A call at 102 and a buyback at 97 give a composite ski resort one loss and one gain in AC301's Unit 5 debt retirement problem, measured against carrying amount. Searches like "ac 301 unit 5 assignment example", "ac301 unit 5 sample" and "ac301 unit 5 example" land here.
What a finished AC301 Unit 5 debt retirement problem looks like
Two retirements, each in its own block with the same four lines at the top: face value, unamortized premium or discount, net carrying amount on the retirement date, and cash paid. The first block covers a 5,000,000 issue called at 102 on an interest date. Its unamortized discount, once amortization is brought up to that date, is 87,600, so the carrying amount is 4,912,400 against 5,100,000 paid, a loss of 187,600. The entry debits Bonds Payable for face and the loss, and credits the discount and cash. The second block covers a 3,000,000 issue carried at 3,060,000 with a 60,000 premium, of which the resort buys 1,000,000 of face at 97. One third of the carrying amount, 1,020,000, leaves the books against 970,000 of cash, a 50,000 gain.
How a AC301 Unit 5 example is structured
Both blocks follow one sequence because the method is the same whatever the price: amortize to the retirement date, compute the carrying amount, compare it with the reacquisition price, and remove every related account. The call comes first since it retires a whole issue and needs no allocation. The sample states the 102 call price as 5,100,000 by itself, since applying the percentage to carrying amount is a common slip. The repurchase follows and adds one step, allocating the carrying amount and the unamortized premium in proportion to the face retired, one third here. That proportion is shown before the entry so a grader can verify the 20,000 of premium removed. Both results are labeled as gains and losses on extinguishment under ASC 470-50, with a note that the extraordinary category no longer exists.
Four lines before any entry
Face value, unamortized premium or discount, carrying amount on the date, and cash paid. Each retirement block opens with them so the result is visible before the entry.
Amortization brought to date
Discount amortized up to the call date first, so the carrying amount reflects every period the bonds were outstanding. Skipping this step shifts the loss.
The call at 102
Five million of face called at 5,100,000 against a carrying amount of 4,912,400. The 187,600 difference is a loss on extinguishment, with the discount cleared in full.
A partial buyback at 97
One third of a 3,000,000 issue bought for 970,000. One third of the carrying amount, including 20,000 of premium, leaves the books, producing a 50,000 gain.
Where the results appear
Both amounts sit in continuing operations as gains or losses on extinguishment of debt, with a sentence noting that the older extraordinary treatment was removed.
Where marks go in AC301 Unit 5
Measuring the result against face value instead of carrying amount is the most common error on this unit and misses the unamortized discount entirely: the call would show a 100,000 loss rather than 187,600. Leaving the discount on the books after the bonds are gone is the entry-level version of the same mistake. On the repurchase, removing the whole premium instead of one third overstates the gain by 40,000, and graders check the proportion first. Failing to bring amortization up to the retirement date costs points whenever the date falls between interest payments. Classifying the results as extraordinary, or netting the call loss against the buyback gain on one line, loses presentation marks. Entries without explanations, and a call price computed on the wrong base, are docked lightly.
Get a AC301 Unit 5 example written to your instructions
Retirements differ in date and price, so the Unit 5 details that matter most are the call or purchase price, the retirement dates, the issue terms and any amortization already recorded. With the rubric attached, each retirement is worked carrying amount first, then entry and placement. Expect it in 24-48h; a first custom sample is free.
AC301 Unit 5 questions, answered
Why would a company accept a loss to retire bonds early?
Because the loss is often smaller than the interest saved. If market rates have fallen, refinancing at a lower rate reduces future interest payments, and the call premium plus the unamortized discount is the price of doing so. Many AC301 problems ask for a sentence on this, and the sample adds one after the call block comparing the loss with the interest the old bonds would have cost.
Do unamortized issue costs affect the loss?
Yes. Current rules net issue costs against the debt itself, so any unamortized balance lowers the carrying amount on the retirement date and enlarges the loss. Problems written before that change sometimes show issue costs as a separate asset written off at retirement; the total loss is the same, reported in one line or two. Either presentation works as long as it matches the problem's.
How is a gain possible when bonds are bought back below face?
When market rates rise, bonds already outstanding fall in price, and a company can repurchase its own debt for less than its carrying amount. The difference is a gain on extinguishment. In this problem the resort buys at 97 while carrying the bonds above face because of their premium, so the gain reflects both the price decline and the premium removed.