Athens Corporation Uses a Job-Cost System and Applies Manufacturing Overhead

Essay

Athens Corporation uses a job-cost system and applies manufacturing overhead to products on the basis of machine hours. The company's accountant estimated that overhead and machine hours would total $800,000 and 50,000, respectively, for 20 x 1. Actual costs incurred follow.
$\begin{array}{lr}\text { Direct material used } & \$ 250,000 \\\text { Direct labour } & 300,000 \\\text { Manufacturing overhead } & 816,000\end{array}$ The manufacturing overhead figure presented above excludes $27,000 of sales commissions incurred by the firm. An examination of job-cost records revealed that 18 jobs were sold during the year at a total cost of $2,960,000. These goods were sold to customers for $3,720,000. Actual machine hours worked totaled 51,500, and Athens adjusts under- or overapplied overhead at year-end to Cost of Goods Sold.
Required:
A. Determine the company's predetermined overhead application rate.
B. Determine the amount of under- or overapplied overhead at year-end. Be sure to indicate whether overhead was under- or overapplied.
C. Compute the company's cost of goods sold.
D. What alternative accounting treatment could the company have used at year-end to adjust for under- or overapplied overhead? Is the alternative that you suggested appropriate in this case? Why?