Bryon Operates a Consulting Business and He Usually Works Alone

question 94

Essay

Bryon operates a consulting business and he usually works alone. However, during the summer Bryon will sometimes hire undergraduate students to collect data for his projects. This past summer Bryon hired Fred, the son of a prominent businessman, for a part-time summer job. The summer job usually pays about $17,000, but Bryon paid Fred $27,000 to gain favor with Fred's father. What amount of Fred's summer wages can Bryon deduct for tax purposes? Bryon is on the cash method and calendar year.

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Definitions:

Residual Income

The amount of income that an entity has after all costs and expenses, including the cost of capital, have been deducted.

Return On Investment

A measure of the profitability of an investment, calculated by dividing the gain from the investment by the cost of the investment.

Combined Margin

A metric that combines multiple types of profit margins (such as gross, operating, or net margin) to assess overall performance.

Contribution Margin Ratio

The percentage of sales revenue remaining after variable costs are deducted, indicating how much contributes to fixed costs and profit.