Milestone
Prompt
You are working as an accountant at a mid-size CPA firm. One of your clients is Bob Jones. Bob's personal information is as follows:
DOB: October 10, 1952
SSN: 444-00-4444
Marital Status: Single
Home Address: 5100 Lakeshore Drive, Pensacola, FL 32502
Bob has a very successful used car business located at 210 Ocean View Drive in Pensacola, Florida. Last year, you filed a Schedule C for Bob that had $1,200,000
in taxable income. The business will have an income growth rate of 10% per year over the next several years. Bob's personal wealth, including investments in
land, stocks, and bonds, is about $14,000,000.
Last year, he reported interest income of $20,000 and dividend income of $6,000. The $14,000,000 includes land worth $9,000,000 that Bob bought in 1966 for $450,000. The stocks and bonds have a tax basis of $1,200,000 and they are currently worth $5,000,000. All of the investments have been owned for more than a year. In addition to his investments, Bob paid $140,000 for his home in 1972 and it is now worth $600,000.
The used car business is currently valued at $53,000,000 including the land and building, which are worth $41,000,000. Bob's tax basis in the land and building is $2,000,000 and $400,000, respectively. The inventory is worth $12,000,000, with a cost basis of $5,000,000; the remaining assets, which include office furniture and equipment, make up the remainder of the business's total value. The office furniture and equipment are fully depreciated.
Bob wants your professional advice regarding whether he should continue to operate as a sole proprietor or convert the business to a partnership, an S corporation, or a C corporation. Based on one of the business entities selected, Bob wants to include Mandy-his daughter-in the business as an owner and manager with a possibility of 40% interest. One of his concerns is what would happen to his business after he passes away.
Mandy's personal tax information is as follows:
Mandy Jones
DOB: June 30, 1990
SSN: 999-99-9999
Marital Status: Single
Home Address: 5990 Langley Road, Pensacola, FL 35203
You will need to describe the tax and limited liability effects on a chosen business entity should Bob decide to reduce the amount of tax paid per year, as well as the protection of personal assets should there be a possible claim against the company's assets. Prepare a memorandum to the client, recommending a type of business entity, including an appendix of supporting IRS tax schedules and forms.
Milestone: Tax Effects and Ownership Interest
You will submit a draft explaining the tax effects of salaries if cash is withdrawn from a business. You must also explain the tax consequences of paying the owners based on the taxable entity selected for the business, as well as the tax consequences for each individual's personal tax returns. This assignment will address Section I, Parts D and E of the critical elements of the final project.
Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:
I. Memorandum
D. Explain the tax effect based on providing $180,000 per year for the client's salary and $70,000 per year for his daughter's salary if they withdraw cash from the business or pay dividends as appropriate.
E. Justify the percentage of ownership the client's daughter should have in the business based on the type of business entity recommended. Consider the tax law in reference to the recommendation and how the decision will affect the daughter's tax return.
Guidelines for Submission: Your paper must be submitted as a 2 page Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, and at least three sources cited in APA format.
Memo: Tax Effect on Cash Withdrawals or Dividends - Explains the tax effect based on providing the client and his daughter salaries if they withdraw cash from the company or pay dividends.
Memo: Percentage of Ownership- Justifies the percentage of ownership the client's daughter should have based on the business recommended.