Retained earnings

A) is unique to the corporate form of business.
B) is an optional account in the partnership form of business.
C) reflects cash paid in by stockholders to date.
D) is closed at the end of the year.

Retained earnings are a feature of the corporate form of business where profits are kept in reserve for future use rather than being distributed to shareholders as dividends. It is not an optional account in the partnership form of business, nor does it reflect cash paid in by stockholders to date. Retained earnings are not closed at the end of the year, as they carry forward from one year to the next.