National Auto Loan has customers throughout the 48 contiguous states. Its current policy is to have all customers mail their payments to National Auto's corporate office located in Lansing, Michigan

It is considering a regional lock-box system to collect loan payments from its customers. Changing to a regional lock-box system will decrease the company's float time from eight days (on average) to three days. The company's average daily collection is $1,750,000. The bank that operates the regional lock-box system requires compensating balances totaling $800,000. Annual fees and expenses associated with the lock-box system are $350,000.

Required:
a. Compute the dollar amount of net funds freed if National Auto uses the lock-box system.
b. Compute the percentage rate of net funds freed.

What will be an ideal response?

Answer:
a. Float for the Lansing, MI, location (8 days × $1,750,000) $14,000,000
Less: Float using a lock-box system (3 days × $1,750,000) 5,250,000
Gross funds freed if a lock-box system is used 8,750,000
Less: Required compensating balance for lock-box system 800,000
Net funds freed if a lock-box system is used $7,950,000

b. Cost of net funds freed = $350,000 fees and expenses / $7,950,000 = 4.40%