Tax Flashcards
What are 1231 assets?
Includes 1245 and 1250 assets
Depreciable property used in trade or business
Must be held greater than 1 year
Timber, coal, iron, livestock, unharvested crops. Certain purchased intangibles
Means you can take an ordinary loss versus capital loss (up to 37%)
1231 gives lowest cap gains rate and highest loss write off
What can you use the 1031 exchange on?
Real estate only according to TCJA
Used to include same sex livestock, etc
What is 1245 property?
Tangible or personal property like machines, furniture business equipment, light fixtures, carpeting
Construction equipment
What is the basis of inherited property?
The FMV at date of death
or
the alternate valuation date if properly elected by the executor
What is the basis of property received as a gift?
Basis typically carry over (so you get the donors basis)
Holding period also carry’s over
note that the “gift” is the full value (FMV)
The “taxable gift” is different
What is a donees basis when the donor paid some gift tax in cash?
Take the donees basis and add:
Realized gain/FMV * gift tax paid
What is the basis when the FMV of the gift has dropped below the original basis?
This is loss property so double basis.
Determine a Gain Basis and a Loss Basis
If the sell is between basis’, no gain or loss.
If sold below loss basis, use loss basis as basis
If loss property, starts at transfer date
If gain property, use donor’s HP
When determining basis, who are related parties?
Siblings, including half
Does not include:
aunts and uncles
What is a 267 deal?
restrictions on loss sales to related parties.
Ex: selling something for less than FMV to a child
The seller can’t claim a loss
What is section 1250 depreciation recapture?
Up to 25%
What is the cap gains tax rate on collectibles?
Up to 28%
What happens if you have a loss on a personal use asset?
Can’t take the loss!
How does a wash sale impact basis?
If someone sells at a loss then buys back, the new basis is equal to the new sale price PLUS the loss that they tried to recognize when they sold.
What is section 121?
Personal residence gain exclusion
Can exclude MFJ $500k of gain if
- Either spouse meets the 2 year ownership requirement
- Both spouses must meet the 2 year use requirement
What happens if you had to sell your home prior to the 2 year test?
You can still claim the exclusion if you had:
-change in health
-change in job
-unforeseen circumstances - expecting twins
You’ll be able to claim a partial based on the number of months you were there divided by 24 months
Example: 21 months over 24 months * $500k exclusion
What is a section 1244?
Apply to losses only
A single taxpayer can deduct up to $50k on the loss of a small business stock as an ordinary loss ($100k MFJ)
Small business must be less than $1m in total cap contributions
What is section 1033?
Allows property owners to avoid tax liability on capital gain that occurs as a result of the forced loss of a property.
Example: Your property is destroyed or condemned
What is section 1035?
Swapping of life insurance or annuitieis
Life can be swapped for life
Annuity can be swapped for annuity
Life can be swapped for annuity
Annuity CAN NOT be swapped for life
Section 2035?
When someone gifts life insurance within 3 years of death.
What are above the line exclusions?
Life insurance
Scholarship money for tuition (but not for room and board)
Inheritance
What are above the line deductions?
Losses on sale or exchange of property
Deductions from rental and royalty property
one-half of self employment paid
100 % of health insurance premiums paid by self employed people
Contributions to pensions
Interest on student loans ($2500) (there are phaseouts)
HSA
Trade or business accounts
Alimony payment if divorce was BEFORE 1/1/19
What are below the line deductions?
Either standard deduction
Itemized deductions
- Charitable contributions
- Limited casualty losses
- Medical expenses in excess of 7.5% of AGI
- Limited misc itemized deductions
- interest on mortgage and investments, subject to limitation
s
- Mortgage insurance premiums
- Taxes (state/sales & use, local, us prop) caped at $10k
What is a cash basis taxpayer?
Most individuals
Recognize when you actually get the cash
What is accrual constructive receipt?
Income becomes taxable when it is
- readily available to the taxpayer
- income that is not subject to limitations or restrictions
How does qualifying widow work?
For the 2 years after a partner dies, they can file as qualifying widower if there are dependents
In the year of death, still file as married filing jointly
What are additional standard deductions?
If MFJ:
Blind - $1400
over 65 - $1400
It’s per spouse. Can collect both blind and over 65
If single:
Each is $1700
What is a qualifying child for the qualifying tax credit?
Does not provide more than 50% of their support
Under 17
A qualifying child for tax purposes (not for the tax credit) is:
- child, grandchild, stepbrother, stepsister
- under 19 or 24 if in school
What is a qualifying relative?
