Mini Case 6-1: "Today, You Gotta' Be a Corporation

question 72

Essay

Mini Case 6-1: "Today, You Gotta' Be a Corporation"
Duke has been a successful used car dealer for 25 years in the same location, operating as a proprietorship. In those 25 years, he has expanded his operation and become the largest independent car dealer in a city of 85,000 people. Few people in town can boast of a business reputation better than Duke's. As he says, "I've always done business in a fair and honest fashion, and I've tried to give my customers an honest deal. The public has responded well, and last year the business revenue increased to an all-time high of $830,000."
As the business has grown, so have Duke's liabilities. On a given day, Duke will have cars worth from $350,000 to $450,000 as inventory on the lot. "Twenty years ago, if I'd asked the bank for a line of credit of $200,000, they'd have tossed me out the front door. There is no question that today business is different."
Duke's only daughter recently married a garage mechanic who has worked in the area for the past three years. Though Duke thinks the boy is certainly nice enough, he does not believe he is very smart. "The kid sure knows how to fix a car, but that's as far as it goes," says Duke. "On my last visit to the accountant, he suggested I consider incorporating. I guess he knows what he's talking about. That's all you hear today - 'you gotta be a corporation.' I guess he's right. But, to tell you the truth, I don't know."
-Should Duke incorporate or should he remain a proprietorship? Why?

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Definitions:

Gross Profit

The difference between net sales and the cost of goods sold, indicating the profit made before deducting expenses like salaries and rent.

Payroll Tax Expense

The cost to employers that includes the total of the employer’s FICA OASDI, FICA Medicare, FUTA, and SUTA taxes.

Salaries Expense

An expense account recording the total amount paid to employees for services rendered during a specific period.

Freight-in

Costs associated with transporting inventory to the company, which are typically added to the cost of inventory.