Question

Which of the following is correct with respect to Debt Service Funds?
A. Debt service funds report the balance of governmental debts except debt of proprietary and fiduciary funds.
B. Debt service funds account for and report financial resources that are restricted, committed or assigned to expenditure for principle and interest for all governmental long-term debt.
C. Debt service funds account for and report financial resources that are restricted, committed or assigned to expenditure for principle and interest for governmental debts except debt of proprietary and fiduciary funds who account for their own interest and principle payments.
D. Debt service funds must accrue interest on long-term debt at year end.

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Debt service funds account for and report financial resources that are restricted, committed or assigned to expenditure for principle and interest for governmental debts except debt of proprietary and fiduciary funds who account for their own interest and principle payments.

Explanation:

Debt service funds are used to pay for principal and interest on certain types of debts. This reduced the risk of debt security that investors face and also reduces the effective rate at which the offering can be sold.

However debt service funds cannot be used for proprietary funds like 400 and 500.

Instead we use Enterprise funds for 400. That is operations similar to corporate enterprise. For example water and sewage utilities.

Internal service funds for 500 used by other funds or departments bin a government in a cost reimbursement basis. For example a food supplier that takes orders and is reimbursed for each order.

Answer 2

Answer:

C. Debt service funds account for and report financial resources that are restricted, committed or assigned to expenditure for principle and interest for governmental debts except debt of proprietary and fiduciary funds who account for their own interest and principle payments.

Explanation:

Under the Codification of Governmental Accounting and Financial Reporting Standards by the Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB); Code 200 states that debt service funds are to be used to service terms and bond reserves, guaranty, warrants, note, capital leases, or sinking funds.

Debt service funds is a cash reserve that is used to account for and report financial resources that are restricted, committed or assigned to expenditure for principle and interest for governmental debts except debt of proprietary and fiduciary funds who account for their own interest and principle payments.

The purpose of using a debt service fund is to reduce the risk of a debt security for investors, thereby making it more attractive and appealing to them. Also, the debt service fund helps to mitigate the effective interest rate needed by the government to sell the offering.

The other types of governmental funds are namely;

- Capital projects funds.

- Permanent funds.

- General funds.

- Special revenue funds.