Question

If you were an investor in a rent-to-own business that takes more than a year to collect revenues while the customers take immediate possession of the goods: Would you prefer to have the income statement prepared by cash basis or by accrual basis and why

Answer 1

Answer:

I would prefer cash basis over the accrual bases.

Explanation:

Remember accounting entries are prepared on the basis of Accrual Principle. That is transactions are recognized when they meet the definition and recognition criteria of assets, liabilities, incomes and expenses not when cash is received. Taxable Income calculation follows this accrual principle as well.

This means an will mean that as an investor in a rent-to-own business, i will be taxed more often on the Revenues which are not yet paid for and this will be bad for my liquidity.

I would want to have my cash and pay the taxes when i have actually received cash on my revenues so that i wont run into liquidity problems. This is only possible if the cash basis was to be used.