Charles Owns a Business with Two Separate Departments

question 29

Multiple Choice

Charles owns a business with two separate departments. Department A produces $100,000 of income and Department B incurs a $60,000 loss. Charles participates for 550 hours in Department A and 100 hours in Department B. He has full-time employees in both departments.

• A) If Charles elects to treat both departments as a single activity, he cannot offset the $60,000 loss against the $100,000 income.
• B) Charles may not treat Department A and Department B as separate activities because they are parts of one business.
• C) If Charles elects to treat the two departments as separate activities, he can offset the $60,000 loss against the $100,000 income.
• D) If Charles elects to treat both departments as a single activity, he can offset the $60,000 loss against the $100,000 income.
• E) None of the above.

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Definitions:

Sale Date

The specific date on which a sale transaction is recognized in the accounting records, marking when the ownership and risks of goods pass from the seller to the buyer.

Equity Method

An accounting technique used to record investments in associate companies, where the investment is initially recognized at cost and subsequently adjusted for the investor’s share of the investee’s profit or loss.

Investment Account

A financial account held at a brokerage or financial institution that contains securities, cash, and other holdings for investment purposes.

Common Shares

Equity securities that represent ownership in a corporation, providing voting rights and entitling holders to a share of the company's profits via dividends.