At January $1,2025,$ Universal Communications issued $10,000$ SARs shares that, upon exercise, entitle key executives to receive compensation equal in value to the excess of the market price at exercise over the share price at the date of grant. The SARs vest at the end of $2026($cannot be exercised until then$)$ and expire at the end of $2033.$ The fair value of the SARs, estimated by an appropriate option pricing model, is $$8$ per SAR at January $1,2025.$ The fair value re$-$estimated at December $31,2025,2026,2027,2028,$ and $2029,$ is $$8\mathrm{.}40,$ $$8,$ $$6,$ $$4\mathrm{.}30,$ and $$5,$ respectively. As a result of the stock appreciation rights, Universal should recognize compensation expense for $12/31/2025$ of:

$$ a$.$ $$0$

$$ b$.$ $$80,000$

$$ c$.$ $$21,000$

$$ d$.$ $$84,000$