Be sure to remember your server!

Posted by & filed under Accounting Information Systems, Accounting Principles, All Articles, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Ethical Dilemma, Financial Accounting, Intermediate Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Uncategorized.

According to the Washington Post, after a change in tax rules last year, the auto-gratuity added to the bill of large parties at restaurants is on its way out. Questions: 1. What is the new rule that the Internal Revenue Service imposed on restaurants that led to this change? 2. How does this change lead… Read more »

Amazon goes “brick and mortar”

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In an unusual move, Amazon opened a storefront bookstore in Seattle’s University Village mall. Questions: 1. What are the characteristics of the books sold in the “brick and mortar store”? 2. In addition to books, what other products does the store carry? 3. What do you see as the costs and benefits of this new… Read more »

Incredible Law School Debt

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The median LSAT score of students admitted to Florida Coastal School of Law was among the lowest 25% nationwide. Despite the fact that the average debt of the 2014 graduating class had $163,000 in debt, may not pass the bar, and probably cannot repay the debt, this school is one of six for-profit law schools… Read more »

The Costs of Becoming an Entrepreneur

Posted by & filed under Accounting Principles, Advanced Accounting, All Articles, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Financial Accounting, Financial Reporting and Analysis, Financial Statement Analysis, Fraud Accounting, IFRS, Intermediate Accounting, International Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Video Updates.

Fifteen years ago, Becky O’Neil of Arlington, Va. decided that she wanted more flexability in her life, so she started a dog-walking service and planned to spend more time with her 7-month old son. Unfortunately, what she found was that a start-up new business required long hours, hard work and unwavering commitment, even on Christmas… Read more »

The Reinvention of Pawn Shops

Posted by & filed under Accounting Principles, Advanced Accounting, All Articles, Auditing, Cost Accounting, Financial Accounting, Financial Reporting and Analysis, Financial Statement Analysis, Fraud Accounting, IFRS, Intermediate Accounting, International Accounting, Managerial Accounting, Video Updates.

The pawnshop industry is growing. In 2007, there were approximately 6,400 pawn shops nation-wide. Now there are over 10,000. The expansion in pawnshops is fed, in part, by the increased number of Americans with tarnished credit which often bars them from the mainstream financial system. This article explains some of the niche services now offered… Read more »

Watch Out for On-The-Lot Financing

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Since many banks will not give auto loans to people with bad credit or no credit, due to increased restrictions or risk, on-the-lot financing has become more popular. Unfortunately, since Buy-Here-Pay-Here financing is not strictly regulated, interest rates can be quite high. Questions: 1. What are the benefits of on-the-lot financing? 2. What are the… Read more »

The End to Red Ink?

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The struggling online company, Groupon, has just announced promotion that will allow them to stay afloat. It is a combination of hardware and software that will allow businesses to accept credit cards at rate far lower than what most merchants are currently paying. Instead of the usual credit card processing fee of between 2% and… Read more »

Coming to a store near you: What are the cost and benefits of good health?

Posted by & filed under Accounting Principles, Cost Accounting, Financial Accounting, Financial Reporting and Analysis, Financial Statement Analysis, Intermediate Accounting, Managerial Accounting.

Hy-Vee is the only grocery chain in the country that posts a registered dietitian in almost every one of its 235 stores. In rural areas, some of its more than 190 dietitians serve a cluster of stores. By doing this it capitalizes on growing consumer awareness of the role food plays in health and wellness… Read more »

Interesting Educational Strategy

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At U.S. colleges, like NYU and Northeastern, some freshmen are beginning their studies abroad during their first and even second semesters. According to Bloomberg, the strategy is one used by universities to enroll larger classes and get more tuition dollars. How? The universities use the students and their tuitions to fill the beds of midyear… Read more »