Answer:
a) What book-tax difference associated with its goodwill should RC report in year 1? Is it favorable or unfavorable? Is it permanent or temporary?
Following the IRS's rules, goodwill must be amortized over a 15 year period: $1,200,000 / 180 months = $6,666.67 per month
since no goodwill was impaired during year 1, then the book-tax difference = $6,666.67 x 6 = $40,000 favorable temporary difference. For tax purposes, goodwill was amortized by $40,000, but it wasn't impaired in the books.
b) What book-tax difference associated with its goodwill should RC report in year 2? Is it favorable or unfavorable? Is it permanent or temporary?
Again, goodwill amortization per year = $6,666.67 x 12 = $80,000 for tax purposes. Since an impairment of $200,000 was made for book purposes, then the difference = $80,000 - $200,000 = -$120,000 unfavorable temporary book-tax difference.