Float Simon Corporation has daily cash receipts of $58,000. A recent analysis of its collections indicated that customers' payments were in the mail an average of 2.5 days. Once received, the payments are processed in 2 days. After payments are deposited, it takes an average of 2 days for these receipts to clear the banking system.
a. How much collection float (in days) does the firm currently have?
b. If the firm's opportunity cost is 9%, would it be economically advisable for the firm to pay an annual fee of $17,300 for a lockbox system to reduce collection float by 4 days?