Income Tax Flashcards
What are the eligibility requirments for a
Subchapter S Corporation?
- Number of shareholders is limited to 100
- The Corporation can only have a single class of outstanding Common Stock (no preferred), but the Common can be voting or non-voting.
- Must be a Domestic Corporation Only individuals, estates and certain Trusts may be shareholders.
NOTE: Non-resident aliens (persons who are neither citizens nor permanent residents of the US) cannot be shareholders.
Tax Basis for Partnership / LLC
- Cash invested
- Direct loans made to the partnership
- Partnership Debt: Loans made to the partnership - not the partner (bank loans)
NOTE: S-Corp basis does NOT include bank loans even if the S-Corp owner personally guarantees the debt.
Property Classes
1245 Property (non real estate)
- 5 year:Computers,Autos,Trucks
- 7 year:Office Equipment except computers,
1250 Property (real estate)
- 27.5 year: Residential rental property
- 39 year: Non-residential real property
Remember: CATCORN
Boot / Gain Recognized / Basis
No Boot Received: Recognized Gain is zero
When Boot is Received, just answer the recognized gain is the boot received
- Boot paid is added to Basis
- Basis carries over from the prior property
Netting Capital Gains and Losses
Step 1:
- ST Capital Gains and ST Losses are Netted
- LT Capital Gains and LT Losses are Netted
Step 2:
- If a Gain and Loss remain, they are again Netted
Step 3:
- If a Loss remains after Netting Capital Gains and Losses, only $3,000 of the Net Losses can be used to offset ordinary income
Sale of a Personal Residence (Section 121)
$250K (single) and $500k (MFJ) of Gain from the sale is tax-free if lived in for 2 out of the last 5 years.
- Exception available if taxpayer lives in the residence less than two years and moves because of a new job, for health reasons, etc. Receives a pro-rated amount.
Recapture (1245 Property)
When the sole proprietor purchases equipment and takes Depreciation (Cost Recovery Deduction - CRD), the CRDs offset the sole proprietor’s ordinary income.
When the sole proprietor sells the equipment for a gain, the sole proprietor must:
- 1st: Look back and recapture the lesser of the CRDs taken or the Gain realized as 1245 Gain (ordinary income)
- 2nd: Recover any excess gain as 1231 (capital gain)
Section 179
Qualifying vs. Non-Qualifying Property
Qualifying:
- Tangible Personal Property
- 1245 Property
Non-Qualifying:
- Real Estate
- 1250 Property
- Intangible (owning a franchise)
AMT Preference Items
- Excess Intangible Drilling Costs (IDC)
- Private Activity Municipal Bond
- Oil and Gas Percentage Depletion / Excess intangible drilling costs (IDC)
- Depreciation (ACRS/MACRS) but not straight line
Remember: I.P.O.D.
AMT Add-Back Items
AMT Not-Deductible Items
Add Back:
- Incentive Stock Option Bargain Element
- Property and Income Taxes
Postponing AMT
- Accelerating receipt of taxable income or deferring the payment of property taxes, state income taxes, deductible medical expenses or charitable giving, the regular tax (1040) may exceed the AMT payable (more taxable income)
- Deferring exercise of incentive stock options (preference item) to a later date or disqualifying the ISO so that it becomes NQSO (subject to ordinary income tax).
- Purchase public purpose muni bonds instead of private activity bonds.
Historic Rehabilitation Programs
Historic Rehabilitation programs that are held as passive activity may generate a Deduction:
- Equivalent Tax Credit of up to $25,000.
The benefit of this Deduction:
- Equivalent Tax Credit phases out between $200- 250k of AGI.
How does the Deduction Equivalent tax credit work?
- Calculate tax to determine the maximum marginal tax bracket. If it is 25%, for example, then you multiply $25,000 by 25% to get $6250.
Low Income Housing Credit
Low-Income Housing programs that are held as passive activity may generate a Deduction:
- Equivalent Tax Credit up to $25,000. There is NO phase out.
- The Low Income Housing Credit is allowed annually over a 10 year “credit period.”
- The Depreciation is straight-line over 27.5 years.
How does the credit work?
- For example, multiply 35% by $25,000 to get a credit of $8750.
NOTE: Because there is no phaseout, it produces a higher credit.
Types of Phantom Income
Insurance:
- Lapse of Policy Loan
- Section 162 Life/Disability
Investments:
- Zero/Strip Income
- TIPS
- Declared but not paid Dividends
Tax/Retirement:
- K-1 Income from LP/FLP
- Recapture
- NUA
- 20% withholding plan distributions, Secular Trust
Charitable Giving
Calculate the Maximum Deductible - 60% of AGI
- Calculate the eligible amounts given to 50% organizations (public charities) such as all churches, schools, hospitals and organizations such as United Way, Red Cross, Humane Society, etc.
- Calculate the eligible amounts given to 30% organizations (private charities) such as private non-operating foundations, war veteran groups, and fraternal orders.
Charitable Giving (Types of Property - 60% Charities)
- Long-Term Appreciated Property, using FMV deduct up to 30% of AGI
- Use-unrelated Property, ST Capital Gain Property using basis deduct up to 50% of AGI
Sources of Federal Tax Law/Authority
- Internal Revenue Code: Primary Source of all tax law.
- Treasury Regulations: Great authority, but not law.
- Revenue Rulings and Revenue Procedures: Administrative interpretation. May be cited.
- Congressional Committee Reports: Indicate the intent of Congress. May not be cited.
- Private Letter Rulings: Apply to a specific taxpayer .
- Judicial Sources: Court decisions interpret
Step Transaction
Ignore the individual transaction and instead tax the ultimate transaction
- Example: The XYZ Corporation sells property to an unrelated purchaser who subsequently resells the property to a wholly owned subsidiary of XYZ.
Sham Transaction
A transaction that lacks a business purpose and economic substance will be ignored for tax purposes.
- Example: A sale by XYZ to ABC, but both XYZ and ABC are owned by the same persons.
Substance Over Form
The substance of a transaction, and not merely its form, governs its tax consequences.
- Example: The president of XYZ has the company loan him the money he needs. He never intends to repay the loan or take a salary.
Assignment of Income
Income is taxed to the tree that grows the fruit, even though it may be assigned to another prior receipt.
- Example: Mr. T owns XYZ, an S Corp. He directs that all income be paid to his son. Mr. T reports no income.
Dates for Paying Estimated Taxes
- April 15
- June 15
- September 15
- January 15
IRS Penalties
Frivolous
- Frivolous Return: $5000
Federal Withholding Tax Underpayment Penalty
To avoid, pay the lesser of:
- 90% of the current year’s tax liability
- 100% of the prior year’s tax liability (or 110% if the last year’s adjusted gross income exceeded $150,000)