Final answer:
The balance in the income summary before it is closed to capital is $31,000.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the balance in the income summary before it is closed to capital, you would subtract expenses and withdrawals from revenues:
$60,000 (Revenues) - $25,000 (Expenses) - $4,000 (Withdrawals) = $31,000
So, the correct answer is:
a. $31,000
This represents the net income for the period. If the balance is positive (as it is in this case), it is considered a credit balance. Therefore, you could also express it as:
b. $31,000 credit
This amount would be closed to the owner's capital account as part of the closing entries at the end of the accounting period.