Exam 8: Business Income, Deductions, and Accounting Methods

Sole proprietorships must use the same tax year as the proprietor of the business.

Crystal operates a business that provides typing and delivery services. This year Crystal spent $2,500 to purchase special shirts that identify her employees and provide some notoriety for her business. The shirts are especially colorful and include logos on the front pocket and back. Besides salary payments, Crystal also compensates her employees by offering to pay whole life insurance premiums for any that want to provide insurance coverage for their beneficiaries. This year Crystal paid $5,000 in life insurance premiums. What amount of these payments can Crystal deduct? Crystal is on the cash method and calendar year.

According to the Internal Revenue Code §162, deductible trade or business expenses must be one of the following?

Which of the following types of transactions may not typically be accounted for using the cash method?

The domestic production activities deduction is a deduction for the incremental cost of manufacturing tangible assets in the United States.

Which of the following is a true statement about impermissible accounting methods?

Smith operates a roof repair business. This year Smith's business generated cash receipts of $32,000 and Smith made the following expenditures associated with his business: Advertising \ 500 Car and truck expenses 1,360 Depreciation 3,200 Employee compensation 5,000 Education 1,000 The education expense was for a two-week, nighttime course in business management. Smith believes the expenditure should qualify as an ordinary and necessary business expense. What net income should Smith report from his business? Smith is on the cash method and calendar year.

When a taxpayer borrows money and invests the loan proceeds in municipal bonds, the interest paid by the taxpayer on the debt will not be deductible.

Danny owns an electronics outlet in Dallas. This year he paid $600 to register for a four-day course in management in Chicago. Danny paid $800 in airfare and $1,000 for five nights lodging. After the course, Danny spent the last day sightseeing. During the trip, Danny also paid $140 a day for meals, and $80 a day for a rental car. What amount of these travel-related expenditures may Danny deduct as business expenses?

The domestic production activities deduction cannot exceed 50 percent of the wages paid to employees engaged in domestic manufacturing activities during the year.

Big Homes Corporation is an accrual method calendar year taxpayer that manufactures and sells modular homes. This year for the first time Big Homes was forced to offer a rebate on the purchase of new homes. At year end, Big Homes had paid $12,000 in rebates and was liable for an additional $7,500 in rebates to buyers. What amount of the rebates, if any, can Big Homes deduct this year?

When does the all-events test under the accrual method require the recognition of income from the sale of goods?

Sandy Bottoms Corporation generated taxable income (before the domestic manufacturing deduction) of $3 million this year. The total income included $2,350,000 of qualified production activities income. The company paid $460,000 in W-2 wages to generate the qualified production activity income. What is Sandy Bottom's domestic manufacturing deduction for the year?

Ed is a self-employed heart surgeon who has incurred the following reasonable expenses. How much can Ed deduct? $1,000 in airfare to repair investment rental property in Colorado. $500 in meals while attending a medical convention in New York. $300 for tuition for an investment seminar "How to pick stocks." $100 for tickets to a football game with hospital administrators to celebrate successful negotiation of a surgical contract earlier in the day.

Murphy uses the accrual method and reports on a calendar year. This year Murphy signed a binding contract to provide consulting services to Kirby beginning next year. Murphy incurred $15,000 to train his staff for this particular project. In addition, Murphy estimates that he will incur another $60,000 to complete the Kirby contract. What amount, if any, can Murphy deduct this year for the services expected to be rendered next year?

Alvin is a self-employed sound technician who reports on the cash method and calendar year. Alvin has a shop in Austin, Texas, but he spends much of his time away from his shop traveling to and from various concerts around the country. Alvin leases a truck to move his equipment around the country and this year he spent $12,000 in lease payments and paid $18,000 for gas, oil, and repairs. Alvin keeps records of his personal use of the truck and he estimates that 6,000 of the total 36,000 miles put on the truck this year were for personal trips. What amount of these expenses may Alvin deduct as business expenses?

Judy is a self employed musician who performs for a variety of events. This year Judy was fined $250 by the city for violating the city's noise ordinance with a relatively loud performance. As a consequence Judy contributed $1,000 to a campaign committee formed to recall the city's mayor. Judy normally hires three part-time employees to help her schedule events and transport equipment. Judy paid a total of $33,000 to her employees through June of this year. In June Judy fired her part-time employees and hired her husband to replace them. However, Judy paid him $55,000 rather than $33,000. Judy is on the cash method and calendar year, and she wants to know what amount of these expenditures is deductible as business expenses.

Which of the following cannot be selected as a valid tax year end?

Which of the following is an explanation for why insurance premiums on a key employee are not deductible?