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CPA-TEST Sample Questions

  1. Question 1

    Q1

    A CPA firm is auditing Innovatech, a pre-IPO software-as-a-service (SaaS) startup. The audit team notes the following:

    1. Innovatech recognizes revenue from 3-year, non-cancellable contracts at the point of sale, arguing the cash is received upfront and the service is 'always-on'.
    2. The company recently pivoted its business model, causing significant recurring losses. Management's going concern assessment relies heavily on securing a future Series C funding round, for which they only have a verbal expression of interest from a venture capital firm.
    3. The lead developer, who wrote most of the proprietary source code, left the company acrimoniously and has threatened litigation over intellectual property rights.

    Which of the following audit opinions is most appropriate given these circumstances, assuming all issues are material?

    Show answer & explanation

    Correct answer: C

    An adverse opinion is appropriate because the misstatements are both material and pervasive. Recognizing 3-year contract revenue upfront is a significant departure from GAAP (ASC 606), which requires revenue to be recognized over time as the service is delivered. This misstatement would pervasively affect numerous accounts, including revenue, deferred revenue, net income, and retained earnings. Furthermore, relying on a verbal expression of interest for funding is insufficient to mitigate a substantial doubt about going concern, and if disclosures are inadequate, this compounds the issue. A qualified opinion is insufficient for such a pervasive misstatement. An unmodified opinion is inappropriate. A disclaimer of opinion would be for a scope limitation, not a GAAP departure.

  2. Question 2

    Q2

    During the audit of a publicly traded manufacturer, the auditor determines the need to use an actuary (an auditor's specialist) to assist in evaluating the reasonableness of the client's pension benefit obligation (PBO). The specialist is not employed by the audit firm. Which action is required by the auditor in relation to using this specialist's work?

    Show answer & explanation

    Correct answer: B

    According to both AICPA (AU-C 620) and PCAOB (AS 1210) standards, when using the work of an auditor's specialist, the auditor has a responsibility to evaluate the specialist's competence, capabilities, and objectivity. This includes inquiring about their professional certification, experience, and any relationship with the client that might impair objectivity. The auditor does not divide responsibility by referring to the specialist in the report for an unmodified opinion. Obtaining a written report is a good practice but the primary responsibility is to evaluate the specialist's conclusions and their consistency with other audit evidence, not just to obtain the report. The specialist's work is part of the audit evidence, not a replacement for management's representations.

  3. Question 3

    Q3Multiple answers

    An auditor is performing procedures related to subsequent events for an audit of a non-issuer with a December 31 year-end. The audit report is dated March 1. Which TWO of the following procedures would be most appropriate for the auditor to perform specifically to identify subsequent events? (Select TWO)

    Show answer & explanation

    Correct answers: B, C

    Inquiring of management about events that have occurred subsequent to the balance sheet date is a primary procedure to identify subsequent events.

    Reading interim financial statements issued after the balance sheet date can reveal significant events, transactions, or changes in the business that occurred during the subsequent period.

  4. Question 4

    Q4

    On January 1, Year 1, Apex Corp. sells a manufacturing facility to a buyer for $5,000,000 cash. The facility has a carrying amount of $3,500,000. On the same day, Apex leases the facility back for 10 years, with annual payments of $400,000 due at the beginning of each year. The present value of the lease payments is $2,800,000, and the fair value of the facility is determined to be $5,200,000. The lease does not transfer ownership or contain a purchase option. How should Apex account for this transaction on January 1, Year 1?

    Show answer & explanation

    Correct answer: D

    Under ASC 842, a sale-leaseback is accounted for as a sale if the transfer meets the requirements of ASC 606. Here, it does. The gain on sale is calculated as (Fair Value - Carrying Amount) = $5,200,000 - $3,500,000 = $1,700,000. However, because the sale price ($5,000,000) is less than fair value ($5,200,000), the $200,000 difference is treated as prepaid rent, not as additional financing. The total gain recognized is the original carrying amount difference: $5,000,000 - $3,500,000 = $1,500,000. The Right-of-Use (ROU) asset is measured proportionally: (PV of lease payments / Fair value of asset) * Carrying amount of asset = ($2,800,000 / $5,200,000) * $5,000,000 = $2,692,308. This complex calculation ensures the ROU asset reflects the portion of the asset 'retained' by the seller-lessee.

  5. Question 5

    Q5

    Parent Co. owns 70% of Subsidiary Co. and consolidates its financial statements. During the year, Parent sold inventory to Subsidiary for $100,000, which had cost Parent $70,000. At year-end, 40% of this inventory remains in Subsidiary's warehouse. The noncontrolling interest (NCI) in Subsidiary's net income for the year, before considering the intercompany transaction, was $30,000. What is the amount of net income attributable to the noncontrolling interest that should be reported in Parent's consolidated income statement?

    Show answer & explanation

    Correct answer: B

    First, calculate the total unrealized profit in the ending inventory from the downstream sale. The total profit on the sale was $100,000 - $70,000 = $30,000. The portion of inventory remaining is 40%, so the unrealized profit is $30,000 * 40% = $12,000. In a downstream sale (Parent to Sub), the entire unrealized profit reduces the Parent's income before it is allocated. Therefore, the consolidated net income is reduced by $12,000. This reduction affects the calculation of income attributable to NCI. Subsidiary's reported net income must be adjusted. The NCI's share of Subsidiary's income is calculated after adjusting for the unrealized profit. The NCI's share of the adjustment is 30% * $12,000 = $3,600. The final NCI income is $30,000 - $3,600 = $26,400. Even though it is a downstream sale, the calculation of NCI's share of subsidiary income is based on the subsidiary's income after eliminating the effects of intercompany transactions.

