LIFO Effect The following example was provided to encourage the use of the LIFO method.

LIFO Effect The following example was provided to encourage the use of the LIFO method. In a nutshell, LIFO subtracts inflation from inventory costs, deducts it from taxable income, and records it in a LIFO reserve account on the books. The LIFO benefit grows as inflation widens the gap between current-year and past-year (minus inflation) inventory costs. This gap is:

(a) Explain what is meant by the LIFO reserve account.

(b) How does LIFO subtract inflation from inventory costs?

(c) Explain how the cash flow of $174,400 in this example was computed. Explain why this amount may not be correct.

(d) Why does a company that uses LIFO have extra cash? Explain whether this situation will alwaysexist.