Acctg 651 Seminar in Corporate Tax
Spring 2015
San Diego State University
Charles W. Lamden School of Accountancy
COURSE INFORMATION
Dr. Gene Whittenburg, (office) SSE 2433
Phone: 619-594-5693 (office)
Email: g.e.whittenburg@sdsu.edu
Class Days: Th
Class Times: 1600 to 1840
Class Location: EBA 339
Office Hours Times: Refer to Blackboard
Enrollment Information
Prerequisites: Credit or concurrent registration in Accountancy 650. (may be waived in certain
circumstances)
Adding/Dropping Procedures: Refer to Class Schedule
Course Materials
Textbook: WFT: Corporations, Partnerships, Estates, and Trusts, 2015 Edition. You can save some
money by downloading only the chapters we are going to use (Chapters 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8). $12.49 per
chapter at:
http://www.cengagebrain.com/shop/isbn/9781285442501
Assessments and Grading
Course grades will be assigned in accordance with San Diego State University policy. Graduate grades
shall be: A (outstanding achievement, available for the highest accomplishment), B (average, awarded for
satisfactory performance), C (minimally passing), D (unacceptable for graduate credit, course must be
repeated), F (failing).
Your course grade will be based on the following weighted components.
Component
Individual Quizzes*
Team Quizzes and Other Stuff
Final Exam
Total
Weight
35%
15%
50%
100%
Class Format:
16:00 to 16:45 Individual & Group Exams
16:45 to 17:00 Break
17:00 on New material/Class activities
*You can drop one quiz without it impacting your average, however I will not forgive an additional quiz
unless there is a very strong reason why and I pre-approve the missed quiz in writing (e.g., via email). In
no case, will I forgive additional quizzes! There are no make-up quizzes.
“Emails must be clear, concise, and well written. Please do not ask questions that are clearly answered in
the course syllabus, SDSU website, or other such sources.” Examples of unacceptable questions are
“Where is your office?” or "When is the final exam?" or “When is the Final Exam?” Also, long-response
emails like “what is the meaning of life?” or “what should career path should I follow?” will not be
answered via email. If you want to talk about this kind of subjects, come see me during office hours.
Note- you must turn in all assignments. If you do not, and there is a curve at the end of the course, you
will not participate in the curve when I determine your final grade.
Tentative Course Calendar
Class
Topics
Activities
01-22-15
Administrative Stuff
Course objectives,
expectations, drops, adds,
grading, etc.
01-29-15
Corporate Taxable Income
Lecture 2A
02-05-15
Corporate Tax liability (1120 Case)
Quiz 2A, Lecture 2B
02-12-15
Corporate Formation
Quiz 2B, Lecture 4A
02-19-15
Corporate Capital Structure
Quiz 4A, Lecture 4B
02-26-15
E&P and Dividends
Quiz 4B, Lecture 5
03-05-15
Redemptions
Quiz 5. Lecture 6A
03-12-15
Liquidations
Quiz 6A, Lecture 6B
03-19-14
Sec. 338 & Type A, B, and C
Reorganizations
Quiz 6B, Lecture 7A
03-26-15
Other Reorganizations, Judicial Tests and
C/O
Quiz 7A, Lecture 7B
04-02-15
Spring Break
N/A
04-09-15
Consolidated Returns
Quiz 7B, Lecture 8
04-16-15
Corporate Special Situations
Quiz 8, Lecture 3
04-23-15
CSCPA/CBA Meeting
N/A
04-30-15
Wrap up
Quiz 3
05-07-15
Special Office Hours
05-14-15
Final Exam (1600 to 1800)
Changes to the course schedule, if any, will be announced in class and on Blackboard.
Course Overview
Description: Corporate tax problems involving distributions, liquidations, reorganizations,
redemptions, personal holding companies, accumulated earnings tax, and thin capitalization.
Student Learning Outcomes MSA students will graduate being able to:
Compare, contrast, interpret, or criticize accounting and business decisions and information using
professional business communication
Actively participate in team decision-making.
Apply ethical judgment and professional standards in analyzing situations and formulating
accounting and business decisions
Use relevant research tools and academic/professional literature to analyze or take a position in
accounting and business situations
Address unstructured problems in the areas of accounting information systems, financial
reporting, or taxation
Identify and discuss the significance of diversity and cultural differences in the global business
environment
Course Learning Outcomes At the end of this course students should be able to:
Apply the corporate tax formula and the identify the components of computing corporate gross
income, corporate federal taxable income, and compute the federal corporate income tax liability.
Show the impact of capital structure of a corporation and prepare basic corporate federal tax
returns.
Illustrate the effects of corporate formations, non-liquidating distributions, stock redemptions,
and complete liquidations on the federal corporate income tax.
Examine the tax effects of corporate reorganizations and consolidated tax returns.
Formulate research-based conclusions and recommendations for corporate tax issues.
Students with Disabilities
If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this class, it is your
responsibility to contact Student Disability Services at (619) 594-6473. To avoid any delay in the receipt
of your accommodations, you should contact Student Disability Services as soon as possible. Please note
that accommodations are not retroactive and that accommodations based upon disability cannot be
provided until you have presented your instructor with an accommodation letter from Student Disability
Services. Your cooperation is appreciated.
Academic Honesty
The University adheres to a strict policy regarding cheating and plagiarism. These activities will not be
tolerated in this class. Become familiar with the policy (http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/conduct1.html). Any
cheating or plagiarism will result in failing this class and/or a disciplinary review by Student Affairs.]
Examples of Plagiarism include but are not limited to:
 Using sources verbatim or paraphrasing without giving proper attribution (this can include
phrases, sentences, paragraphs and/or pages of work)
 Copying and pasting work from an online or offline source directly and calling it your own
 Using information you find from an online or offline source without giving the author credit
 Replacing words or phrases from another source and inserting your own words or phrases
 Submitting a piece of work you did for one class to another class
If you have questions on what is plagiarism, please consult the policy and this helpful guide from the
Library
Grade of Incomplete. A grade of Incomplete (I) indicates that a portion of required coursework has not
been completed and evaluated in the prescribed time period due to unforeseen, but fully justified, reasons
and that there is still a possibility of earning credit. It is your responsibility to bring pertinent information
to the instructor and to reach agreement on the means by which the remaining course requirements will be
satisfied. The conditions for removal of the Incomplete shall be reduced to writing by the instructor and
given to you with a copy placed on file with the department chair until the Incomplete is removed or the
time limit for removal has passed. A final grade is assigned when the work agreed upon has been
completed and evaluated. An Incomplete shall not be assigned when the only way you could make up the
work, would be to attend a major portion of the class when it is next offered. Contract forms for
Incomplete grades are available at the Office of the Registrar website