Question

During 2021, WMC Corporation discovered that its ending inventories reported in its financial statements were misstated by the following material amounts: 2019 understated by $ 124,000 2020 overstated by 154,000 WMC uses a periodic inventory system and the FIFO cost method. Required: 1. Determine the effect of these errors on retained earnings at January 1, 2021, before any adjustments. (Ignore income taxes.) 2. Prepare a journal entry to correct the errors.

Answer 1

WMC Corporation

Misstatement of Ending Inventories:

1. Effect of these errors on Retained Earnings at January 1, 2021:

a) The understated amount by $124,000 in 2019 has self-corrected in 2020 with the Beginning Inventory also understated. So, it has no effect on the Retained Earnings at January 1, 2021.

b) The overstated ending inventories by $154,000 will overstate the Retained Earnings at January 1, 2021 by the same amount. Since it has not self-corrected like (a), the correction will be to reduce the Retained Earnings and reduce the Beginning Inventories by $154,000.

2. Journal Entry:

Debit Retained Earnings $154,000

Credit Beginning Inventories $154,000

To reverse the overstated inventories.

Step-by-step explanation:

a) Data:

2019 understated by $ 124,000

2020 overstated by 154,000

Inventory system = periodic

Inventory method = FIFO