In: Accounting
BE SURE TO SHOW ALL 3 METHODS AND JUSTIFY THE ANSWER!
A contractor acquires truck-mounted concrete pumping equipment. Owing to the initial and operating costs, the contractor is in doubt as to the preferred method for charging depreciation. The contractor considers three methods: straight line, MACRS, and units of production. The facts are as follows: initial cost, $1,460,000; useful life 10 years, and a 20% salvage value. Production output starts at 200 yd^3/hr for a billing year of 2000 hrs. It is estimated that the pumping rate will decline 10yd^3/hr each year. For the data, plot the book value of the asset against time for the methods and select the best choice. Discuss the merits of these allocation schemes. (Hint: The best choice is the minimum book value as time proceeds, thus minimizing taxable income.)
This problem comes from Ostwald, Construction Cost Analysis and Estimating (2001)