Prof Myles Bassell Individual Income Tax Overview.

Prof Myles Bassell

Individual Income Tax Overview

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Learning Objectives

1. Describe the formula for calculating an individual’s tax liability and generally explain each formula component.

2. Explain the requirements for determining a taxpayer’s personal and dependency exemptions.

3. Determine a taxpayer’s filing status.

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Individual Income Tax Formula

Realized income from whatever source derived

Minus: Excluded or deferred income Equals: Gross income Minus: For AGI deductions Equals Adjusted gross income

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Adjusted Gross Income Minus: From AGI deductions:

Greater of (a) Standard deduction or

(b) Itemized deductions and

Personal and dependency exemption Equals Taxable income

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Taxable income Times: Tax rates Equals: Income tax liability Add: Other taxes Equals: Total tax Minus: Credits Minus: Prepayments Equals: Taxes due or (refund)

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Individuals report taxable income to the IRS Reported on Form 1040

U.S. tax laws use all-inclusive income concept Realized income

measurable change in property rights All realized income included in gross income unless

specifically excluded or deferred Recognized income

Reported on tax return

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Excluded income Income never included in taxable income

Municipal bond interest Gain on sale of personal residence

Deferred income Income included in a subsequent tax year

Installment sales Like-kind exchanges

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Character of income or loss Determines rates applicable to income or loss in current

year Tax exempt – no tax Tax deferred – no tax in current year Ordinary – ordinary rates from tax rate schedule Qualified dividends – 0 or 15% Capital gain or loss – depends on whether short-term or

long-term From selling capital asset If held capital asset more than a year gain or loss is long-

term, otherwise it is short-term

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Capital assets Generally all assets except

Accounts receivable Inventory Assets used in trade or business, including supplies

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Capital gains and losses Long-term capital gains generally taxed at 0% or

15% Short-term capital gains taxed at ordinary rates Net capital losses (losses in excess of gains for

year) $3,000 deductible against ordinary income for year Losses in excess of $3,000 carried forward

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Deductions for AGI Deductions “above the line” Deducted in determining adjusted gross income Always reduce taxable income dollar for dollar

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Deductions from AGI Deductions “below the line” Deducted from adjusted gross income to

determine taxable income Greater of standard deduction or itemized

deductions Personal and dependency exemptions Why might a from AGI deduction not reduce

taxable income?

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2011 Standard deduction amounts $11,600 Married filing jointly $11,600 Qualifying widow or widower $5,800 Married filing separately $8,500 Head of household $5,800 Single Additional standard deduction amounts for age

and eyesight (discuss in Chapter 6)

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Tax calculation The U.S. uses a progressive tax rate schedule Some items are taxed at preferential rates

Long-term capital gains Qualified dividends Tax on these items is calculated separately from

income taxed at ordinary rates.

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Other taxes include: Alternative minimum tax Self-employment taxes

Tax credits Reduce tax liability dollar for dollar

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Tax prepayments Payments already made towards tax liability including:

Income taxes withheld from wages by employer Estimated tax payments made during the year Taxes overpaid in prior year and applied toward current

year’s liability

• If prepayments exceed tax liability after credits, taxpayer receives a refund

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Personal and Dependency Exemptions

Personal exemptions For taxpayer and spouse if married filing jointly

Dependency exemptions For those who qualify as the taxpayers’

dependents Exemption amount for 2011 is $3,700

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Dependency requirements Citizen of U.S. or resident of U.S., Canada, or

Mexico Must not file joint return with spouse

Exception – if no tax liability filing jointly or separately Must be qualifying child or qualifying relative

of taxpayer

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Qualifying child Relationship test Age test Residence test Support test

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Qualifying Child

Relationship test taxpayer’s son, daughter, stepchild, an eligible

foster child, brother, sister, half brother, half sister, stepbrother, stepsister or a descendant of any of these relatives.

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Qualifying Child

Age test: child must be younger than the individual claiming the child as a qualifying child and either-

under age 19 at the end of the year, under age 24 at the end of the year and a full-

time student, or permanently and totally disabled.

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Qualifying Child Residence test

Same residence as taxpayer for more than half the year Exception for temporary absences such as education.

Support test Child must not provide more than half of his or her

own support Scholarships of actual child (not grandchild, for

example) are excluded from support computation

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Qualifying Child

Tie breaking rules Parents first Days living with each parent if parents living apart AGI– higher AGI gets exemption

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Qualifying relative Relationship test Support test Gross income test

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Qualifying Relative

Relationship test a descendant or ancestor of the taxpayer (e.g.,

child, grandchild, parent, or grandparent), a sibling of the taxpayer or a stepmother,

stepfather, stepbrother, stepsister, nephew, niece, aunt, uncle

in-law (mother-in law, father-in-law, sister-in-law, and brother-in-law) of the taxpayer, or

unrelated person who lives in taxpayer’s home entire year

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Qualifying Relative

Support test Taxpayer must pay > ½ of living expenses

(support) Scholarships of actual child excluded

Gross income test Gross income < personal exemption amount

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Filing Status

Five different filing statuses Married filing jointly Married filing separately Qualifying widow or widower (surviving spouse) Single Head of household

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Filing Status

Married filing jointly Must be married on the last day of the year

If one spouse dies the surviving spouse is considered to be married to decedent spouse at year end Exception – The surviving spouse remarries before year end

Joint and several liability for tax

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Filing Status

Married filing separately Taxpayers are married but file separate returns

Typically not beneficial from tax perspective Tax rates and other tax benefits

May be beneficial for non-tax reasons No joint and several liability

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Filing Status

Qualifying widow or widower Available for the two years following the year of

spouse’s death Surviving spouse does not qualify if remarries

during two-year period. Surviving spouse must maintain household for

dependent child

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Filing Status

Single Unmarried unless qualify for head of household

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Filing Status

Head of household Unmarried or considered unmarried at end of year

See abandoned spouse discussion Not a qualifying widow or widower Pay more than half the costs of keeping up a

home during the year Lived in taxpayer’s home with a “qualifying

person” for more than half of the year Exception for parents (see below)

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Filing Status

Qualifying person Qualifying child Qualifying relative Parent (even if parent doesn’t live with taxpayer)

Taxpayer must pay > ½ cost of maintaining separate household for taxpayer’s mother or father

Parent must qualify as taxpayer’s dependent

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Filing Status Head of household

Abandoned spouse treated as not married and is eligible for head of household if Spouse has not lived in home for last six months of year

and Spouse who stays in home pays > ½ the cost of

maintaining a household that serves as principal abode for qualifying child

Prof Myles Bassell Individual Income Tax Overview.

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