Question

COMPREHENSIVE PROBLEM

I:12-50 Paden, who is single and has been employed as an accountant for 27 years with Harper, Inc., lost his job due to company downsizing. His last day of employment is July 31, 2018, and Harper provides a $9,000 severance payment. The severance payments are based on an employee’s time of employment. During the year, Paden received a salary from Harper of $56,000. Harper also paid $8,500 of Paden’s medical insurance premiums. In May 2018, Paden, who had always wanted to be associated with a football team, ap-plied for the head coaching job at Hawk University in Iowa and, much to his surprise, re-ceived the job beginning on August 1. In June and July, Paden paid $4,500 to take courses in sports management at the local university. Hawk University is substantially short of funding and Paden paid $2,000 for entertainment expenses related to his job and $500 for supplies. No reimbursement was received. His salary from Hawk is $5,000 per month payable at the end of each month. His sal-ary for December was not received until January 6, 2019. On August 1, he sold his house for $329,000 in Texas and paid a sales commission of $14,000. He inherited the house 20 years ago when his mother died. Her basis for the house was $37,000 and the FMV when she died was $50,000. Property taxes for the 2018 calendar year amount to $3,600, and property taxes were apportioned at the clos-ing. Property taxes are payable on October 1. He paid $12,000 of interest on home equity debt of $150,000. To move to Iowa, he drove 700 miles and spent $45 for meals during the trip in July. Movers charged $4,150 to move his household items. He purchased a new house in Iowa for $150,000 on August 15 and borrowed $110,000. He also agreed to pay all property taxes for 2018. Real property taxes for the home in Iowa will be paid on January 30, 2019, and amount to $1,500. Interest on the $110,000 debt during the current year is $1,475. To obtain the loan, Paden paid points of $1,000. He contributed common stock (basis of $1,000 and FMV of $6,000) held as an in-vestment for three years to Hawk University. He also paid state income taxes of $1,765 (which was greater than state sales taxes for the year) as well as personal property taxes of $435 for his car. Paden sold 200 shares of Dell Corporation stock on April 10 for $100 per share. His basis was $145 per share. On May 1, he purchased 300 shares of Dell at $89 per share. Determine: 1. gross income without considering the sale of his house or the Dell Corporation stock. 2. recognized gain due to the sale of his house. 3. net capital gain. 4. adjusted gross income. 5. total amount of itemized deductions. 6. taxable income. 7. basis of his house in Iowa. 8. if the sales price for his home was $470,000 instead of $370,000, would his taxable income increase by more than $100,000. If yes, explain

Answer 1

1.

$85,000 ($56,000 + $20,000 + $9,000)

2.

$15,000 [($329,000 - $14,000) - $50,000 = $265,000 - $250,000 exclusion]

3.

$15,000 The loss on the sale of Dell stock is a wash sale.

4.

$100,000

5.

$ 2,475 Interest on acquisition indebtedness of Iowa residence ($1,475 + $1,000).

2,091 Real property taxes in Texas (212/365 x $3,600)

6,000 Charitable contributions

2,200 Taxes ($1,765 + 435)

$12,766

6.

$87,234 ($100,000 - $12,766)

7.

$150,933 [$150,000 + liability for property taxes assumed of $933 (227/365)($1,500)]

8.

No, his AGI would now be $187,234, but none of his expenses are affected by AGI.

Education expenses are not deductible because they qualify him for a new trade or business. The loss on the sale of Dell stock is a wash sale. Medical expenses are not deductible as they are less than 7.5% of AGI. The prorated real property taxes on the Iowa residence are deductible when paid.

For tax years after 2017, Paden is not able to deduct the following expenses that were deductible prior to 2018:

Moving expenses

2% miscellaneous expenses [the employee business expenses of 50% of entertainment and supplies)]

If the education expenses did qualify for a deduction, they would have been classified as nondeductible 2% miscellaneous itemized deduction

Interest on home equity debt

The property taxes and state income taxes total less than $10,000 and are deductible.