Steve Is in Charge of Accounting for the Purchase of Equipment

question 45

Multiple Choice

Steve is in charge of accounting for the purchase of equipment at Cal Works, Inc. The company has a policy that all expenditures greater than $1,000 (1% of total expenditures) have to be capitalized; less than $1,000 expensed. Steve is under pressure to report high earnings. He takes one $600 and $900 expenditure, adds them together, and records a capital expenditure for $1,500. Which of the following reasons and rationalizations might Steve use for his action:

• A) One-time request
• B) Standard Practice
• C) Representational faithfulness
• D) Materiality

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Definitions:

Income Statement

A financial document that provides an overview of a company's performance over a specific period, detailing revenues, expenses, and net earnings.

Net Operating Income

An indicator of a firm's earnings generated from its principal business activities, not accounting for interest and tax deductions.

Variable Costing

An accounting method that includes only variable production costs in product costs, excluding fixed overhead.

Absorption Costing

An accounting strategy that considers every manufacturing expense, including direct materials, direct labor, and overhead costs (both variable and fixed), in determining a product’s cost.