Case Study 6-10
Facts: The Company has checking accounts in each of its locations: Baltimore, New York, and Philadelphia. There is a savings account in the Philadelphia branch with a balance of $100,000. The checking and saving accounts are all maintained through different banks.
The Company’s New York office writes and mails a $30,000 check to Deep Pockets LLP. The Company’s bank reconciliation for the account indicated a negative $20,000 balance and the bank statement indicated a positive balance.
The Baltimore branch wrote a check for $5,000 to Pawmenow.com on Dec. 23. The bank’s honoring of this check resulted in a negative balance in the Company’s bank account as of Dec. 31. The bank reconciliation for this Company indicated a negative $5,000 book balance after the check was recorded.
Issues: Can the Company use the savings account to offset the negative balances in the checking accounts?
Rules:
405-20-40-1 A debtor shall derecognize a liability if and only if it has been extinguished. A liability has been extinguished if either of the following conditions is met:
a. The debtor pays the creditor and is relieved of its obligation for the liability. Paying the creditor includes the following:

1. Delivery of cash
2. Delivery of other financial assets
3. Delivery of goods or services
4. Reacquisition by the debtor of its outstanding debt securities whether the securities are cancelled or held as so-called treasury bonds.
b. The debtor is legally released from being the primary obligor under the liability, either judicially or by the creditor. For purposes of applying this Subtopic, a sale and related assumption effectively accomplish a legal release if nonrecourse debt (such as certain mortgage loans) is assumed by a third party in conjunction with the sale of an asset that serves as sole collateral for that debt.
810-10-50-1