Exam 3: Tax Planning Strategies and Related Limitations

Jayzee is a single taxpayer who operates a sole proprietorship. He expects his taxable income next year to be $150,000, of which $125,000 is attributed to his sole proprietorship. Jayzee is contemplating incorporating his sole proprietorship. Using the 2014 single individual tax brackets and the corporate tax brackets, how much current tax could this strategy save Jayzee? (Ignore any Social Security, Medicare, or Self Employment Tax issues.) How much income should be retained in the corporation?

Assume that Bill's marginal tax rate is 30%. If corporate bonds pay 8% interest, what interest rate would a municipal bond have to offer for Bill to be indifferent between the two bonds?

O'Reilly is a masterful lottery player. The megamillion jackpot is now up to $200 million. If O'Reilly wins the jackpot, he has a choice of receiving $200 million in 5 years or a smaller lump sum currently. Advise O'Reilly on his choice under the following scenarios. Which option should he take and why? a. O'Reilly's after tax return is 10%. If he chooses the current lump sum option, the lottery will pay him $130 million. b. O'Reilly's after-tax return is 10%. His current tax rate will be 35% if he receives the lottery payment now. His expected tax rate in five years will be 40%. If he chooses the current lump sum option, the lottery will pay him $100 million.

In general, tax planners prefer to accelerate deductions.

Luther was very excited to hear about the potential tax savings from shifting income from his corporation to him. The next day he had his corporation declare a $30,000 dividend to him. Is this an effective income shifting strategy? If so, why? If not, why not? What recommendations do you have for Luther?

The business purpose, step transaction, and substance over form doctrines may limit the conversion strategy.

Which of the following is an example of the timing strategy?

If tax rates will be lower next year, taxpayers should accelerate their deductions regardless of their after-tax rate of return.

The goal of tax planning is tax minimization.

If tax rates are decreasing:

Danny argues that tax accountants suffer from one-mindedness in their attempts at tax planning (i.e., reducing taxes at all costs). Is Danny's view of tax planning correct - i.e., does he understand what the goal of tax planning is? Please elaborate.

Assume that Shavonne's marginal tax rate is 50% and her tax rate on dividends is 15%. If a corporate bond pays 10.2% interest, what dividend yield would a dividend-paying stock (with no growth potential) have to offer for Shavonne to be indifferent between the two investments?

If Thomas has a 40% tax rate and a 6% after-tax rate of return, $50,000 of income in five years will cost him how much tax in today's dollars (rounded)?

A common income shifting strategy is to:

Maurice is currently considering investing in a high dividend yield stock with no growth potential that pays a 6% dividend yield or bonds issued by The Coca Cola Company that pay 8%. If Maurice's ordinary tax rate is 25% and his dividend tax rate is 15%, which investment should he choose? Which investment should he choose if his ordinary tax rate is 30%? At what ordinary tax rate would he be indifferent to the stock or to the bond? What strategy is this decision based upon?

Tax avoidance is a legal activity that forms the basis of the basic tax planning strategies discussed in class.

Which of the following is an example of the income shifting strategy?

In general, tax planners prefer to defer income. This is an example of the conversion strategy.

David, an attorney and cash basis taxpayer, is new to the concept of tax planning and recently learned of the timing strategy. To implement the timing strategy, David plans to establish a new policy that allows his clients to wait up to five years to pay their attorney fees. Assume that David expects his marginal tax rates to remain constant over the foreseeable future. What is wrong with this strategy?

The income shifting and timing strategies are examples of: