The Tax Court Decides an Expenditure Is Deductible in the Year

question 101

Essay

The Tax Court decides an expenditure is deductible in the year the issue was first litigated. The government appealed and won a reversal in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. It is the only appellate decision regarding the issue. If and when the Tax Court encounters this issue again, how will it hold?

---

Definitions:

Average Cost

The total cost of production divided by the number of units produced, indicating the cost per unit.

Consumer Surplus

The bifurcation between what a consumer wishes to pay for a service or good, and what ends up being spent.

Producer Surplus

The difference between what producers are willing to sell a good for and the actual market price of the good.

Deadweight Loss

Deadweight loss refers to the loss of economic efficiency that can occur when the equilibrium for a good or a service is not achieved or is not achievable, often due to market distortion such as taxes or subsidies.