(Note: Students may want to review the material on the equity method of accounting in Chapter 16 before beginning work on this problem.)

In the current year, 2017, Reality Corporation reported $200,000 of pre-tax earnings on its income statement. The corporate tax rate is 35% in the current year and next year, and it is scheduled to remain at this level for the foreseeable future. Additional information relevant to figuring taxes is as follows:

1. Reality acquired $500,000 of machinery in 2016. The machinery is being depreciated on a straight-line basis over five years (zero salvage) for accounting purposes and MACRS for tax purposes. A comparison of depreciation charges under these two methods is as follows:

2. Investment income from a 30% ownership of an investee company carried under the equity method is shown on the income statement as $80,000. The investee paid $30,000 in dividends to Reality in the current year. The remaining undistributed earnings total for 2017 is expected to be received in equal amounts over the next two years in the form of dividends. All dividends are subject to the 80% dividend exclusion rule.
3. During the year, Reality recognized $4,000 of rental income that had been collected and taxed in 2016. In addition, $10,000 of rental income was received in advance in the current year. This amount was deferred for accounting purposes and will be recognized as income in 2018.
4. In 2017, Reality received $5,000 of interest on State of North Carolina bonds that is included in pre-tax income.
5. Reality sold land in 2017 for $50,000 that had a $20,000 book value and tax basis. The entire gain was recognized for accounting purposes in 2017. However, because collections are to be received in three equal installments, Reality elected to use the installment sales method for tax purposes and reported one-third of the gain on its tax return in 2017. The remaining amount of the gain will be recognized equally in 2018 and 2019.
6. Reality provided for future product warranty costs in the amount of $50,000 in the current year for book purposes. For tax purposes, such costs are deductible when paid. Actual warranty costs paid in 2017 were $15,000. It is expected that the remainder of the accrued warranty costs will be paid in 2018.
7. Included in pre-tax accounting income in 2017 is an expense of $3,000 for insurance premiums paid on Mr. Reality's life.
8. Reality made charges to bad debt expense in 2017 of $15,000. The balance in the Allowance for uncollectible accounts at the beginning of the year was $12,000, and $6,000 of uncollectible accounts were written off in 2017. It is expected that the 2017 year-end balance in the allowance account will be written off in 2018.
9. As of January 1, 2017, Reality has a $10,000 net operating loss carryforward that can be used to offset 2017 taxable income.
10. The balance in the deferred tax asset (liability) account was $35,000 ($43,750) at the beginning of 2017.
11. It is estimated to be more likely than not that 20% of the deferred tax asset at the end of
2017 will not be realized.
Required:
1. Starting with pre-tax accounting income, compute taxable income and taxes due for 2017.
Clearly label all amounts used in arriving at taxable income.
2. Using the following schedule, compute the change in the deferred tax asset (liability) account for 2017. The depreciation temporary difference has been completed as an example.

3. Determine Reality's income tax expense for 2017.

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2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 Straight line 100,000 $100,000 $100,000 $100,000 $100,000 MACRS 165,000 225,000 75,000 35,000 Deferred Tax Asset Deferred Tax Liability Temporary Difference Depreciation ($225,000-$100,000) x 35% $43,750 CR