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Micah Bang Reviewers

Satisfactory Essays

MEMO #:3

GROUP #:4 / Writer: Micah Bang / Reviewers: Yizhou Chen & Drew Rasmussen

FACTS: Jackie Johnson (age 79) receives Social Security benefits from the Federal government. Due to her husband’s recent death, she inherited many municipal bonds he had purchased, and subsequently receives a large amount of interest income each quarter.

ISSUE: Whether or not Jackie’s Social Security benefits must be reported as taxable income to the IRS, if so, to what extent, and how the municipal bond interest income affects the tax treatment of the Social Security benefits.

AUTHORITIES: Standard Federal Tax Reporter (2015), Section 86. SOCIAL SECURITY AND TIER 1 RAILROAD RETIREMENT BENEFITS

CONCLUSION: Jackie’s Social Security benefits must be reported as taxable income to the IRS, and the treatment heavily depends on her filing status. If Jackie files a joint return to …show more content…

Assuming Jackie’s husband passed away within the calendar year, Jackie can elect to file a single/surviving spouse or joint return. According to Section 86 of the Standard Federal Tax Reporter, if Jackie elects to file an individual return, her base amount and adjusted base amount are $25,000 and $34,000, respectively. If she instead elects to file a joint return, her base amount and adjusted base amount are $32,000 and $44,000, respectively.
If Jackie’s provisional income exceeds her base amount, then the lower of half of the excess above the base amount or half of her benefits are included in taxable income. Provisional income is equal to Jackie’s Modified Adjusted Gross Income (Adjusted Gross Income plus any tax-exempt interest income) plus half of her Social Security benefits. If her provisional income is greater than the former figures in the above paragraph, then the lesser of: half of her benefits, or, half of the excess above the base amount are included in her taxable

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