McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2012 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Chapter 06 Individual Deductions
McGraw-Hill/Irwin Copyright © 2012 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
Chapter 06
Individual Deductions
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Learning objectives
1. Identify the common deductions necessary for calculating adjusted gross income (AGI)
2. Describe the different types of itemized deductions available to individuals and compute itemized deductions
3. Explain the operation of the standard deduction, determine the deduction for personal and dependency exemptions, and compute taxable income
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Deductions for AGI
Three categories of deductions for AGI Directly related to business activities Indirectly related to business activities Deductions subsidizing specific activities
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Deductions for AGI
Directly Related to Business Activities Taxpayers are allowed to deduct expenses
incurred to generate business income For tax purposes activities are either
profit-motivated or motivated by personal objectives
Profit-motivated activities are classified as 1. business activities (called “trade or business”) or 2. investment activities
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Deductions for AGI
Although both are motivated primarily by profit, business activities are distinguished from investment activities: Trade or Business activities require a relatively high
involvement or effort from the taxpayer where as investment activities don’t require
Investment activities involve investing in property for appreciation or for income payments
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Deductions for AGI
Trade or Business Expenses must be: directly connected to the business activity ordinary and necessary for the activity (e.g.,
appropriate and helpful for generating a profit) reasonable in amount (not extravagant)
Expenses are claimed on Schedule C Revenues from the same activity are also reported on
the same Schedule C The net income or loss from Schedule C is transferred
to Form 1040 (page 1) on line 12
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Deductions for AGI
Rental & Royalty Expenses Claimed above the line (for AGI) Could either be an investment activity or a trade
activity depending on facts Taxpayers report expenses and revenue on Schedule
E and transfer the net income or loss from Schedule E to Form 1040 (page 1), line 17
Flow-through Entities
Expenses and losses incurred by a flow-through entity pass through to the entity owners who typically report these amounts on Schedule E and Line 17
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Deductions for AGI
Losses Taxpayers disposing of trade or business assets at a
loss are allowed to deduct the loss for AGI Losses from investment assets (called capital assets)
are offset against capital gains If capital losses exceed capital gains, this is called a
net capital loss A net capital loss is deducted for AGI but limited to
$3,000. Losses in excess of the $3,000 limit are carried forward indefinitely to subsequent years
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Deductions for AGI Deductions indirectly Related to Business
Activities The cost of moving personal possessions is not
a direct cost of doing business or being employed
Moving Expenses are deductible for AGI if the move meets two tests
1. A distance test
2. A business test associated with a move
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Deductions for AGI Distance test – the new job site must extend existing
commute by 50 miles A new job site is required, but a new employer is not
essential Business test - Taxpayer must be employed at least
39 of 52 weeks or be self-employed for 78 of the 104 weeks following the move
Taxpayers are allowed to deduct a mileage rate in lieu of the actual costs of driving their personal automobiles during the move (19 cents per mile in 2011)
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Deductions for AGI
Health Insurance deduction by Self-Employed Taxpayers Deduction provides equity with employees who
receive health insurance as a qualified fringe benefit Insurance must be provided for taxpayer or
dependents who are not eligible for employer-provided health insurance
Penalty for early withdrawals of savings Reduces the taxpayer’s net interest income to the
amount actually received
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Deductions for AGI
SE Tax Deduction Employer and employees each pay one-half of
employee’s Social Security tax Employers deduct the portion of Social Security taxes
they pay for employees Self-employed individuals are required to pay SE tax
in lieu of Social Security tax Self-employed tax payers are allowed to deduct one-
half of the SE tax they pay to compensate for employers deducting their portion of Social Security
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Deductions for AGI
Alimony payments are deductible for AGI to maintain equity
Contributions to a qualified retirement account are deductible for AGI to encourage savings
Interest expense on qualified educational loans
Qualified educational expenses
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Deductions for AGI Deduction for Interest expense on loans used to
fund qualified educational expenses Up to $2,500 of interest on education loans is
deductible for AGI The interest deduction is phased-out for taxpayers
with AGI exceeding $60,000 ($120,000 filing joint) The deduction is eliminated for taxpayers with AGI
exceeding $75,000 ($150,000 filing joint)
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Deductions from AGI: Itemized Deductions
Medical Expenses Taxpayers may deduct medical expenses incurred to
treat themselves, their spouse, and their dependents Qualifying medical expenses include unreimbursed
payments for care, prevention, diagnosis or cure of injury, disease, or bodily function
Taxpayers using personal automobiles for medical transportation purposes may deduct a standard mileage allowance (19 cents per mile in 2011) in lieu of actual costs
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Deductions from AGI: Itemized Deductions
Hospitals and Long-term Care Facilities Taxpayers may deduct the costs of actual medical
care whether the care is provided at hospitals or other long-term care facilities
Medical Expenses Deduction Limitation It is limited to the amount of unreimbursed qualifying
medical expenses paid during the year which is reduced by 7.5% of the taxpayers AGI
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Taxes Individuals may deduct itemized deductions
payments for following taxes State, local, and foreign income taxes Real estate taxes on property held for personal or
investment purposes Personal property taxes that are assessed on the value
of the specific property
Sales Tax deduction State and local sales taxes can be deducted in lieu
of state and local income taxes
Deductions from AGI: Itemized Deductions
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Deductions from AGI: Itemized Deductions
Interest Two itemized deductions for interest expense:
Deduction of investment interest is limited to a taxpayer’s net investment income
Any investment interest in excess of the net investment income limitation carries forward to the subsequent year
Home mortgage interest Interest on acquisition indebtedness of $1million Interest on home equity debt of $100K
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Charitable Contributions Contribution of money or property must be made
to a qualified charity
Special rules apply to charitable contributions of property depending on the type of property: Capital gain property Ordinary income property
Deductions from AGI: Itemized Deductions
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Deductions from AGI: Itemized Deductions
Casualty and theft losses on personal-use assets
The amount of the tax loss from any specific casualty event (including theft) is the lesser of
decline in value of the property caused by the casualty or
taxpayer’s tax basis in the damaged or stolen asset
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Deductions from AGI: Itemized Deductions
Casualty Loss Deduction Floor Limitations It must exceed two separate floor limitations to
qualify as itemized deductions $100 for each casualty during the year 10 percent of AGI floor limit applied to the sum of
all casualty losses for the year (after applying the $100 floor)
In other words, the itemized deduction is the aggregate amount of casualty losses that exceeds 10 percent of AGI
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Deductions from AGI: Itemized Deductions
Miscellaneous Itemized Deductions Subject to AGI Floor Employee Business Expenses
Travel and transportation Employee expense reimbursements
Investment Expenses Tax Preparation Fees Hobby losses Total miscellaneous itemized deductions are
subject to a 2 percent of AGI floor limit
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Itemized Deductions and the Standard Deduction
Miscellaneous Itemized Deductions Not Subject to AGI Floor Individuals include all gambling winnings for the
year in gross income and deduct gambling losses to the extent of gambling winnings for the year
Standard Deductions Taxpayers generally deduct the greater of their
standard deduction or their itemized deductions
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Standard Deductions & Exemptions
Bunching Itemized Deductions Tax benefit can be gained by implementing
simple timing tax-planning strategy Taxpayers with itemized deductions that fall just short
of the standard deduction amount These itemized deductions do not produce any tax
benefit Rather than deduct the standard deduction every
year time deductions (when possible) to bunch together in one year