Question

Plum Corporation will begin operations on January 1. Earnings for the next five years are projected to be relatively stable at about $80,000 per year. The shareholders of Plum are in the 33% tax bracket. With the given scenarios, pick the best choice and explain why.
A. Assume that Plum will reinvest its after-tax earnings in the growth of the company, should Plum Corp operate as a C Corporation or an S Corporation?
B. Assume that Plum will distribute its after-tax earnings each year to its shareholders. Should Plum operate as a C corporation or an S Corporation?

Answer 1

Answer:

Plum Corporation

The best choice is:

B. Assume that Plum will distribute its after-tax earnings each year to its shareholders. Should Plum operate as a C corporation or an S Corporation?

Explanation:

a) Tax is the greatest difference existing between a C corporation and an S corporation.  With a C corporation, the earnings are taxed twice.  When the C corporation earns income, it is taxed as a corporation.  When it distributes the after-tax earnings, the owners are taxed again in income tax.  This does not happen with an S corporation.  The S corporation does not pay corporate tax, instead, its owners pay their individual income taxes because the corporation's incomes are passed through the members.