On January $1,2022,$ Aspen Company acquired $80$ percent of Birch Company's voting stock for $$452,000$ Birch reported a $$505,000$ book value, and the fair value of the noncontrolling interest was $$113,000$ on that date$-$ Then, on January $1,2023,$ Birch acquired $80$ percent of Cedar Company for $$112,000$ when Cedar had a $$104,000$ book value and the $20$ percent noncontrolling interest was valued at $$28,000.$ In each acquisition, the subsidiary's excess acquisition$-$date fair over book value was assigned to a trade name with a $30-$year remaining life.

These companies report the following financial information. Investment income figures are not included.

SEE ATTACHED IMAGE

Required:

a$.$ If all companies use the equity method for internal reporting purposes, what is the December $31,2023,$ balance in Aspen's Investment in Birch Company account?

b$.$ What is the consolidated net income for this business combination for $2024?$

c$.$ What is the net income attributable to the noncontrolling interest in $2024?$

d$.$ Assume that Birch made intra$-$entity inventory transfers to Aspen that have resulted in the following intra$-$entity gross profits in inventory at the end of each year:

Date

$12/31/22$: $$19,700$

$12/31/23$: $$20,300$

$12/31/24$: $$25,600$

What is the accrual$-$based net income of Birch in $2023$ and $2024,$ respectively?