Question

All of the following statements regarding leases are true except : A. For a capital lease the lessee records the leased item as its own asset. B. Capital leases do not transfer ownership of the asset under the lease, but operating leases often do. C. Capital leases create a long-term liability on the balance sheet, but operating leases do not. D. For a capital lease the lessee depreciates the asset acquired under the lease, but for an operating lease the lessee does not. E. For an operating lease the lessee reports the lease payments as rental expense.

Answer 1

Answer: B. Capital leases do not transfer ownership of the asset under the lease, but operating leases often do.

Explanation:

When using Capital Leases, the lessee will record the lease as if it were their own asset and as a result will also depreciate it. The lessee will also create a long term liability on their balance sheet for the asset.

Capital leases usually also involve a transfer of ownership to the lessee at the end of the lease term. Operating Leases on the other hand do not have these features. They are more like a rental of an asset and as such are recorded as a rental expense in the books of the lessee. The ownership remains with the lessor in an Operating Lease and the asset will be returned once the lease period is over.