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Exchange Corp. is a company that acts as a facilitator in tax-favored real estat

ID: 2479148 • Letter: E

Question

Exchange Corp. is a company that acts as a facilitator in tax-favored real estate swaps. Such swaps, know as 1031 exchanges, permit participants to avoid some or all of the capital gains taxes that would otherwise be due. The bookkeeper for the company has been asked to prepare a report for the company to help its owner/manager analyze performance. The first such report appears below:

  

  

Note that the revenues and costs in the above report are unit revenues and costs. For example, the average office expense is $135 per exchange completed on the planning budget; whereas, the average actual office expense is $112 per exchange completed.

     Legal and search fees is a variable cost; office expenses is a mixed cost; and equipment depreciation, rent, and insurance are fixed costs. In the planning budget, the fixed component of office expenses was $5,200.

     All of the company’s revenues come from fees collected when an exchange is completed.

  

  

Complete a performance report that would help the owner/manager assess the performance of the company in May. (Indicate the effect of each variance by selecting "F" for favorable, "U" for unfavorable, and "None" for no effect (i.e., zero variance). Input all amounts as positive values.)

     

Exchange Corp. is a company that acts as a facilitator in tax-favored real estate swaps. Such swaps, know as 1031 exchanges, permit participants to avoid some or all of the capital gains taxes that would otherwise be due. The bookkeeper for the company has been asked to prepare a report for the company to help its owner/manager analyze performance. The first such report appears below:

Explanation / Answer

Solution:

1) Is the report prepared by the bookkeeper useful as a performance report? --- NO

Reason --- Actual Exchanges completed are 50 and Planning Budget is for only 40 exchanges. Hence in order to prepare performance report flexible budget should be compared to Actual Result. Flexible Budget means budget on the basis of actual result but at standard cost.

2) Performance report that would help the owner/manager assess the performance of the company in May

Exchange Corp

Analysis of Revenues and Costs

For the Month Ended May 31

Actual Unit Revenues and Costs

Flexible Budget (Based on Actual Result at Standard Cost)

Variances

$ per unit

Total Value

$ per unit

Total Value

  Exchanges completed

50

50

  Revenue

385

$19,250

395

$19,750

$500

U

  Expenses:

    Legal and search fees

184

$9,200

165

$8,250

$950

  U

    Office expenses

112

$5,600

135

$6,750

$1,150

  F

    Equipment depreciation

8

$400

10

$500

$100

  F

    Rent

36

$1,800

45

$2,250

$450

  F

    Insurance

4

$200

5

$250

$50

  F

  Total expense

344

$17,200

360

$18,000

$800

  F

  Net operating income

41

$2,050

35

$1,750

$300

  F

Exchange Corp

Analysis of Revenues and Costs

For the Month Ended May 31

Actual Unit Revenues and Costs

Flexible Budget (Based on Actual Result at Standard Cost)

Variances

$ per unit

Total Value

$ per unit

Total Value

  Exchanges completed

50

50

  Revenue

385

$19,250

395

$19,750

$500

U

  Expenses:

    Legal and search fees

184

$9,200

165

$8,250

$950

  U

    Office expenses

112

$5,600

135

$6,750

$1,150

  F

    Equipment depreciation

8

$400

10

$500

$100

  F

    Rent

36

$1,800

45

$2,250

$450

  F

    Insurance

4

$200

5

$250

$50

  F

  Total expense

344

$17,200

360

$18,000

$800

  F

  Net operating income

41

$2,050

35

$1,750

$300

  F