Auto Dealerships - Audit Technique Guide - Uncle Fed's Tax*Board
Auto Dealerships - Audit Technique Guide - Uncle Fed's Tax*Board
Auto Dealerships - Audit Technique Guide - Uncle Fed's Tax*Board
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PLATFORM: A vehicle platform is the main structural element or backbone of a vehicle to<br />
which the suspension, powertrain and body are mounted. In older vehicles, it was traditionally the<br />
frame. In newer unibody vehicles, it is the lower, horizontal sheet metal stamping.<br />
POOLING: A central point of LIFO valuation. The dollar value method allows for a<br />
combination of like kind items into a group where inflation is computed on these items.<br />
PRODUCER PRICE INDEX (PPI): A measure of change in wholesale prices (formerly called<br />
the wholesale price index), as released monthly by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.<br />
PRICE GUIDE: A compilation of vehicle models, standard and optional equipment, and current<br />
year prices.<br />
PRINCIPAL: The obligor of a contract who assumes the risk of the transaction and derives<br />
compensation from the profit built into the product sold. As it relates to a dealership, the term is<br />
most commonly used in an analysis of a vehicle service contract.<br />
PROFIT CENTER COSTING: Or Activity Based Costing (ABC), is the practice employed by<br />
taxpayers where operational departments of the business are maintained in order to determine the<br />
profitability of the overall concern as a function of the profitability of each department.<br />
REPORT OF SALES BOOK: A record kept by auto dealerships of all sales made and reported<br />
to the Department of Motor Vehicles, as required by state law. For example, in California, all<br />
sales must be reported within 5 days of sale in order for the vehicles to be registered.<br />
RESTATEMENT (rebasing): The revaluation of all of the LIFO layers remaining as of the<br />
beginning of the year of a change, as required under IRC section 263A and Rev. Proc. 97-36.<br />
RETAIL METHOD: An inventory valuation method designed to allow a retailer to take<br />
physical inventory at retail selling prices and then deduct an amount determined to reflect gross<br />
profit. The retail LIFO method is an adaptation of the dollar-value LIFO method, using retail<br />
sales values in addition to cost in recording inventory input and output, and can be combined with<br />
the use of government prices indexes published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.<br />
SELF-INSURANCE: A method where by one pays monies into a reserve created by the payor.<br />
WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE: Product represented by<br />
seller to function in a specific manner for a particular purpose. The product must meet that<br />
standard.<br />
WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY: The product is made in a manner considered<br />
proper for that type of good. "Lemon Laws" originate with this type of warranty.<br />
YEAR OF CHANGE: It is the taxable year in which a change in method of accounting is made.<br />
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