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Completed Contract Method Definition, Summary, Example

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In Bookkeeping Posted September 01, 2021

The percentage of completion accounting method helps to protect companies from fluctuations in their revenue stream by recording revenue at regular intervals. Under the percentage of completion method, contractors recognize revenue as they progress on the project. You would recognize $5,000 of revenue under the percentage of completion method. Under the completed contract method, you would only recognize $2,500 of revenue since you have only completed 50% of the project. When actual contract costs are not easy to estimate, contractors, favor the completed contract accounting method.

In any case, the transfer of control is dictated by your contract’s language, not by how you want to recognize revenue. Since revenue reporting is postponed, tax liabilities are also deferred — sort of. The reduction of your business tax rates with expense recognition is also delayed.

The ASC 606 transition for construction contractors

A contract is assumed to be complete when the remaining costs and risks are insignificant. Conversely, under the completed contract method, the company would not record any revenue or expenses on its income statement until the end of the project. Assuming that the project was finished on time and the customer paid in full, the company would record revenue of $2 million and the expenses for the project at the end of year two. The completed contract method allows all revenue and expense recognition to be deferred until the completion of a contract. CCM accounting is helpful when there is unpredictability surrounding when the company will be paid by their customer and uncertainty regarding the project’s completion date.

Although small taxpayer testing may be time-consuming, the tax and time benefits of a small taxpayer classification may be critical to certain taxpayers. The articles and research support materials available on this site are educational and are not intended to be investment or tax advice. All such information is provided solely for convenience purposes only and all users thereof should be guided accordingly. All your revenue or expenses accounts will not reflect the transactions that relate to that contract.

Completed-contract method

A, B, C, D, and E own the capital interests of various limited liability companies (LLCs) taxed as partnerships. The capital interest ownership in these https://www.bookstime.com/articles/bookkeeping-phoenix LLCs is shown in the table “LLC Members’ Capital Interests” (below). Moreover, the costs involved to deliver on the project need careful management.

Using CCM accounting can help avoid having to estimate the cost of a project, which can prevent inaccurate forecasts. Also, since revenue recognition is postponed, tax liabilities might be postponed as well. From the client’s perspective, the CCM allows for delayed cash outflows and ensures the work is fully performed and received before any payment is made.