Accounting Methods
Purpose of Assignment
This week’s activity illustrates the role a company’s accounting method plays in financial statement reporting. In this assignment, students evaluate the events occurring in a business setting and determine how to properly analyze those events to identify the impact on both cash and accrual accounting methods.
Assignment Steps
Resources: Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)
Scenario: BizCon, a consulting firm, has just completed its first year of operations. The company’s sales growth was explosive. To encourage clients to hire its services, BizCon offered 180-day financing – meaning its largest customers do not pay for nearly 6 months. Because BizCon is a new company, its equipment suppliers insist on being paid cash on delivery. Also, it had to pay up front for 2 years of insurance. At the end of the year, BizCon owed employees for one full month of salaries, but due to a cash shortfall, it promised to pay them the first week of next year.
As the senior accountant, the Chief Financial Officer has asked you to prepare a memo to be sent to management notifying them of the delayed wage payments.
Prepare the memo in a maximum 700 words including the following information to better outline the situation:
- Explain how cash and accrual accounting differs for each of the events listed in the above scenario and describe the proper accrual accounting.
- Assess how at the end of the year, BizCon reported a favorable net income, yet the company’s management is concerned because the company is very short of cash. Explain to management how BizCon could have positive net income and yet run out of cash.
Format your assignment consistent with APA guidelines.
FIND SAMPLE MEMO ATTACHED
Answer preview
Cash versus accrual accounting
In spite of BizCom making explosive sales, the company faces challenges of paying the employees for a month. Additionally, the company has paid upfront of 2 years to the insurance company (Tiron Tudor, & Mutiu, 2012). The challenges BizCom experiences is that its suppliers prefer to be paid on a daily basis. It’s important for the suppliers to reconsider and give more time for BizCom to honor their dues. The insurance upfront should be recognized as an asset. And once, the two years elapse, the insurance should…
(800 words)