FAR Certification Exam Questions with AI Explanations

QUESTION: 26

In open market transactions, Gold Corp. simultaneously sold its long-term investment in Iron Corp. bonds and purchased its own outstanding bonds. The broker remitted the net cash from the two transactions.
Gold's gain on the purchase of its own bonds exceeded its loss on the sale of the Iron bonds. Assume the transaction to purchase its own outstanding bonds is unusual in nature and has occurred infrequently.
Gold should report the:

Net effect of the two transactions as an extraordinary gain.
Net effect of the two transactions in income before extraordinary items.
Effect of its own bond transaction gain in income before extraordinary items, and report the Iron bond transaction as an extraordinary loss.
Effect of its own bond transaction as an extraordinary gain, and report the Iron bond transaction loss in income before extraordinary items.

Answer(s): D

Explanation:

Choice "d" is correct, these are two separate transactions because Gold Corp. (1) sold Iron Corp. bonds (an investment) for a loss, and, (2) bought back its own (Gold) Corp. bonds (a debt) for a gain. This is not a "refinancing" (where one would sell new bond debt to buy back old bond debt outstanding).
The gain from the purchase of its own bonds is an "extraordinary gain" because it is both unusual in nature and infrequently occurring (per APB Opinion No. 30 and SFAS No. 145). The Iron Corp. transaction is a loss in "income before extraordinary items." Choices "a" and "b" are incorrect. The two transactions are separate and cannot be netted. Choice "c" is incorrect. Just the opposite. The sale of the investment is a loss in "income before extraordinary items," while the purchase of its bond debt is an "extraordinary gain" according to the provisions of APB Opinion No. 30.

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QUESTION: 27

Lore Co. changed from the cash basis of accounting to the accrual basis of accounting during 1994. The cumulative effect of this change should be reported in Lore's 1994 financial statements as a:

Prior period adjustment resulting from the correction of an error.
Prior period adjustment resulting from the change in accounting principle.
Component of income before extraordinary item.
Component of income after extraordinary item.

Answer(s): A

Explanation:

Choice "a" is correct. The cash basis for financial reporting is not a generally accepted accounting basis of accounting (GAAP); therefore, it is an error. Correction of an error from a prior period is a reported as prior period adjustment to retained earnings. Choice "b" is incorrect. Cash basis reporting is not an accounting principle under accrual accounting principles. Thus, the change from cash basis is not reported as a change in accounting principle. In addition, changes in accounting principle are not prior period adjustments; instead, they are treated retrospectively.
Choices "c" and "d" are incorrect. Correction of prior period errors has no effect on the current year's income statement.

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QUESTION: 28

A material loss should be presented separately as a component of income from continuing operations when it is:

An extraordinary item.
A cumulative effect type change in accounting principle.
Unusual in nature and infrequent in occurrence.
Not unusual in nature but infrequent in occurrence.

Answer(s): D

Explanation:

Choice "d" is correct. Gains or losses that are unusual in nature or occur infrequently but not both, are presented as a component of income from continuing operations. Choice "a" is incorrect. Extraordinary items are shown net of tax in a separate section of the income statement after income from continuing operations.
Choice "b" is incorrect. Cumulative effects of changes in accounting principle are now shown net of tax as an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the retained earnings statement. This treatment is called retrospective application. There really are no longer any cumulative effect types of changes in accounting principle. The cumulative effect is merely how the amount of the change is measured.
Choice "c" is incorrect. This is the definition of an extraordinary item.

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QUESTION: 29

During 1994, Orca Corp. decided to change from the FIFO method of inventory valuation to the weightedaverage method. Inventory balances under each method were as follows:

Orca's income tax rate is 30%.
Orca should report the cumulative effect of this accounting change as a(n):

Adjustment to beginning retained earnings.
Component of income from continuing operations.
Extraordinary item.
Component of income after extraordinary items.

Answer(s): A

Explanation:

Choice "a" is correct. The cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle is shown as an adjustment to beginning retained earnings.
Choice "b" is incorrect. The cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle is now presented as a separate category on the retained earnings statement and is not a component of net income. Choice "c" is incorrect. Extraordinary items are unusual and infrequent in nature. Extraordinary items have nothing to do with changes in accounting principle. Choice "d" is incorrect. A change in accounting principle affects retained earnings, not the income statement, under SFAS No. 154.

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QUESTION: 30

A transaction that is unusual in nature and infrequent in occurrence should be reported separately as a component of income:

After cumulative effect of accounting changes and before discontinued operations of a segment of a business.
After cumulative effect of accounting changes and after discontinued operations of a segment of a business.
Before cumulative effect of accounting changes and before discontinued operations of a segment of a business.
After discontinued operations of a segment of a business.

Answer(s): D

Explanation:

Choice "d" is correct. An extraordinary item (a transaction that is both "unusual in nature" and "infrequent in occurrence") should be reported separately as a component of income after discontinued operations of a segment of a business.
The cumulative effect of a change in accounting principle is shown on the retained earnings statement.
This is why memorizing the mnemonic "idea" is so important.

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AICPA CPA Financial Accounting and Reporting FAR Dumps in PDF

Free AICPA FAR Real Questions (page: 22)

QUESTION: 26

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QUESTION: 27

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QUESTION: 28

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QUESTION: 29

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QUESTION: 30

Explanation: