term paper about fixed assets

ASC 360-10 provides guidance on accounting for property, plant, and equipment, and the related accumulated depreciation on those assets. This Subtopic also includes guidance on the impairment or disposal of long-lived assets. ASC 360-10 notes that long-lived tangible assets include land and land improvements, buildings, machinery and equipment, and furniture and fixtures.

Even though Mr. Fordham mentions that he in his “Statement of Cost of Goods Manufactured for Year Ended Dec. 31 1956” that he depreciated $24,000 of Plant and Equipment, I decided to change the depreciation schedule so that PP&E would be fully depreciated by the end of the 5 year period. Thus, I used a straight-line depreciation schedule that accumulated $40,000 worth of depreciation per year, which was spread evenly across the 12 months of this Balance Sheet (or $3,333.33 per month).

The value of fixed assets typically decreases over time. The amount of the decrease each year is accounted for and is called depreciation. Depreciation for the year is expensed on the income statement and added to the accumulated depreciation account on the balance sheet. So the value of the fixed assets on the balance sheet is reduced by the accumulated depreciation.

1. The first step to evaluating the cash flows is to conduct the depreciation tax flow analysis. Depreciation is not a cash flow, but the depreciation expense lows the taxes payable for the company. As a result, the tax effect of deprecation needs to be calculated as a cash flow. There are two depreciable items on the company's balance sheet the building and the equipment. The equipment is known to have a seven year depreciable life, which will be assumed to be straight line. The building is also assumed to be subject to straight line depreciation, this time of forty years. The tax saving reflects the depreciation expense multiplied by the tax rate, which in this case is assumed to be 28%. The following table illustrates the tax effect in future dollars of the depreciation expense:

c. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the asset’s estimated useful life, which is determined by asset category as follows: Buildings and improvements (5 – 40 years); Store fixtures and equipment (3 – 15years), Leasehold improvements (Shorter of initial lease term or asset life); Capitalized software (3 – 7 years).

| In Year 1, depreciation is $5,000 plus 15% of the asset’s outlayFrom Year 2, depreciation is either * 30% of the asset’s book value; or * if the asset’s book value is less than $6,500, depreciation is the asset’s book value (i.e. asset is depreciated to zero once book value < $6,500)

An impairment loss shall be recognized only if the carrying amount of a long-lived asset (asset group) is

Capital assets that can be deprecated must be, either by straight-line depreciation or the composite method (weighted average) of depreciation.

Fixed assets might have been acquired at a time when prices were high and now the prices have corrected substantially. But in the balance sheet the assets are yet shown at their book value less depreciation written off.

Furthermore, by adopting a historical cost approach the assets will be depreciated over that useful life which has been estimated. With the useful life of an asset being so subjective it is hard to apportion a useful figure to depreciation. By increasing the useful life of an asset you are effectively spreading the depreciation expense over a longer period of time resulting in lower depreciation expenses and vice versa. In fact, Zheng et al. (2012) go one step further and consider depreciation to be a strategy for managers to manipulate profits.

Depreciation is the reduction in the value of certain fixed assets. It is a periodic reduction of fixed assets, usually done every year. Fixed assets are assets that add value to the company. Examples of fixed assets that can be depreciated are vehicles, buildings, machinery, equipment and fixture and fittings. The only fixed asset that is not depreciated is land, because it is not worn-out overtime, unless natural resources are being exploited. When a company buys a new fixed asset it doesn’t account for the full cost of it as one single large expense, instead the expense is spread over the life time of the asset. This is done by depreciating the asset. For example a company purchases a CNC router for €50,000 and will be used for five year. If they pay the full amount in the

IASB. 2010, "The Conceptual Framework for Financial Reporting" IFRS, pp. A21- A38, viewed 23 April 2014,

10. Fixed asset turnover = Total Revenues in Statement of Operations / Net Property and

ii. Using double- declining method, the first year ending balance of $6,404 is subtracted form the proceeds of the sale netting in a gain of $1,096 on the disposal. Once this is subtracted form the previous years depreciation $4,269, you get a total income statement impact of $3,173.

One similarity between the U.S. GAAP and IFRS is that fixed assets are estimated at cost originally under both accounting standards; however, after initial recognition, differences occur between the two accounting standards. Under IFRS, after initial recognition, fixed assets are allowed to be altered to fair value. The revolution method is used to do this. This method uses the fair value on the time of assessment, less any accrued devaluation and impairment losses. This method is not used often though due to the high costs of appraisal that is involved. The U.S. GAAP values fixed assets using the cost model. This values fixed assets at historical cost, less any accrued devaluation. Fixed assets include property, plants, and equipment.