Question

Determine the tax basis of the business asset acquired in each of the following cases:

Required:
a. Firm L paid $5,950 cash plus $416 sales tax plus a $500 installation charge for a satellite dish.
b. TTP Inc. acquired inventory in exchange for 800 shares of TTP common stock listed on Nasdaq at $212 per share on the date of exchange.
c. Firm Q acquired machinery in exchange for architectural drawings rendered by Firm’s Q’s junior partner. The partner spent 20 hours on the drawings, and his hourly billing rate is $350.
d. Company C purchased equipment by paying $2,000 cash at date of purchase and financing the $18,000 balance of the price under a three-year deferred payment plan.

Answer 1

a. A Cost basis is best:

= Every cost necessary to set up and use the satellite dish:

= Purchase price + Sales tax + Installation tax

= 5,950 + 416 + 500

= $6,866

b. Here the best basis to use is the Fair Market Value of the stock that was exchanged for the inventory:

= (800 * 212)

= $169,600

c. Use Fair Market Value of services rendered by junior partner:

= 20 * 350

= $7,000

d. Use the total payment requirement:

= Cost at purchase date + Balance to be paid

= 2,000 + 18,000

= $20,000