A contingent liability is a potential liability that depends on a future event occurring or not occurring. The document asks which choice would be considered a contingent liability. The solution is choice E, where a company believes it could possibly lose a lawsuit but cannot determine potential damages, making it a contingent liability that requires disclosure but no journal entry.
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Which one of the following would be considered a contingent liability-.docx
1. Which one of the following would be considered a contingent liability?
Select one:
A. A company owes $22,000 on inventories purchased on credit
B. A company has $490,000 worth of bonds outstanding
C. A company estimates that it will probably have to pay $24,000 to the Department of
Environment Protection for a chemical spill
D. The company has access to a line of credit with a bank in the amount of $288,000
E. The company believes that it is reasonably possible it will lose a lawsuit but is unable to
determine the possible damages
Solution
Which one of the following would be considered a contingent liability?
E. The company believes that it is reasonably possible it will lose a lawsuit but is unable to
determine the possible damages
Note :
A contingent liability is a potential liability...it depends on a future event occurring or not
occurring.
If a contingent liability is only possible (not probable), or if the amount cannot be estimated, a
journal entry is not required. However, a disclosure is required.