Why does the government issue patents? The government issues patents A. to prevent firms from keeping secret how a product is made. B. to ensure that new products are safe and effective for consumers. C. to encourage firms to spend money on the research and development necessary to create new products. D. to encourage competition among firms in markets with barriers to entry. E. to limit excessive economic profits in the short run before new firms have had time to enter profitable markets. How long do patents last? A patent is the exclusive right to a product for a period of nothing years from the date the patent is filed with the government. (Enter your response as an integer.)

Assume that all of thurmond company’s sales are credit sales. it has been the practice of thurmond company to provide for uncollectible accounts expense at the rate of one-half of one percent of net credit sales. for the year 20x1 the company had net credit sales of $2,021,000 and the allowance for doubtful accounts account had a credit balance, before adjustments, of $630 as of december 31, 20x1. during 20x2, the following selected transactions occurred: jan. 20 the account of h. scott, a deceased customer who owed $325, was determined to be uncollectible and was therefore written off. mar. 16 informed that a. nettles, a customer, had been declared bankrupt. his account for $898 was written off. apr. 23 the $906 account of j. kenney & sons was written off as uncollectible. aug. 3 wrote off as uncollectible the $750 account of clarke company. oct. 20 wrote off as uncollectible the $1,130 account of g. michael associates. oct. 27 received a check for $325 from the estate of h. scott. this amount had been written off on january 20 of the current year. dec. 20 cater company paid $7,000 of the $7,500 it owed thurmond company. since cater company was going out of business, the $500 balance it still owed was deemed uncollectible and written off. required: prepare journal entries for the december 31, 20x1, and the seven 20x2 transactions on the work sheets provided at the back of this unit. then answer questions 8 and 9 on the answer sheet. t-accounts are also provided for your use in answering these questions. 8. which one of the following entries should have been made on december 31, 20x1?

You are chairman of the board of a successful technology firm. there is a nominal federal corporate tax rate of 35 percent, yet the effective tax rate of the typical corporation is about 12.6%. your firm has been clever with use of transfer pricing and keeping money abroad and has barely paid any taxes over the last 5 years; during this same time period, profits were $28 billion. one member of the board feels that it is un-american to use various accounting strategies in order to avoid paying taxes. others feel that these are legal loopholes and corporations have a fiduciary responsibility to minimize taxes. one board member quoted what the ceo of exxon once said: “i’m not a u.s. company and i don’t make decisions based on what’s good for the u.s.” what are the alternatives? what are your recommendations? why do you recommend this course of action?

The hartman family is saving $400 monthly for ronald's college education. the family anticipates they will need to contribute $20,000 towards his first year of college, which is in 4 years .which best explain s whether the family will have enough money in 4 years ?