Final answer:
A C corporation should recognize a gain or loss in a nonliquidating distribution of assets to its sole shareholder based on the fair market value of the assets compared to their adjusted basis.
Step-by-step explanation:
When a C corporation makes a nonliquidating distribution of assets to its sole shareholder, the corporation should recognize a gain or loss based on the fair market value of the distributed assets. If the fair market value of the assets is greater than their adjusted basis, the corporation would recognize a gain. On the other hand, if the fair market value is less than the adjusted basis, the corporation would recognize a loss.
For example, if the corporation distributes a building with a fair market value of $100,000 and an adjusted basis of $80,000, the corporation would recognize a gain of $20,000.