cumulative total of the past years’ bad debts
1. At December 31, 2013, eBay’s ($ millions) net accounts receivable were
2.
$ millions
December 31,
2013
December 31,
2012
Gross accounts receivable …………….…….
$1,005
$911
Allowance for doubtful accounts
(including authorized credits) …………….
106
89
% of uncollectible accounts …………..…….
10.5%
9.8%
3. These percentages seem high compared to other companies, but
eBay’s operations are all online, and the risk of fraudulent transactions
is likely higher than other companies. eBay’s prior experience has
apparently caused them to estimate this high amount of uncollectible
accounts.
Teamwork in Action — BTN 7-6
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts …………....
1. Computation of added annual net income or loss
a.
Added Monthly Net Income or Loss under Plan A
Increased sales ……………………………………………………… $250,000
Cost of sales …………………………………………………………. (135,500)
2. Plan (A) provides a slightly higher income, so if the client company can
only pursue one plan now, based purely on the financial aspect, it
should choose Plan (A).
Plan (A) might expand its product into new markets, and could increase
sales over time. However, this is a new distribution method for the client
from 2.95% to 4.5%.
Some merchants often choose not to accept certain cards because the
stores.
1. Accounts Receivable Turnover (KRW in millions)
2. Average Collection Period (or “Average Days’ Sales Uncollected”)
3. Samsung’s results are between Apple and Google in terms of its