Accounting : Corporations: Dividends, Retained Earnings, and Income Reporting

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for Accounting

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : Corporations: Dividends, Retained Earnings, And Income Reporting

A company provides \(\displaystyle \$500\) of services in April and is paid for these services in June. Which of the following is correct?

Possible Answers:

April's income statement will show a receipt of \(\displaystyle \$500\) cash

June's income statement will show an increase in accounts receivable of \(\displaystyle \$500\)

June's income statement will show revenue of \(\displaystyle \$500\)

April's income statement will show revenue of \(\displaystyle \$500\)

Correct answer:

April's income statement will show revenue of \(\displaystyle \$500\)

Explanation:

Revenue is recorded in the period that services are earned or goods are delivered,not in the period that cash is received; therefore, the company will record an increase in revenue of \(\displaystyle \$500\) and an increase in accounts receivable of \(\displaystyle \$500\) in the month of April. On the other hand, the company will record an increase in cash of \(\displaystyle \$500\) and a decrease in accounts receivable of \(\displaystyle \$500\) in the month of June. 

Example Question #2 : Corporations: Dividends, Retained Earnings, And Income Reporting

Which of the following is true regarding retained earnings? 

Possible Answers:

They are increased with net income (i.e. credit)

They include preferred stock

They are decreased by net income (i.e. debit)

They increase when dividends are declared

Correct answer:

They are increased with net income (i.e. credit)

Explanation:

Net income increases retained earnings; therefore, net income is considered to be credit. Dividends, once declared, decrease retained earnings. Last, preferred stock is not accounted in retained earnings.

Example Question #3 : Corporations: Dividends, Retained Earnings, And Income Reporting

For the current year, The Echo Company possessed the following income:

\(\displaystyle \textup{Profit from operations}=\$110\textup{,}000\)

\(\displaystyle \textup{Dividends from 20\%-owned taxable domestic operation}=\$1\textup{,}100\)

In the Echo Company's current year taxable income, how much should be included for dividends received? 

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \$330\)

\(\displaystyle \$220\)

\(\displaystyle \$240\)

\(\displaystyle \$350\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \$220\)

Explanation:

This problem is asking us to determine the amount of dividends to be included in the Echo Company's taxable income for the current year. The dividends were received from 20%-owned taxable domestic corporations; therefore, they are eligible for an 80% dividends received deduction. We can compute this value using the following formula:

\(\displaystyle \textup{Dividends}=\$1,100-(80\%\times \$1,100)\)

\(\displaystyle \textup{Dividends}=\$1,100-\$880\)

\(\displaystyle \textup{Dividends}=\$220\)

Example Question #4 : Corporations: Dividends, Retained Earnings, And Income Reporting

A company provides \(\displaystyle \$500\) of services in April and is paid for these services in June. Which of the following is correct?

Possible Answers:

April's income statement will show a receipt of \(\displaystyle \$500\) cash

June's income statement will show revenue of \(\displaystyle \$500\)

June's income statement will show an increase in accounts receivable of \(\displaystyle \$500\)

April's income statement will show revenue of \(\displaystyle \$500\)

Correct answer:

April's income statement will show revenue of \(\displaystyle \$500\)

Explanation:

Revenue is recorded in the period that services are earned or goods are delivered,not in the period that cash is received; therefore, the company will record an increase in revenue of \(\displaystyle \$500\) and an increase in accounts receivable of \(\displaystyle \$500\) in the month of April. On the other hand, the company will record an increase in cash of \(\displaystyle \$500\) and a decrease in accounts receivable of \(\displaystyle \$500\) in the month of June. 

Example Question #5 : Corporations: Dividends, Retained Earnings, And Income Reporting

Which of the following is true regarding retained earnings? 

Possible Answers:

They are decreased by net income (i.e. debit)

They include preferred stock

They are increased with net income (i.e. credit)

They increase when dividends are declared

Correct answer:

They are increased with net income (i.e. credit)

Explanation:

Net income increases retained earnings; therefore, net income is considered to be credit. Dividends, once declared, decrease retained earnings. Last, preferred stock is not accounted in retained earnings.

Example Question #6 : Corporations: Dividends, Retained Earnings, And Income Reporting

For the current year, The Echo Company possessed the following income:

\(\displaystyle \textup{Profit from operations}=\$110\textup{,}000\)

\(\displaystyle \textup{Dividends from 20\%-owned taxable domestic operation}=\$1\textup{,}100\)

In the Echo Company's current year taxable income, how much should be included for dividends received? 

Possible Answers:

\(\displaystyle \$220\)

\(\displaystyle \$350\)

\(\displaystyle \$240\)

\(\displaystyle \$330\)

Correct answer:

\(\displaystyle \$220\)

Explanation:

This problem is asking us to determine the amount of dividends to be included in the Echo Company's taxable income for the current year. The dividends were received from 20%-owned taxable domestic corporations; therefore, they are eligible for an 80% dividends received deduction. We can compute this value using the following formula:

\(\displaystyle \textup{Dividends}=\$1,100-(80\%\times \$1,100)\)

\(\displaystyle \textup{Dividends}=\$1,100-\$880\)

\(\displaystyle \textup{Dividends}=\$220\)

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