The profits for the five years of a firm are as follows - year 2013 Rs. 4,00,000; year 2014 Rs. 3,98,000; year 2015 Rs. 4,50,000; year 2016 Rs. 4,45,000 and year 2017 Rs. 5,00,000. Calculate the goodwill of the firm on the basis of a 4-year purchase of 5 years average profits:

Rs. 17,54,400

The correct answer is Option (2) → Rs. 17,54,400

Average Profits Method: Under this method, the goodwill is valued at agreed number of ‘years’ purchase of the average profits of the past few years. It is based on the assumption that a new business will not be able to earn any profits during the first few years of its operations. Hence, the person who purchases a running business must pay in the form of goodwill a sum which is equal to the profits he is likely to receive for the first few years. The goodwill, therefore, should be calculated by multiplying the past average profits by the number of years during which the anticipated profits are expected to accrue.

Step 1: Find the average profit

Profits of 5 years =

• 2013 = 4,00,000

• 2014 = 3,98,000

• 2015 = 4,50,000

• 2016 = 4,45,000

• 2017 = 5,00,000

Total = 21,93,000

Average Profit=21,93,000/5 =4,38,600

Step 2: Goodwill

Goodwill = Average Profit × Number of years’ purchase

               = Rs 4,38,600×4

               =Rs. 17,54,400