Explaining interim expenses and tax rates. A colleague of yours has been reviewing the second-quarter income statements for a number of companies and is questioning a number of the expense items...

Explaining interim expenses and tax rates. A colleague of yours has been reviewing the second-quarter income statements for a number of companies and is questioning a number of the expense items included in the statements. For each of the following independent questions, provide a written response to your colleague’s questions.

1. A footnote accompanying Company A’s second-quarter income statement states that $360,000 was expended on research and development during the quarter on activities that should benefit operations over the next 24 months. Why does the second quarter reflect an expense of $120,000 rather than $15,000?