Question

Stengel Co. enters into a 3-year contract to perform maintenance service for Laplante Inc. Laplante promises to pay $100,000 at the beginning of each year (the standalone selling price of the service at contract inception is $100,000 per year). At the end of the second year, the contract is modified and the fee for the third year of service, which reflects a reduced menu of maintenance services to be performed at Laplante locations, is reduced to $80,000 (the standalone selling price of the services at the beginning of the third year is $80,000 per year). Briefly describe the accounting for this contract modification.

Answer 1

Answer:

Stengel Co. is in a contract to perform maintenance service for Laplante Inc. The revenue accounted for the first 2 years will be $100,000 per year, which when received in cash, will be credited to Laplante's account in the books of Stengel. However, in the third year, with the modification of the contract revenue, the disclosure will be done for $100,000 only, with a debit to Contract.

Modification Costs, aggregating $ 20,000, which anyways needs to be expensed off. The amount to be received from Laplante Inc. at the end of the third year in cash, which will be credited to their account, will total $80,000 only.