Halifax Manufacturing allows its customers to return merchandise for any reason up to 90 days after delivery and receive a credit to their accounts. All of Halifax's sales are for credit (no cash is collected at the time of sale). The company began 2021 with a refund liability of $360,000. During 2021, Halifax sold merchandise on account for $12,100,000. Halifax's merchandise costs is 70% of merchandise selling price. Also during the year, customers returned $594,000 in sales for credit, with $328,000 of those being returns of merchandise sold prior to 2021, and the rest being merchandise sold during 2021. Sales returns, estimated to be 5% of sales, are recorded as an adjusting entry at the end of the year. Required:
1. Prepare entries to (a) record actual returns in 2021 of merchandise that was sold prior to 2021; (b) record actual returns in 2021 of merchandise that was sold during 2021, and (c) adjust the refund liability to its appropriate balance at year-end.
2. What is the amount of the year-end refund liability after the adjusting entry is recorded?

1a. Record the actual sales return of merchandise sold prior to 2021.
1b. Record the cost of merchandise returned for goods sold prior to 2021.
1c. Record the actual sales return of merchandise sold during 2021.
1d. Record the cost of merchandise returned for goods sold during 2021.
1e. Record the year-end adjusting entry for estimated returns.
1f. Record the adjusting entry for the estimated return of merchandise to inventory.

3. What is the amount of the year-end refund liability after the adjusting entry is recorded?

Halifax Manufacturing

a. Record the actual sales return of merchandise sold prior to 2021.

Debit Refund Liability $328,000

Credit Accounts Receivable $328,000

To record actual returns for sales prior to 2021.

1b. Record the cost of merchandise returned for goods sold prior to 2021.

Debit Inventory $229,600

Credit Estimated Inventory Returns $229,600

To record the cost of merchandise returned for goods sold prior to 2021.

1c. Record the actual sales return of merchandise sold during 2021.

Debit Sales Returns $266,000

Credit Accounts Receivable $266,000

To record actual returns for the current year.

1d. Record the cost of merchandise returned for goods sold during 2021.

Debit Inventory $186,200

Credit Cost of Goods sold $186,200

To record the cost of goods returned for sales during the year.

1e. Record the year-end adjusting entry for estimated returns.

Debit  Sales Returns $591,700

Credit Refund Liability $591,700

To record sales returns adjusting entry for the current year.

1f. Record the adjusting entry for the estimated return of merchandise to inventory.

Debit Estimated Inventory Returns $414,190

Credit Cost of goods sold $414,190

To record the adjusting entry for the estimated inventory returns.

3. What is the amount of the year-end refund liability after the adjusting entry is recorded?

=  $623,700

Explanation:

a) Data and Calculations:

Refund liability (beginning balance) = $360,000

Sales = $12,100,000

Cost of merchandise = $8,470,000 (70% * $12,100,000)

Actual returns during the year = $594,000

Returns for prior years =               328,000

Returns for current year =            266,000

Estimated sales returns allowance = 5% for year-end adjusting entry.

Refund liability (beginning balance) = $360,000

Actual return for prior years =              (328,000)

Allowance for current year =                  591,700

Refund liability (ending balance)  =     $623,700