Exam 5: Gross Income and Exclusions

Which of the following statements about alimony payments is true?

Gross income includes

Helen is a U.S. citizen and CPA, who moved to London, England three years ago to work for a British company. This year, she spent the entire year in London and earned a salary of $110,000. How much of her salary will she be allowed to exclude from gross income in the U.S.?

Ophra is a cash basis taxpayer who is employed in the publishing industry. This year her employer informed her that because of her outstanding performance she is entitled to a free world cruise. Ophra asked her employer to issue the cruise tickets to her parents, and he complied with this request. Identify the principle that will determine whether Ophra or her parents are taxed on the value of the cruise tickets:

Anna received $15,000 from life insurance paid upon the death of her grandmother. Anna can exclude the entire amount of the life insurance from her gross income.

The cash method of accounting requires taxpayers to recognize income only when that income is received as cash.

Prizes and awards are generally taxable.

This year Zach was injured in an auto accident. As a result he received the following payments. Zach received $18,000 of disability pay. Zach has disability insurance provided by his employer as a nontaxable fringe benefit. Zach's employer paid $4,300 in disability premiums for Zach this year. Zach's hospital bills totaled $4,500 and were paid by his health insurance. Zach has health insurance provided by his employer as a nontaxable fringe benefit. Zach's employer paid $6,250 in health insurance premiums for Zach this year. What amount must Zach include in his gross income?

Graham has accepted an offer to do graduate work in the chemistry department at State University. The chemistry department offered Graham a $5,000 tuition reduction and $3,500 toward the cost of room and meals. Under the terms of the scholarship Graham must work in the chemistry labs during the summer as a research assistant. What amount must Graham include in his gross income?

Taxpayers meeting certain home ownership and use requirements can permanently exclude up to $1,000,000 of realized gain on the sale of their principal residence.

In April of this year Victoria received a $1,400 refund of state income taxes that she paid last year. Last year Victoria claimed itemized deductions of $8,690. Victoria's itemized deductions included state income taxes paid of $3,750. How much of the refund, if any, must Victoria include in gross income if the standard deduction last year was $6,100?

Emily is a cash basis taxpayer, and she was an especially productive salesperson last year. In December of last year her supervisor told Emily she had earned a $5,000 bonus. However, Emily received the bonus check after year end. Identify the principle that will determine when Emily is taxed on the bonus:

Vincent is a writer and U.S. citizen. After being out of work for the 1st half of the year, Vincent moved permanently to Ireland on July 4. He worked for an Irish magazine and earned $110,000 in salary from July 4th - December 31st. Earlier in April of this year Vincent received a $1,500 refund of the $3,600 in state income taxes his previous employer withheld from his pay last year. Vincent claimed $6,900 in itemized deductions last year (the standard deduction for a single filer was 6,100). Vincent wants to elect to use the foreign-earned income exclusion to the extent he is eligible. Calculate Vincent's gross income for this year. (Round your final answer to the nearest whole dollar amount and assume there are 365 days in the year.)

Identify the rule that determines whether a taxpayer must include in income a refund of an amount deducted in a previous year:

Bernie is a former executive who is retired. This year Bernie received $250,000 in pension payments and $10,000 of social security payments. What amount must Bernie include in his gross income?

Loretta received $6,200 from disability insurance that she purchased directly this year. Loretta must include all $6,200 in her gross income.

Cyrus is a cash method taxpayer who reports on a calendar-year. Last year Cyrus received salary of $88,000 and at year-end his employer announced that Cyrus would receive an additional year-end bonus of $10,000 in cash and a new TV worth $2,000. Cyrus didn't receive his bonus check until January of this year and the TV didn't arrive until March of this year. Determine the amount Cyrus should include in his gross income for last year.

Desai and Lucy divorced this year. Lucy has custody of their child, Andrea, and under the divorce decree Desai pays Lucy $120,000 per year. The payments must be made in cash and will cease if Lucy dies or remarries. The payments drop to $100,000 per year once Andrea reaches the age of 18. How much of the payments should Lucy include in gross income this year?

When an asset is sold, the taxpayer calculates the gain or loss by subtracting the tax basis of the asset from the proceeds of the sale.

Jim received a $500 refund of state income taxes this year. Jim will not need to include the $500 in his gross income this year because he did not deduct state income taxes last year.