- Gross income is less than $4,400
- Child, grandchild, sibling, parents, grandparents, parents siblings or anyone that lives with you year around
What’s included in Gross Income?
-Compensation for services
-Gains from property
-interest and dividends
-rents and royalties
- Income from life insurance and endowment contracts
-Pensions
- forgiven debt (unless bankruptcy)
-unemployment benefits
-income in respect of a decedent
-annuity payments
-below market rate loans
-alimony and separate maintance
How are annuities taxed?
Use the exclusion ratio
Investment in the contract/Expected total return
The portion of each annuity payment must be included in gross income according to the exclusion ratio
How much of social security is included in gross income?
max 85%
Hurdles..
How are below market loans included in gross income?
$0-$10k loans – $0 imputed interest
$10k-<=$100k – impute interest
– AFR rate minus loaners rate
– Cap at the investors net investment income*
– If NII is less than $1k, no impute
> $100k – Interest calculated using AFR interest calculated using stated rate of loan. No cap for NII
*NII = Interest, STCGm NQDiv
What is specifically excluded from gross income?
Gifts and inheritances
Life insurance proceeds
Scholarships (tuition, fees, books)
Gain on sale of personal residence
Qualifying distributions from Roth
Compensation for injuries and sickness
Meals and lodging furnished for the convenience of the employer or the employers premises
What are employee fringe benefits?
Athletic facilities
Educational assistance programs (limited to $5,250)
Employee discounts (20% on service)``
FSA and HSA
What is the mortgage interest deduction?
Can be deducted on up to two homes
Can’t be used on HELOC unless HELOC is for home improvement
$1m for homes finances prior to 2017
$750k for homes financed after 2017
What is net investment income?
Taxable interest
short term cap gains
non qualified dividends
What are the deductions for SALT taxes?
Capped at $10k
Below the line deduction
How are charitable contributions deducted?
Itemized, below the line
If a public charity (can’t be donor advised fund)
60% deduction on cash
50% deduction on ordinary property
RELATED USE If you donate real property, intangible assets (stocks, bonds)or tangible property
-deduct 30% if FMV
-deduct 50% if basis
What is deduction clustering?
Strategically take the standard or itemized deduction in alternating years
What are common preference items for AMT?
ADD BACK:
Private activity bonds (stadium, parking lot, etc)
Depreciation
ISO
SALT
Intangible drilling costs
Percentage depletion
How does AMT and standard deductions work?
You don’t get a SD with AMT
You get an exemption amount
What is NOT deductible on AMT?
SALT tax!
What is depreciation recapture?
If you’ve deprecated more than what you’ve sold it for, you have to recognize the depreciation as ordinary income.
How are LLCs taxed?
They can choose to file as an entity OR individual
– 1040 or K1
How are S Corps taxed?
Both K1 and W2
Employees get W2
Shareholders get K1
What is the order of authority for tax administration?
- IRS (primary source)
- Regulations - explain code
- Revenue Rulings -
- Revenue procedures
- Private Letter Rulings - one taxpayer seeks guidance. Not binding. Pre-transaction
- Determination Letters - post transaction
- Technical Advice Memorandums
- Judicial Sources - courts
How long is the statute of limitations for IRS auditing?
3 years when return has been filed
– Can extend to 6 years if you underestimate gross income by more than 25%
10 years to collect
Does not apply if you don’t file a return or file an intentional fraudulent return
What is the interest on late return?
fed short term rate plus 3%
What is the failure to file penalty
5% per month up to 25%
What is the failure to pay penalty?
.5% per month up to 25%
How do you calculate a failure to file and failure to pay penalty?
Reduce FTF by FTP
What are advantages of the US tax court?
Only court where no payment of tax is necessary
No jury trial available
Deficiencies under $50k
Appeals to US court of appeals
What are advantages/disadvantages of the US district court?
Advantages
- local
- actual jury
- convenient
Disadvantage
- Judge may be less experienced with tax cases
- must have paid taxes already
Appeals to court of appeals
What are advantages/disadvantages of the US district court?
Advantages
- local
- actual jury
- convenient
Disadvantage
- Judge may be less experienced with tax cases
- must have paid taxes already
Appeals to court of appeals
What’s the deduction ceiling for a charitable donation of cash?
60% of AGI (public charity)
Charitable contributions can be carried forward for FIVE years
What can you deduct if you donate ordinary income property?
