CHAP TER 6

Taxes and Tax Planning

INTRODUCTION
All developed and most less-developed economies have a tax system that finances their governments, at least in

part. The design of that tax system reflects the society’s view of the responsibilities of government and of its citizens

for their government.

In the United States there has always been disagreement about the role of government as a producer for and a

protector of the economy and its citizens. Even before the United States was a nation, “taxation without representa-

tion” was a rallying cry for rebellion against the British colonial authority, and the colonists protested taxes on

everything from stamps to tea. The American Revolution was as much about economic democracy—the funda-

mental right of every individual to participate in the economy and to own the fruits of labor—as it was about polit-

ical democracy.

It is perhaps no coincidence that Adam Smith’s Wealth of Nations was published in 1776, the same year that in-

dependence was declared in the thirteen colonies. Smith recognized a role for government in a market-based eco-

nomy, but societies have argued about what that role should be and how it should be paid for ever since. The U.S.

tax code is based on the idea that everyone should help finance the government according to one’s ability to pay.

Changes in how “everyone” is defined and how “ability to pay” is measured have led to tax law changes that keep

the system evolving.

In the United States, tax laws are written by Congress and therefore through compromise. As views on govern-

ment financing have changed, tax laws have been amended and refined, enacted and repealed. The result is a tax

code that can seem overly complex and even unreasonable or illogical. However, the system is based on logic and

has a purpose. The better you understand the elements of the tax system, the better you will understand how to

live with it—and plan for it—to your best advantage.

1. SOURCES OF TAXATION AND KINDS OF TAXES

L E A R N I N G O B J E C T I V E S

1. Identify the levels of government that impose taxes.

2. Define the different kinds of incomes, assets, and transactions that may be taxed.
3. Compare and contrast progressive and regressive taxes.

Any government that needs to raise revenue and has the legal authority to do so may tax. Tax jurisdic-
tions reflect government authorities. In the United States, federal, state, and municipal governments
impose taxes. Similarly, in many countries there are national, provincial or state, county, and municip-
al taxes. Regional economic alliances, such as the European Union, may also levy taxes.

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 112 PERSONAL FINANCE

Jurisdictions may overlap. For example, in the United States, federal, state, and local governments
FIGURE 6.1 may tax income, which becomes complicated for those earning income in more than one state, or liv-
ing in one state and working in another. Governments tax income because it is a way to tax broadly
based on the ability to pay. Most adults have an income from some source, even if it is a government
distribution. Those with higher incomes should be able to pay more taxes, and in theory should be will-
ing to do so, for they have been more successful in or have benefited more from the economy that the
government protects.
Income tax is usually a progressive tax: the higher the income or the more to be taxed, the great-
er the tax rate. The percentage of income that is paid in tax increases as income rises. Those income
categories are called tax brackets (Figure 6.2).
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FIGURE 6.2 U.S. Income Tax Brackets in 2008 (Single Filing Status)
progressive taxation
A tax rate that increases as
the amount to be taxed
increases, a common design
of an income tax.

tax bracket
A range of income that
defines an income tax rate.

Source: http://www.moneychimp.com/features/tax_brackets.htm

Tax is levied on income from many sources:

< Wages (selling labor)
< Interest, dividends, and gains from investment (selling capital)
< Self-employment (operating a business or selling a good or service)
< Property rental
< Royalties (rental of intellectual property)
< “Other” income such as alimony, gambling winnings, or prizes

A sales tax or consumption tax taxes the consumption financed by income. In the United States,
consumption tax
sales taxes are imposed by state or local governments; as yet, there is no national sales tax. Sales taxes
A sales or excise tax that taxes are said to be more efficient and fair in that consumption reflects income (income determines ability to
the consumption of
discretionary and
consume and therefore level of consumption). Consumption also is hard to hide, making sales tax a
nondiscretionary goods and good way to collect taxes based on the ability to pay. Consumption taxes typically tax all consumption,
services. including nondiscretionary items such as food, clothing, and housing. Opponents of sales tax argue
that it is a regressive tax, because those with lower incomes must use a higher percentage of their in-
regressive taxation
comes on nondiscretionary purchases than higher-income people do.
A tax rate that decreases as
The value-added tax (VAT) or goods and services tax (GST) is widely used outside the United
the amount to be taxed
increases. States. It is a consumption tax, but differs from the sales tax, which is paid only by the consumer as an
end user. With a VAT or GST, the value added to the product is taxed at each stage of production.
Governments use a VAT or GST instead of a sales tax to spread the tax burden among producers and
value-added tax
consumers, and thus to reduce incentive to evade the tax. A consumption tax, like the sales tax, it is a
A consumption tax that regressive tax. When traveling abroad, you should be aware that a VAT may add substantially to the
spreads the tax burden
cost of a purchase (a meal, accommodations, etc.).
among producers and
consumers by taxing the
value added to goods at each
stage of production and
consumption.

