Case Study HP Company is suffering declining sales of its medical products. The president, Toshio Nakao, instructs his controller, Satoshi Kasai, to lengthen asset lives to reduce depreciation expense. A processing line of medical equipment, purchased for $4 million in January 2020, was originally estimated to have a useful life of 5 years and a salvage value of $200,000. Depreciation has been recorded for 2 years on that basis. Nakao wants the estimated life changed to 10 years total and the straight-line method continued. Kasai is hesitant to make the change, believing it is unethical to increase net income in this manner. Nakao says, “The life is only an estimate, and I've heard that our competition uses a 12year life on their medical equipment.” Instructions

(a) Who are the stakeholders in this situation?

(b) Is the proposed change in asset life unethical? Give your explanation.

(c) What is the effect of Nakao's proposed change on income before taxes in the year of change?

During january 2018, the following transactions occur: january 1 purchase equipment for $20,600. the company estimates a residual value of $2,600 and a five-year service life. january 4 pay cash on accounts payable, $10,600. january 8 purchase additional inventory on account, $93,900. january 15 receive cash on accounts receivable, $23,100 january 19 pay cash for salaries, $30,900. january 28 pay cash for january utilities, $17,600. january 30 firework sales for january total $231,000. all of these sales are on account. the cost of the units sold is $120,500. the following information is available on january 31, 2018. depreciation on the equipment for the month of january is calculated using the straight-line method. the company estimates future uncollectible accounts. at the end of january, considering the total ending balance of the accounts receivable account as shown on the general ledger tab, $4,100 is now past due (older than 90 days), while the remainder of the balance is current (less than 90 days old). the company estimates that 50% of the past due balance will be uncollectible and only 3% of the current balance will become uncollectible. record the estimated bad debt expense. accrued interest revenue on notes receivable for january. unpaid salaries at the end of january are $33,700. accrued income taxes at the end of january are $10,100