Placard, a Multinational Corporation Based in the U

question 163

Essay

Placard, a multinational corporation based in the U.S., has used ASC 740-30 (APB 23) to avoid reporting any U.S. deferred tax expense on $50 million of the earnings of its foreign subsidiaries. All of these subsidiaries operate in countries with lower tax rates than those of the U.S. When the profits eventually are repatriated, how is Placard's effective tax rate affected on its GAAP financial statements?

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Definitions:

Fixed Manufacturing Overhead

Costs that remain constant regardless of the level of production, related specifically to the manufacturing process, such as rent, utilities, and salaries of permanent staff.

Machine-Hours

A measure of machine usage, representing the total hours a machine operates during a specific period.

Volume Variance

The difference between the expected (budgeted) volume of production or sales and the actual volume, affecting costs and revenues.

Predetermined Overhead Rate

A rate used to allocate manufacturing overhead costs to products, calculated before the period begins based on estimated costs and activity levels.