CPA Exam Lab
Section 2: 30–40%T6

S Corporation Compliance and Basis

Exam insight

S corporations are pass-through entities, so TCP tests eligibility, the per-share per-day way of splitting income, and the strict stock-then-debt basis order that limits loss deductions. How distributions interact with AAA and C-corporation E&P, plus the built-in gains tax, come up again and again and carry a lot of points.

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What AICPA wants you to know

  • 1State the S corporation eligibility requirements and the mechanics and timing of the election.
  • 2Allocate separately and non-separately stated items using the per-share, per-day method.
  • 3Adjust shareholder stock basis and apply the stock-then-debt loss limitation ordering.
  • 4Track the Accumulated Adjustments Account (AAA) and characterize distributions when C-corporation E&P exists.
  • 5Compute the built-in gains tax on appreciated assets held at conversion from a C corporation.