You are the audit manager of Chestnut & Co and are reviewing the key issues identified in the files of two audit clients.

Palm Industries Co (Palm)

Palm’s year end was 31 March 2015 and the draft financial statements show revenue of $28·2 million, receivables of $5·6 million and profit before tax of $4·8 million. The fieldwork stage for this audit has been completed.

A customer of Palm owed an amount of $350,000 at the year end. Testing of receivables in April highlighted that no amounts had been paid to Palm from this customer as they were disputing the quality of certain goods received from Palm. The finance director is confident the issue will be resolved and no allowance for receivables was made with regards to this balance.

Ash Trading Co (Ash)

Ash is a new client of Chestnut & Co, its year end was 31 January 2015 and the firm was only appointed auditors in February 2015, as the previous auditors were suddenly unable to undertake the audit. The fieldwork stage for this audit is currently ongoing.

The inventory count at Ash’s warehouse was undertaken on 31 January 2015 and was overseen by the company’s internal audit department. Neither Chestnut & Co nor the previous auditors attended the count. Detailed inventory records were maintained but it was not possible to undertake another full inventory count subsequent to the year end.

The draft financial statements show a profit before tax of $2·4 million, revenue of $10·1 million and inventory of $510,000.

Required:

For each of the two issues:

(i) Discuss the issue, including an assessment of whether it is material;

(ii) Recommend ONE procedure the audit team should undertake to try to resolve the issue; and

(iii) Describe the impact on the audit report if the issue remains UNRESOLVED.

Notes:

1 The total marks will be split equally between each of the two issues.

2 Audit report extracts are NOT required.

The town of Brighttown in Euraria has a mayor (elected every five years by the people in the town) who is responsible for, amongst other things, the transport policy of the town.

A year ago, the mayor (acting as project sponsor) instigated a ‘traffic lite’ project to reduce traffic congestion at traffic lights in the town. Rather than relying on fixed timings, he suggested that a system should be implemented which made the traffic lights sensitive to traffic flow. So, if a queue built up, then the lights would automatically change to green (go). The mayor suggested that this would have a number of benefits. Firstly, it would reduce harmful emissions at the areas near traffic lights and, secondly, it would improve the journey times for all vehicles, leading to drivers ‘being less stressed’. He also cited evidence from cities overseas where predictable journey times had been attractive to flexible companies who could set themselves up anywhere in the country. He felt that the new system would attract such companies to the town.

The Eurarian government has a transport regulation agency called OfRoad. Part of OfRoad’s responsibilities is to monitor transport investments and it was originally critical of the Brighttown ‘traffic lite’ project because the project’s benefits were intangible and lacked credibility. The business case did not include a quantitative cost/benefit analysis. OfRoad has itself published a benefits management process which classifies benefits in the following way.

Financial: A financial benefit can be confidently allocated in advance of the project. Thus if the investment will save $90,000 per year in staff costs then this is a financial benefit.

Quantifiable: A quantifiable benefit is a benefit where there is sufficient credible evidence to suggest, in advance, how much benefit will result from the project. This benefit may be financial or non-financial. For example, energy savings from a new building might be credibly predicted in advance. However, the exact amount of savings cannot be accurately forecast.

Measurable benefit: A measurable benefit is a benefit which can only be confidently assessed post-implementation, and so cannot be reliably predicted in advance. Increase in sales from a particular initiative is an example of a measurable benefit. Measurable benefits may either be financial or non-financial.

Observable benefit: An observable benefit is a benefit which a specific individual or group will decide, using agreed criteria, has been realised or not. Such benefits are usually non-financial. Improved staff morale might be an example of an observable benefit.

One month ago, the mayoral elections saw the election of a new mayor with a completely distinct transport policy with different objectives. She wishes to address traffic congestion by attracting commuters away from their cars and onto public transport. Part of her policy is a traffic light system which gives priority to buses. The town council owns the buses which operate in the town and they have invested heavily in buses which are comfortable and have significantly lower emissions than the conventional cars used by most people in the town. The new mayor wishes to improve the frequency, punctuality and convenience of these buses, so that they tempt people away from using their cars. This will require more buses and more bus crews, a requirement which the mayor presents as ‘being good for the unemployment rate in this town’. It will also help the bus service meet the punctuality service level which it published three years ago, but has never yet met. ‘A reduction in cars and an increase in buses will help us meet our target’, the mayor claims.

The mayor has also suggested a number of initiatives to discourage people from taking their cars into the town. She intends to sell two car parks for housing land (raising $325,000) and this will reduce car park capacity from 1,000 to 800 car spaces per day. She also intends to raise the daily parking fee from $3 to $4. Car park occupancy currently stands at 95% (it is difficult to achieve 100% for technical reasons) and the same occupancy rate is expected when the car park capacity is reduced.

The new mayor believes that her policy signals the fact that Brighttown is serious about its green credentials. ‘This’, she says, ‘will attract green consumers to come and live in our town and green companies to set up here. These companies and consumers will bring great benefit to our community.’ To emphasise this, she has set up a Go Green team to encourage green initiatives in the town.