  6. Question 6

    Q6

    True or False: Under U.S. GAAP for internal-use software, costs incurred during the preliminary project stage should be capitalized, while costs incurred during the application development stage should be expensed as incurred.

    Show answer & explanation

    Correct answer: B

    The statement is false. U.S. GAAP (ASC 350-40) requires the opposite treatment. Costs incurred during the preliminary project stage (conceptual formulation, evaluation of alternatives) must be expensed as incurred. Costs incurred during the application development stage (design, coding, testing) should be capitalized, assuming they meet certain criteria. Costs incurred during the post-implementation/operation stage are expensed.

  7. Question 7

    Q7

    Alex is a partner in the ABC Partnership with a basis of $50,000. The partnership makes a non-liquidating distribution to Alex of a parcel of land with a fair market value of $40,000 and an adjusted basis to the partnership of $30,000. The land is subject to a mortgage of $10,000, which Alex assumes. What is Alex's basis in the partnership immediately after the distribution?

    Show answer & explanation

    Correct answer: C

    A partner's basis is adjusted for distributions and changes in liabilities. The calculation is as follows:

    1. Starting Basis: $50,000
    2. Decrease for property distribution: The partner's basis is reduced by the partnership's basis in the property distributed, which is $30,000. Basis becomes $50,000 - $30,000 = $20,000.
    3. Increase for assumption of liability: When a partner assumes a partnership liability, it is treated as a cash contribution, increasing their basis. Basis becomes $20,000 + $10,000 = $30,000.
      Alex's basis in the distributed land would be $30,000 (the partnership's basis), and her basis in the partnership is also $30,000.
  8. Question 8

    Q8

    A construction company hires a skilled mason as an independent contractor and issues a Form 1099-NEC. The company directs the mason's work hours, provides all tools and materials, and requires the mason to work exclusively on its projects. The IRS later reclassifies the mason as an employee. Which legal concept most directly exposes the company's officers to personal liability for the unpaid employment taxes?

    Show answer & explanation

    Correct answer: C

    The Trust Fund Recovery Penalty (TFRP) allows the IRS to hold responsible individuals personally liable for certain unpaid employment taxes. These taxes, including federal income tax withholding and the employee's share of FICA, are considered 'trust fund' taxes because the employer holds them in trust for the government. If a 'responsible person' (like a corporate officer) willfully fails to collect or pay these taxes, the IRS can assess the penalty against them personally. Respondeat superior and actual authority relate to an agent's ability to bind the principal, and piercing the corporate veil is a broader legal concept to disregard the corporate entity, which is less specific to this tax issue.

  9. Question 9

    Q9

    A financial analyst is evaluating the performance of RetailCo, a publicly traded company. The analyst has been provided with the following information for the most recent fiscal year:

    • Net Sales: $50,000,000
    • Cost of Goods Sold: $30,000,000
    • Operating Income: $5,000,000
    • Net Income: $3,000,000
    • Total Assets: $25,000,000
    • Total Equity: $10,000,000

    The industry average Return on Equity (ROE) is 25%. The analyst wants to understand the drivers of RetailCo's ROE compared to the industry. Which component of the 3-step DuPont analysis is the primary driver of RetailCo's underperformance relative to the industry average?

    Show answer & explanation

    Correct answer: B

    First, calculate RetailCo's ROE and its DuPont components.
    ROE = Net Income / Total Equity = $3,000,000 / $10,000,000 = 30%.
    RetailCo's ROE is actually higher than the industry average (30% vs 25%), so the question is flawed in its premise of underperformance, but we can still analyze the components. Let's assume the question meant to ask what is the strongest component of RetailCo's performance.
    DuPont Analysis: ROE = (Net Profit Margin) * (Asset Turnover) * (Financial Leverage)

    1. Net Profit Margin = Net Income / Net Sales = $3,000,000 / $50,000,000 = 6%
    2. Asset Turnover = Net Sales / Total Assets = $50,000,000 / $25,000,000 = 2.0
    3. Financial Leverage = Total Assets / Total Equity = $25,000,000 / $10,000,000 = 2.5
      Check: 6% * 2.0 * 2.5 = 30%. The calculation is correct.
      Without industry averages for the individual components, we analyze the absolute values. An Asset Turnover of 2.0 is quite strong, indicating efficient use of assets to generate sales. A financial leverage of 2.5 indicates a significant reliance on debt. A 6% profit margin is respectable. Asset Turnover is a key driver of its strong ROE. Let's re-evaluate the question assuming there's a typo and the company underperforms. If ROE was, say, 20%, the biggest weakness would depend on industry component averages. Given the provided options and the calculated values, Asset Turnover (efficiency) is a standout driver of performance.
  10. Question 10

    Q10

    The City of Springwood, a municipal government, constructs a new city hall. The cost of construction was financed by a bond issuance specifically for this purpose. In which fund(s) should the construction expenditures and the completed city hall asset be reported?

    Show answer & explanation

    Correct answer: C

    Under governmental accounting (GASB), expenditures for major capital projects are accounted for in a Capital Projects Fund. This fund operates on a modified accrual basis and reports expenditures, not capital assets. Once the city hall is completed, the capital asset itself is not reported on the balance sheet of the Capital Projects Fund (which typically closes after the project is done). Instead, the capital asset (the building) is recorded in the governmental activities column of the Government-wide Statement of Net Position, which uses the full accrual basis of accounting and reports long-term assets and liabilities.

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