In: Accounting
Transactions may have significantly different impacts on a
government’s budget, governmental funds statements, and
government-wide statements. A school district prepares its budget
on a cash basis. It is contemplating the changes or actions
that
follow.
For each, indicate the impact that the change would have:
(1) on year‐ending June 30 2017, general fund expenditures or transfers
(2) on year‐ending June 30, 2017, government‐wide expenses (e.g., “increase expenditures by $X” or “no impact”). Provide a brief explanation of your response, indicating that you are aware of the relevant financial reporting issue.
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1. Owing to a special discount offered by a supplier, the district
will purchase $100,000 of supplies in June 2017 that they otherwise
would not have purchased until July 2017. They will not, however,
have to pay for the supplies until July. The district accounts for
supplies on a purchases basis.
2. In fiscal 2017 the district increases the number of vacation
days to which employees are entitled to take, thereby increasing
the cost of vacation leave that employees earned in 2017 but will
take in subsequent fiscal years by $250,000. The vacation days
vest; they can be taken as termination benefits.
3. The district increased the number of sick days to which
employees are entitled to take, thereby increasing the cost of sick
days that employees earned in 2017 but will take in future years by
$150,000. The sick leave can be taken only as employees are sick;
it cannot be paid for as a termination benefit.
4. In 2017 the district established a sabbatical leave program for
certain categories of teachers. Teachers will be granted one year
of leave after each seven years of service. Teachers granted the
leave will have to spend it engaging in various specified
activities, such as research, aimed at improving their teaching.
Teachers will first be eligible to take the leave in 2024. The
district estimates that one‐seventh of the cost will be
$1,500,000.
5. The district delayed from June to July the approval of a grant
of $50,000 to a local health clinic that provides examinations to
low‐income students. The funds are to be paid out of resources
budgeted for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017, and are intended
for use by the clinic in that same period.
6. The district delayed from June to July purchasing, and paying
for, 10 school buses at a cost of $750,000. The buses are expected
to last for 10 years and have no salvage value. The district
charges depreciation on a straight‐line basis and takes a full
year’s depreciation in the year of acquisition
7. The district is required to transfer 50 percent of any annual surplus from the general fund to a “rainy day” fund (a special revenue fund). Usually the transfer based on the surplus of the fiscal previous year is made in December. The district proposes to delay the transfer that would ordinarily be made in December 2017 until July 2018, thereby decreasing its cash outlay for fiscal year 2017 by $3
Answer
Sl No | Transaction |
Impact on General Fund Expenditure or Transfers |
Impact on Govetnment-wide Expenses |
1 | Purchase of supplies in June 2017 |
No Impact |
Increase in Cost of suppiers by $100,000. Increase in Accounts payable by $100,000. Explanation: Supplies purchased in June 2017. The same is reported in fiscal year ending June 30, 2017. Irrespective of whether the payment is made or not. Liability is accounted in the period in which it is accrued. |
2 |
Increase in number of vacation days | No Impact |
Increase in employee benefit expenses by $250,000. Increase in termination benefits payable by $250,000. Explanation: The district has increased the vacation days during the fiscal year ending June 2017. This will have impact of increase in terminal benefit costs by $250,000. Though the employees take the benefit in subsequent years, the cost shall be accounted in the year in which it is vested. |
3 | Increase in number of sick leaves | No Impact |
No Impact Explanation: No additional cost incurred due to increase in sick leaves. Since the sick leave can be taken only if the employee is sick and cannot be paid for as a termination benefit. |
4 | Sabbatical leave program | No Impact |
Increase in employee benefit expenses by $1,500,000. Increase in termination benefits payable by $1,500,000. Explanation: Since the district established a sabbatical leave program in the fiscal year ending June 2017. The cost involed shall be accounted on a straight line basis over the period of program. Therefore, one‐seventh of the cost will be accounted in the fiscal year ended June 2017. |
5 | Grant to local health clinic |
No Impact Explanation: The district has delayed approval of grant from June to July. Hence, assuming the payment will be made after the approval, no accounting is required in the fincal year ending June 30, 2017. |
No Impact |
6 | Purchase of 10 school buses |
No Impact Explanation: The district has delayed both purchasing and paying for 10 school buses from June to July. Hence, no accounting is required in the fincal year ending June 30, 2017. It is to be noted that, if the buses are donated to the scool, then fovernment fund balance is transferred with the cost of buses and depreciation is not accounted. |
No Impact |
7 | Transfer of annual surplus to a “rainy day” fund from the general fund |
No Impact |
No Impact Explanation: Since the district proposed to delay the transfer that would ordinarily be made in December 2017 until July 2018, there qill not be any imact in financial report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017. |