The ‘traffic lite’ project to tackle congestion proposed by the former mayor is still in the development stage. The new mayor believes that this project can be modified to deliver her vision and still be ready on the date promised by her predecessor.

Required:

(a) A ‘terms of reference’ (project initiation document, project charter) was developed for the ‘traffic lite’ project to reduce traffic congestion.

Discuss what changes will have to be made to this ‘terms of reference’ (project initiation document, project charter) to reflect the new mayor’s vision of the project. (5 marks)

(b) The new mayor wishes to re-define the business case for the project, using the benefits categorisation suggested by OfRoad. Identify costs and benefits for the revised project, classifying each benefit using the guidance provided by OfRoad. (14 marks)

(c) Stakeholder management is the prime responsibility of the project manager.

Discuss the appropriate management of each of the following three stakeholders identified in the revised (modified) project.

(i) The new mayor;

(ii) OfRoad;

(iii) A private motorist in Brighttown who uses his vehicle to commute to his job in the town. (6 marks)

James died on 22 January 2015. He had made the following gifts during his lifetime:

(1) On 9 October 2007, a cash gift of ￡35,000 to a trust. No lifetime inheritance tax was payable in respect of this gift.

(2) On 14 May 2013, a cash gift of ￡420,000 to his daughter.

(3) On 2 August 2013, a gift of a property valued at ￡260,000 to a trust. No lifetime inheritance tax was payable in respect of this gift because it was covered by the nil rate band. By the time of James’ death on 22 January 2015, the property had increased in value to ￡310,000.

On 22 January 2015, James’ estate was valued at ￡870,000. Under the terms of his will, James left his entire estate to his children.

The nil rate band of James’ wife was fully utilised when she died ten years ago.

The nil rate band for the tax year 2007–08 is ￡300,000, and for the tax year 2013–14 it is ￡325,000.

Required:

(a) Calculate the inheritance tax which will be payable as a result of James’ death, and state who will be responsible for paying the tax. (6 marks)

(b) Explain why it might have been beneficial for inheritance tax purposes if James had left a portion of his estate to his grandchildren rather than to his children. (2 marks)

(c) Explain why it might be advantageous for inheritance tax purposes for a person to make lifetime gifts even when such gifts are made within seven years of death.

Notes:

1. Your answer should include a calculation of James’ inheritance tax saving from making the gift of property to the trust on 2 August 2013 rather than retaining the property until his death.

2. You are not expected to consider lifetime exemptions in this part of the question. (2 marks)

1 Oliver Hoppe has been working at Hoopers and Henderson accountancy practice for eighteen months. He feels that

he fits in well, especially with his colleagues and has learnt a lot from them. However, he feels that the rules and

regulations governing everyday activities and time keeping are not clear.

Oliver does not get on well with his line manager, David Morgan. There appears to be a clash of personalities and

reluctance on David Morgan’s part to deal with the icy atmosphere between them after David was asked by one of

the accounting partners to give Oliver a job. For the past three months Oliver has gone to lunch with his fellow workers

and always returned to work with them or before them. In fact they all have returned to work about ten minutes late

on several previous occasions. After the third time, Oliver was called into David Morgan’s office and given an oral

warning about his time keeping.

Oliver was not permitted to argue his case and none of the other staff who returned late were disciplined in this way.

On the next occasion the group was late returning from lunch, David Morgan presented Oliver with a written warning

about his time keeping.

Yesterday, Oliver was five minutes late returning to work. His colleagues returned after him. David Morgan gave Oliver

notice and told him to work until the end of the week and then collect his salary, the necessary paperwork and to

leave the practice.

There is a partner responsible for human resources. Oliver has come to see the partner to discuss the grievance

procedures against David Morgan for his treatment and about what Oliver regards as unfair dismissal.

Required:

(a) Describe the six stages of a formal disciplinary procedure that an organisation such as Hoopers and

Henderson should have in place. (12 marks)

某个人在A市设立从事生产、经营的个人独资企业，税务机关对其进行查账征收管理。2009年2月份聘请注册税务师代理企业2008年度个人所得税的纳税申报工作，注册税务师审核企业的资料如下：

(1) 企业自行申报取得销售产品收入640万元，购买国家发行的金融债券利息收入2.50万元；

(2) 结转的销售产品成本450万元；发生管理费用150万元(其中含业务招待费15万元，广告费 8万元，业务宣传费7万元，缴纳的印花税0.40万元、房产税0.60万元，)；发生营业外支出30万元(其中含向红十字事业捐款6万元，税款滞纳金1万元)；

(3) 应缴纳的增值税2万元、城市维护建设税 0.14万元、教育费附加0.06万元；

(4) 拥有员工7人(其中含投资者1人)，全年计入各项成本、费用中的实发工资总额136800元 (投资者每月工资为3000元，2名管理员工每月工资2200元，4名普通员工每月工资1000元)，并已经代扣代缴个人所得税；计提福利费19152元，当年并未发生福利费支出。

