Tony and Susan are starting a retail business selling formal wear for men and women. They estimate profits and losses for the next five years to be: ($20,000), ($10,000), ($5,000), $10,000, and $50,000 respectively. Susan will work full time in the store while Tony will be involved in managing the operations. Susan is married to Tom and is in the 28% marginal tax bracket. Tony is single and has other
sources of income that put him in the 28% marginal tax bracket. Susan will be paid a salary of $30,000 for the first five years, after which her compensation will be reviewed. Tony and Susan each contribute $50,000 to get the business started.
The remaining question facing Tony and Susan is which business form to use for the business. They believe they should operate as a partnership but have been informed that forming a corporation might be a better option since it would limit their liability. Prepare an analysis to determine whether Tony and Susan should operate their business as a partnership or a corporation.