REG 1 Flashcards
What does realization require?
The accrual or receipt of cash, property, or services, or a change in the form or the nature of the investment (a sale or exchange).
What does recognition mean?
Record. Must be included in the tax return.
What portion of life insurance premiums paid by an employer for an employee are tax free?
- The first $50,000 is tax free.
- Premiums above the first $50,000 are taxable income to the recipient, usuall reported on the W-2.
Are life insurance benefits taxable? What about related interest?
- life insurance benefits (paid because of death or terminal illness) are excluded from gross income.
- Related interest is fully taxable.
Are accident, medical, and health insurance premiums paid by an employer taxable?
- They are excludable from the employee’s income when the employer paid the insurance premiums.
- Amounts paid to the employee under the polic are includable in income unless such amounts are: 1. Reimbursement for medical expenses actually incurred by the employee, or
2. Compensation for the payment loss or loss of use of a member or function of the body.
Are de minimis fringe benefits taxable?
- No. Ex. Employee;s personal use of a company computer.
Are meals and lodging paid by an employer included in the employee’s gross income?
- No. As long are for the convenience of the employer on the employer’s premises. Also, lodging must be required as a condition of employment.
Are employer payment of employee’s education expenses include in gross income? If so, are there limits?
- Yes
- Up to 5250 may be exlcuded.
When are qualified pensions, profit-sharing, and stock bonus plans taxable? Nontaxable?
- Payments made by employer (put into trust account) are nontaxable.
- Benefits received (withdraw/get money) are taxable.
What are flexible spending arrangements? Are they taxable? Can they be lost?
- Flex spending arrangements are plans that allow employees to receive a pre-tax reimbursement of certain (specified) incurred expenses.
- Yes, employees can elecy to have up to $2,600 deposited into a felixble spending account designated for them.
- Funds must be forfeited if not used within 2.5 months after the year-end (use it or lose it).
Is interest income taxable?
- All interest income is taxable unless it is specifically included.
What kinds of interest income are reportable but not taxable?
- State and local government bonds/obligations
- Bonds of a U.S. possession
- Series EE Bonds
- Forefeited interest (adjustment) (Penalty on withdrawal from savings).
What are series EE bonds? Is there a phase-out?
- Education Expense
- Yes, there is a phase-out that starts when AGI exceeds an indexed amount.
What is forefeited interest?
- A penalty for early withdrawal of savings. The bank credits the interest to the taxpayer’s account and then, in a separate transaction, removes certain interest as a penalty for withdrawing the funds before maturity.
When are dividends taxable?
When they represent distributions of a corporation’s earnings and profits.
What are qualified dividends?
Dividends paid by domestic or certain qualifying foreign corporations.
What are the tax rates for qualified dividends?
- Most taxpayers pay 15%
- Low income taxpayers (those in 10%/15% ordinary income brackets) pay 0%
- High income taxpayers (in the 39.6% ordinary income bracket) pay 20%.
Are stock dividends taxable? What is a taxpayers basis in stock dividends?
- No. Unless cash or other property is an option.
- Same stock = Original basis is divided by total shares.
- Different stock = Original basis allocated based on the relative FMV of the different stock.
What capital gain distributions? Are they taxable?
- Distributions by a corporation that has no earning and profits, and for which the shareholder has recovered his or her entire basis, are treated as taxable gross income.
Schedule B deals with?
Interest and ordinary dividends.
Are state and local tax refunds taxable? What about interest earned from a late refund?
- It depends. If you itemized the previous year they are. If you received the standard deduction they are not.
- Interest earned on late refunds are fully taxable.
How is alimony taxed?
- Alimony is dedictonle for the taxpayer making the payments.
- Alimony is taxable as ordinary income by the person receiving the alimony.
How is child support to the ex-spouse receiving the money taxed?
- They are nontaxable.
Can you make alimony payments before child support is fulfilled?
- Payments to an ex-spouse as alimony will be treated as child support if the child-support obligation is not fulfilled.
What are property settlements? Are they taxable?
-Property settlements are lump sum payments or property received in a divorce settlement that are neither tax deductible expenses (for the payor) or taxable income (for the recipient).
Where is business income reported on the 1040?
Schedule C
Where is farm income reported on the 1040?
Schedule F
Where are gains and loss on the disposition of property reported?
Schedule D
How is gain/loss calculated?
Amount Realized - Adjusted basis of assets sold = Gain or loss realized.
Generally, at what age can IRA Income be withdrawn? At what age are required distributions required?
- 59 1/2
- 70 1/2
When are IRA distributions taxable, nontaxable, partially taxable?
- Traditional deductible IRA.
- Roth IRA.
- Traditional nondeductible IRA.
1. Principle is non taxable.
2. Accumulated earnings are taxable when withdrawn.
Generally, what are the penalties for early withdrawal?
- 10%
What are the exceptions to early withdrawal penalties?
HIM DEAD
- Home buyer (first time), $10,000 maximum exclusion applies if the dist is used to buy a first home (within 120 days of dist).
- Insurance (medical) for self employed (within 12 consecutive weeks of unemployment compensation) and Self-employed (who are otherwise eligible for unemployment comp).
- Medical expenses in excess of 10% of AGI
- Disability (permanent or indefinite disability, but not temporary disability).
- Education: College tuition, books, fees, etc…
- And
- Death
How are annuities taxed?
- Treat investment (paid) as depreciation.
- The investment amount is divided by a factor representing the number of months over which the investment will be recovered. This factor is based on the age of the annuitant at the start of the payout period. Factors range from 360 for starting ages under 56 to 160 for starting ages over 70.
What happend if you live longer than the actual annuity pay period? Shorter?
- Further payments are fully taxable?
- Treated as a miscellaneous itemized deduction.
Where is rental income reported?
Schedule E
Is unemployment income taxable?
Yes
Is workman’s comp taxable?
No
Are social security benefits taxable?
Depending on income.
- Low income peoples’ SS is not taxable.
- Low middle income <50%
- Middle Income 50%
- Upper middle income 50%>85%
- Upper income >85%