Ordinary income property - ex: computers for business or inventory
Valuation is the lesser of adjusted basis or FMV
Deduct:
50% of AGI (public)
30% of AGI (private)
Also applies to loss property and Short-Term Capital Gain property
What can you deduct if you donate LTCG assets that are unrelated?
What is the “Special Election” for LTCG property donated to a charity?
If the property fits one of these categories:
1. real prop
2. intangible prp (stock)
3. tangible property which is usable to the charity
Donator can choose to deduct one of 2 ways. Either
- taxable basis of the property and retain the 50% AGI
OR
- FMV of the property up to 30% of AGI
What is the deduction cap of LTCG property that’s tangible with unrelated use?
50% of agi (public)
20% of AGI (private)
What are qualifying medical expenses?
Prescription drugs
Health insurance premium (outside of work)
Eligible capital improvements - making home accessible for mobility (ramps, elevator when medically necessary, etc
Nursing home and special schools
Travel and lodging for medical treatments
How much of medical expenses are deductible?
anything over 7.5% of AGI
What is not a deductible medical expense?
Elective cosmetic surgery
General health items - vitamins
Health club
Marijuana (state might allow)
OTC drugs
Dance lessons
What happens if you take a medical deduction one year, then the next year are reimbursed by your health insurance?
Reimbursement becomes taxable income
Who is charged kiddie tax?
Under 19 or under 24 if still in school
What is the tax rate on unearned income for minors?
First $1150 is not taxed
Next $1150 is taxed to the child (single filer rates
Above $2300 is taxed at the parental rate
How is earned income taxed to a minor?
Deduction is the greater of earned income + $400 OR $1150.
Standard deduction can’t exceed single filers standard deduction
What qualifies for a like kind exchange?
Real property
In the US
Held for investment purposes or for production of income
(Can’t be personal property)
What happens in a like kind exchange when FMV is the same, but ATB is different?
Basis stays the same
No tax consequences because no funds where exchanged
What happens if boot exceeds basis?
Reduce the basis
How long do you have to find a new property in a like kind exchange?
Identified within 45 days of date when old property was transferred
Received within 180 days of transfer
What happens when you use boot to pay in a like kind exchange?
If you use boot, you must recognize gain on that boot. Example, someone uses $10k ($7k basis) in stocks to pay for a like kind exchange. – $3k gain
What is active income?
Taxpayer materially participates in generating income
-losses are fully deductible
-salary, general partnerships, self-employment income
What is passive income?
- real estate ventures
- rental income
- limited partnerships
- losses deductible UP TO a passive income
– Losses can be carried forward to following years
What is portfolio income?
- traditional investment activities
- losses are deductible
How are publicly and non publicly traded partnerships netted against each other?
Public must net with public
Non public must net with non public
What happens with loss when disposing of passive activities?
When disposing of a passive activity, you can offset the full loss against active income
Normally you can only offset with passive income
How many days can you rent a property and keep it personal use?
14 days
What can you deduct on a rental property?
Mortgage deduction. (up to 2 properties)
Can deduct losses up to $25k (depending on income)
-Phase out starts at $100k, phases out at 50
What is mixed used property?
Rented more than 15 days, used personally more than 14 days OR 10% of the amount of time it’s rented
Note that if they are doing repairs on the property it doesn’t count as personal use
What are implications of rental property?
- must report income
- Can deduct rental use expenses ($25k limit with phaseout)
What are implications of mixed use property?
No losses can be deducted
Must include rental income
What are implications of mixed use property?
No losses can be deducted
Must include rental income
What are implications of mixed use property?
No losses can be deducted
Must include rental income
How are illegal business taxed?
Think marijuana
Must report income
Can deduct cost of goods sold, rent, legal activities
How is alimony deducted?
If signed before end of 2018,
- included in income
- deduction to payer
If after,
- not included in income (not taxable)
- no deduction
When are moving expenses deductible?
Stopped being deductible with TCJA
Only when moving for armed services
When are casualty losses deducible?
When there is a FEDERALLY declared disaster that is SUDDEN and UNEXPECTED
Loss is equal to lesser of decline in FMV or ATB
Subject to 10% AGI floor
Less $100 per incident
When did the mortgage interest deduction change?
homes financed prior to 2017 can have interest on up to $1m loan deducted
After 2017, $750k loan interest deductible
No reverse mortgage deduction
No heloc deduction unless used for home improvement