Final answer:
Ivanhoe Company should record $9,000 as Patent Amortization Expense in the first year, calculated based on the $30,000 legal fees spread over the patent's 10-year useful life.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Ivanhoe Company should record $9,000 as Patent Amortization Expense in the first year. This figure is derived from the total legal fees related to the patent, which are $30,000, spread over the useful life of the patent, which is 10 years. The calculation is:
$30,000 (legal fees) / 10 years (useful life) = $3,000 per year
Research and development costs are not capitalized as part of the patent's value on the balance sheet. Therefore, those costs do not factor into the calculation of the patent's amortization expense.