AICPA Exam CPA-Financial Topic 2 Question 23 Discussion

On January 2, 1991, Air, Inc. agreed to pay its former president $300,000 under a deferred compensation arrangement. Air should have recorded this expense in 1990 but did not do so. Air's reported income tax expense would have been $70,000 lower in 1990 had it properly accrued this deferred compensation in its December 31,1991, financial statements, Air should adjust the beginning balance of its retained earnings by a: