Sean, a Sole Proprietor, Is Engaged in a Service Business

question 47

Essay

Sean, a sole proprietor, is engaged in a service business and uses the cash basis of accounting. In the current year, Sean incorporates his business by forming Aqua Corporation. In exchange for all of its stock, Aqua receives: assets basis of $400,000 and fair market value of $2 million), trade accounts payable of $110,000, and loan of $390,000 due to a bank. The proceeds from the bank loan were used by Sean to provide operating funds for the business. Aqua Corporation assumes all of the liabilities transferred to it.
a. Does Sean recognize any gain on the incorporation? Explain.

b. What basis does Sean have in the Aqua stock?
c. What basis does Aqua Corporation have in the assets it receives?

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Definitions:

Strong-Form Efficient

A hypothesis that states all information, both public and private, is completely accounted for in stock prices, and that no investor can achieve consistently higher returns.

CAPM

The Capital Asset Pricing Model, a formula used to determine the expected return of an asset based on its beta and expected market returns, thus assessing its inherent risk and cost of capital.

Beta

A measure of a security's or portfolio's volatility, or systematic risk, in comparison to the market as a whole.

Risk-free Rate

The risk-free rate is the theoretical return on an investment with zero risk, often represented by the yield on short-term government securities.