Question

Twelve years ago, Adams, Boyd, and Chambers formed a partnership manufacturing small circuit boards. Unfortunately, foreign competition, a softening economy, and management errors have led the partners to realize that the company’s business cannot be sustained and that the partnership must be liquidated. A condensed balance sheet is as follows:

Cash	$ 12,000	Note payable to Adams	$ 10,000
Noncash assets	225,000	Other liabilities	170,000
		Capital, Adams	15,000
		Capital, Boyd	10,000
		Capital, Chambers	32,000
Total assets	$237,000	Total liabilities and capital	$237,000

The current value of personal assets and liabilities of the partners, excluding those related to the partnership, are as follows:

	Adams	Boyd	Chambers
Personal assets	$185,000	$62,000	$170,000
Personal liabilities	72,000	78,000	150,000

Boyd is extremely concerned that after liquidation of the partnership they would still continue to be personally insolvent. This would be devastating to Boyd, and they have come to you with their concerns.

Prepare a response to each of Boyd’s independent questions noting that profits and losses are allocated 40%, 20%, and 20% to Adams, Boyd, and Chambers, respectively.

1. If assets with a book value of $180,000 were sold for $200,000 and the partners agreed to maintain a minimum cash balance of $5,000, would any of the available cash be distributed to Boyd?

2. If all of the noncash assets were sold for net proceeds of $280,000 and all cash was distributed, would any of the available cash be distributed to Boyd?

3. Assume that all of the noncash assets were sold for net proceeds of $150,000 and all cash was distributed. If Adams contributed the necessary assets to the partnership to liquidate unsatisfied outside creditors, how much would Boyd be liable to Adams for?

4. How much would all of the noncash assets have to be sold for so that after distributing all available cash Boyd could liquidate their personal liabilities?

Answer 1