Which statement best describes the treatment of depreciation in government-wide financial statements compared to governmental funds statements?

Which statement best describes the treatment of depreciation in government-wide financial statements compared to governmental funds statements?

• A. Depreciation Expense Is Included in Governmental Funds Statements but Not in Government-wide Statements.
• B. Depreciation Expense Would Be Included in Both Statements.
• C. Depreciation Expense on Capital Assets Would Be Included in Government-wide Financial Statements but Not in Governmental Funds Statements.
• D. Depreciation Expense Is Not Recorded Anywhere.

Answer: (C)

Depreciation represents the allocation of the cost of capital assets over their useful lives. Government-wide financial statements use accrual accounting and show the government as a whole, so they record depreciation on capital assets as an expense and recognize accumulated depreciation on the balance sheet. Governmental funds, on the other hand, use the modified accrual basis focused on current financial resources; they report expenditures when assets are purchased and do not depreciate capital assets in the fund statements. Therefore, depreciation on capital assets appears in government-wide financial statements but not in governmental funds statements. This is why that choice best describes the treatment.

Depreciation represents the allocation of the cost of capital assets over their useful lives. Government-wide financial statements use accrual accounting and show the government as a whole, so they record depreciation on capital assets as an expense and recognize accumulated depreciation on the balance sheet. Governmental funds, on the other hand, use the modified accrual basis focused on current financial resources; they report expenditures when assets are purchased and do not depreciate capital assets in the fund statements. Therefore, depreciation on capital assets appears in government-wide financial statements but not in governmental funds statements. This is why that choice best describes the treatment.