(5) 8月份购进小汽车一辆，用于企业的业务洽谈及接送投资者女儿上学使用，汽车价款11.70万元，支付的车辆购置税1万元，车辆牌照等费用8000元，2008年8月至2009年7月企业应负担的养路费978元。企业将儿70万元计入了“固定资产”科目，其他计入了“管理费用”中核算。并按照固定资产原值和税法规定计提了折旧。当地税务机关核定的准予扣除折旧额为根据标准计算的折旧额的60%。(税法规定汽车折旧年限4年)

(6) 9月份，投资者在龙门大酒店招待家人发生餐费共计2万元，已经计入了“管理费用一业务招待费”科目中核算。

(7) 购进生产设备一台，支付买价和安装费共计 10万元(其中支付给个人的安装劳务费0.50万元，按照安装协议，支付给个人的安装劳务费应缴纳的个人所得税由该个人独资企业代为负担，个人独资企业代缴个人所得税800元，计入了“税后列支费用”中)；

(8) 12月木，企业根据应收账款年末余额200万元，计提坏账准备金5万元。

(9) 12月末，给每位员工(包括业主)，发放年终一次性不含税奖金1万元，计入了“管理费用”中核算，以现金支付。

(10) 经当地主管税务机关审核，企业从业人员的工资符合税前扣除标准。

要求：根据所给资料，顺序分析投资者存在的纳税问题；并计算企业2008年度应补缴的代扣代缴个人所得税和应缴纳的个人所得税。(以元为单位，整数后四舍五入保留两位小数)

某建筑工程公司具备建筑业施工(安装)资质， 2008年发生经营业务如下：

(1) 总承包一项工程，承包合同记载总承包额 10000万元，其中建筑劳务费4000万元，金属结构件6000万元。又将总承包额的一部分转包给某安装公司(具备安装资质)，转包合同记载劳务费2000万元，金属结构件2000万元。

(2) 工程所用金属结构件6000万元中，4000万元由建筑工程公司自产货物提供，2000万元由安装公司自产货物提供。

(3) 建筑工程公司提供自产货物涉及材料的进项税额236万元已通过主管税务机关认证，相关的运输费用30万元有合法票据。

要求：计算建筑公司工程应缴纳的流转税及代扣的税金，并阐述相关政策。

根据下述资料，按序号回答下列各题。 某制药厂为增值税一般纳税人，主要生产各类应税药品和免税药品。2012年1月发生如下经营业务： (1)向医药经销店销售应税药品，取得不含税销售额35万元，支付销货运费3万元、装卸费0.2万元，取得运输发票； (2)制药厂下设的非独立核算的门市部销售本厂生产的应税药品，取得销售收人价税合计28万元，另收取优质费2.4万元； (3)销售免税药品，取得货款15万元，支付销货运费0.5万元，取得运输发票： (4)外购生产应税产品的原材料，取得增值税专用发票，注明价款40万元，增值税6.8万元，运输途中合理损耗5％； (5)免税产品生产车间领用上月购人的生产应税产儡的一部分原料(进项税已抵扣),成本为2.88万元(含运费成本0.88万元)； (6)购进应税药品生产检测设备一台，取得增值税专用发票，注明价款8万元，增值税1.36万元；委托运输公司将设备运回企业，取得运输发票，注明运费0.8万元，建设基金0.2万元，装卸费0.3万元。(已知：上述购进业务均已取得合法凭证，有关涉税凭证已通过税务机关认证并在本月抵扣) 计算本月应转出的进项税额；

计算本月准予从销项税额中抵扣的进项税额；

计算本月销项税额；

计算该企业本月应纳的增值税。

请帮忙给出每个问题的正确答案和分析，谢谢！

简述货运发票有关抵扣增值税进项税额的规定。

天才软件公司（以下简称天才公司）是国内一家自主开发软件产品的公司（增值税一般纳税人）．位于某市的软件园区内。公司2012年8月份发生以下业务：

(1)销售其自行开发生产的软件产品，取得收入1560万元。

(2)以自己拥有的一项价值500万元的专利技术，投资于另一家软件公司，取得该公司35%的股权。

(3)受托某公司为其开发一套软件产品，双方约定，软件的著作权属于双方共同拥有，天才公司收取开发费200万元。

天才公司8月份取得的上述经营业务收入，应分别如何纳税？简要说明理由。（不需计算具体的金额）

注册税务师王某在对某房地产企业2012年所得税汇算清缴鉴证时，发现房地产企业投资收益列支以下情况，请分别判断以下投资收益应补税的金额：

(1)2012年5月购买A上市公司发行股票50万股，企业会计年末自行根据投资比例确认投资收益4万元。A公司所得税税率为20%;

(2)2012年2月以货币资产150万元，购买在深交所上市B公司股票，投资比重为2%，2012年5月B公司股东大会决定分配现金股利2500万元。房地产企业按持股比例确认投资收益。B公司企业所得税税率为22%;

(3)2012年位于深圳的子公司分回利润85万元，房地产企业按此金额确认为投资收益。

子公司企业所得税税率15%。