Sun Microsystems manufactures an engineering workstation for $7,200 and sells it for $12,000. Although the workstation has a physical life of approximately 10 years, rapid technological change limits its expected useful life to three years. Sun leases a workstation to Design Consultants for the three-year period beginning January 1, 2013. The annual rental payments of $4,386.70 are due at the beginning of each year. The interest rate appropriate for discounting cash flows is 10%, compounded annually. Sun uses a calendar year as its reporting period.
a. Does this lease qualify as an operating lease or a capital lease under the current/old rules? Explain.
b. Assume that this lease qualifies as an operating lease. Give the journal entries for Sun Microsystems over the three-year period.
c. Repeat part b assuming that the lease qualifies as a capital lease.