The question of whether a lease will be recorded as a liability depends on the specific facts and circumstances associated with the lease. In the most simple terms, a short-term lease probably would not have to be recorded as a liability but a long-term lease would probably be recorded as a liability. The assistant is correct in the sense that assets could be acquired under a lease and, if the transaction is structured in the proper manner, no liability would be recorded.
In class, we like to use this question to explore two issues: (1) Should managers structure transactions to meet the business needs of the company or to comply with rules associated with a preferred accounting treatment, and (2) Do users of financial statements react to the manner in which a transaction is reported or to the underlying economic reality of the transaction?