A current or future cost that will differ among alternatives. For example, if a company is deciding whether to expand its sales territory, the real estate tax and depreciation on the company’s headquarters building...
A current or future cost that will differ among alternatives. For example, if a company is deciding whether to expand its sales territory, the real estate tax and depreciation on the company’s headquarters building...
predict and estimate the future costs, but the past costs are otherwise irrelevant to the decision. That is why accountants will refer to a past cost as a sunk cost. Examples of Relevant Costs Assume that a company has...
The amount needed to replace an asset such as inventory, equipment, buildings, etc. If an asset’s replacement cost is greater than the asset’s carrying amount, the cost principle prohibits the use of the...
Also referred to as a sunk cost. A past cost is not relevant to a decision.
of opportunity cost is relevant in making decisions. For example, in deciding whether to make or to buy a component, the opportunity cost is an important consideration: If your plant has idle capacity, you might opt to...
Why would the cost behavior change outside of the relevant range of activity? Cost behavior often changes outside of the relevant range of activity due to a change in the fixed costs. When volume increases to a certain...
flexible static 13. The relevant costs for a business decision are the __________ costs. Select... common differential fixed past 14. The cost to manufacture one unit of a product is likely to be __________. Select......
and will not be liquidating. If your company bought the land for possible expansion, its cost is more relevant than the amount the company could get if it were liquidating. After all your company is not liquidating. The...
What is relevant range? Definition of Relevant Range In accounting, the term relevant range usually refers to a normal range of volume or normal amount of activity in which the total amount of a company’s fixed costs...
Usually used in describing fixed costs. We often state that fixed costs will not change as volume changes. However, if volume were to triple, there would likely be more fixed costs as the company will need more space and...
A qualitative characteristic in accounting. Relevance is associated with information that is timely, useful, has predictive value, and is going to make a difference to a decision maker.
/sunk costs may help us determine the relevant current and future costs and potential income tax benefits. Example of a Sunk Cost Assume that a year ago a company spent $100,000 to purchase and install a new...
This is the expression for replacement cost, which is not an acceptable cost flow, since it violates the cost principle. However, an economist and decision makers would argue that the cost to replace the item is the...
not receive a salary. Rather, any amounts withdrawn from the company for the proprietor's personal use are debited to the proprietor's drawing account. The drawing account is a contra owner's equity...
. Therefore, the relevant amounts for the decision include the cost of the new equipment and the revenues and cost savings that will result from purchasing and using the new equipment. Further, the costs that will remain...
. To make the best decisions, management needs the future amounts. Obviously, the future has not yet occurred, therefore getting the approximate future amounts will be a challenge. Past Amounts Are Not Relevant The...
A decision whether to make some products or equipment in-house versus purchasing the products or equipment from another company. As in any decision, one must compare the relevant costs and other opportunities. It is...
What is a fixed expense? Definition of Fixed Expense A fixed expense is an expense whose total amount does not change when there is an increase in an activity such as sales or production. The words within a relevant or...
that is not consistent with the other observations plotted on a scattergraph is referred to as an __________. 3. The total dollar amount of a fixed cost is assumed to remain unchanged within a relevant __________ of...
for the cost principle. If a company is a going concern (and therefore liquidation is not relevant), reporting its long term assets at cost is sufficient and there is no need to report the long term assets at their...
What is an incremental cost? Definition of Incremental Cost An incremental cost is the difference in total costs as the result of a change in some activity. Incremental costs are also referred to as the differential...
paid to your friend will be recorded as the cost of the website. (The 3 weeks of missed profits are not recorded and will not be widely discussed.) This is also a reminder that the general ledger accounts are filled...
Can a cost be both a direct cost and an indirect cost? A cost can be both a direct cost and an indirect cost. One of many examples is the cost of a supervisor in a department within a factory. Let’s assume that Sam...
by reading our Accounting Principles (Explanation). 1. The personal assets of the owner of a company will not appear on the company's balance sheet because of which principle/guideline? Cost Wrong. The cost...
Relevant or meaningful data.
) are not reported at their higher liquidation value because of several accounting principles. Below are four accounting principles that come to mind. The cost principle requires that plant assets be reported at amounts...
In accounting, cost is defined as the cash amount (or the cash equivalent) given up for an asset. Cost includes all costs necessary to get an asset in place and ready for use. For example, the cost of an item in...
Our Explanation of Improving Profits will assist you in focusing on the costs and revenues that are relevant (and ignoring those which are not relevant) for improving profits and eliminating losses. Examples of the...
Is rent expense a period cost or a product cost? Definition of Rent Expense Rent expense is often a monthly amount paid by a company for use of a building. Typically, the rent is due on the first day of every month that...
Is the cost of land, buildings, and machinery a fixed cost? Land, Buildings and Machinery are Fixed Assets It is common for people to refer to land, buildings, and machinery as fixed assets. They are also referred to as...
What is a fixed cost? Definition of Fixed Cost A fixed cost is one that does not change in total within a reasonable range of activity. Since the fixed cost remains constant in total, the fixed cost per unit of activity...
(such as years). Instead, the depreciation is expressed and calculated based on the asset’s usage. Under the units-of-activity method of depreciation, the asset’s cost (less any salvage value) is allocated to the...
How can I learn bookkeeping? You can learn bookkeeping at no cost on our website AccountingCoach.com. We recently expanded our Explanation of Bookkeeping, and we have many other topics that are relevant including debits...
Our Explanation of Working Capital and Liquidity provides you with an in-depth look at the components of working capital and the challenges of converting current assets to cash before obligations come due. You will see...
What is a variable cost? Definition of Variable Cost A variable cost is a constant amount per unit produced or used. Therefore, the total amount of the variable cost will change proportionately with the change in volume...
What is cost incurred? Definition of Cost Incurred A cost incurred is a cost that a company (or other organization) becomes liable for. Example of Cost Incurred Assume that a retailer begins operations on December 1 and...
What is a cost driver? Ideally, a cost driver is an activity that is the root cause of why a cost occurs. In the past century, the root cause of indirect manufacturing costs has changed from a single cost driver (such as...
The accounting focused on determining the cost per unit of a manufacturer in order to value inventory and cost of goods sold. It is also used to determine unit costs of items processed in service businesses, such as a...
A cost or expense that is not directly traceable to a department, product, activity, customer, etc. As a result indirect costs and expenses are often allocated to the department, product, etc. For example, a...
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