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 CHAPTER 6 TAXES AND TAX PLANNING 113

Excise taxes are taxes on specific consumption items such as alcohol, cigarettes, motor vehicles, excise tax
fuel, or highway use. In some states, excise taxes are justified by the discretionary nature of the pur-
chases and may be criticized as exercises in social engineering (i.e., using the tax code to dictate social A tax on a specific item
produced within a country.
behaviors). For example, people addicted to nicotine or alcohol tend to purchase cigarettes or liquor
even if an excise tax increases their cost—and are therefore a reliable source of tax revenue.
Property taxes are used by more local—state, municipal, provincial, and county—governments,
and are most commonly imposed on real property (land and buildings) but also on personal assets
such as vehicles and boats. Property values theoretically reflect wealth (accrued income) and thus abil-
ity to pay taxes. Property values are also a matter of public record (real property is deeded, boats or
automobiles are licensed), which allows more efficient tax collection.
Estate taxes are taxes on the transfer of wealth from the deceased to the living. Estate taxes are estate tax
usually imposed on the very wealthiest based on their unusual ability to pay. Because death and the
A tax on the
subsequent dispersal of property is legally a matter of public record, estate taxes are generally easy to intergenerational transfer of
collect. Estate taxes are controversial because they can be seen as a tax on the very idea of ownership wealth after death.
and on incomes that have already been taxed and saved or stored as wealth and properties. Still, estate
taxes are a substantial source of revenue for the governments that use them, and so they remain.
A summary of the kinds of taxes used by the three different jurisdictions is shown in Figure 6.3.

FIGURE 6.3 Taxes and Jurisdictions

K E Y T A K E A W A Y S

< Governments at all levels use taxes as a source of financing.

< Taxes may be imposed on the following:
< Incomes from
< wages,
< interest, dividends, and gains (losses),
< rental of real or intellectual property.
< Consumption of discretionary and nondiscretionary goods and services.
< Wealth from
< asset ownership,
< asset transfer after death.
< Taxes may be
< progressive, such as the income tax, in which you pay proportionally more taxes the more
income you have;
< regressive, such as a sales tax, in which you pay proportionally more taxes the less income you
have.

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 114 PERSONAL FINANCE

E X E R C I S E S

1. Examine your state, federal, and other tax returns that you filed last year. Alternatively, estimate based on
your present financial situation. On what incomes were you (or would you be) taxed? What tax bracket
were you (or would you be) in? How did (or would) your state, federal, and other tax liabilities differ? What
other types of taxes did you (or would you) pay and to which government jurisdictions?
2. Match the description to the type of tax. (Write the number of the tax type before its description.)
< Description:
a. ________ tax on the use of vehicles, gasoline, alcohol, cigarettes, highways, and the like.
b. ________ tax on the wealth and property of a person upon death.
c. ________ tax on purchases of both discretionary and nondiscretionary items.
d. ________ tax on wages, earned interest, capital gain, and the like.
e. ________ tax on home and land ownership.
f. ________ tax on purchases of discretionary items.
g. ________ tax on items during their production as well as upon consumption.
< Type of Tax:
1. Property tax
2. Consumption tax
3. Value-added or goods and services tax
4. Income tax
5. Excise tax
6. Sales tax
7. Estate tax
3. In My Notes or your financial planning journal, record all the types of taxes you will be paying next year
and to whom. How will you plan for paying these taxes? How will your tax liabilities affect your budget?
4. According to the MSN Money Central article “8 Types of Income the IRS Can’t Touch” (Jeff Schnepper,
November 2009, at http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Taxes/CutYourTaxes/
8typesOfIncomeTheIRScantTouch.aspx), what are eight sources of income that the federal government
cannot tax? Poll classmates on the question of whether they think student income can be taxed.
According to the companion article “5 Tax Myths That Can Cost You Money” (Jeff Schnepper, November
2009, at http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Taxes/AvoidAnAudit/
5taxMythsThatCanCostYouMoney.aspx), is it true that students often are exempt from income taxes?

2. THE U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX PROCESS

L E A R N I N G O B J E C T I V E S

1. Identify the taxes most relevant for personal financial planning.

2. Identify taxable incomes and the schedules used to report them.
3. Calculate deductions, exemptions, and credits.
4. Compare methods of tax payment.

The U.S. government relies most on an income tax. The income tax is the most relevant for personal
financial planning, as everyone has some sort of income over a lifetime. Most states model their tax sys-
tems on the federal model or base their tax rates on federally defined income. While the estate tax may
become more of a concern as you age, the federal income tax system will affect you and your financial
decisions throughout your life.
Figure 6.4 shows an individual tax return, U.S. Form 1040.

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 CHAPTER 6 TAXES AND TAX PLANNING 115

FIGURE 6.4 U.S. Individual Tax Form 1040, Page 1

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 116 PERSONAL FINANCE

FIGURE 6.5 U.S. Individual Tax Form 1040, Page 2

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 CHAPTER 6 TAXES AND TAX PLANNING 117

2.1 Taxable Entities

There are four taxable entities in the federal system: the individual or family unit, the corporation, the
dividend
nonprofit corporation, and the trust. Personal financial planning focuses on your decisions as an indi-
vidual or family unit, but other tax entities can affect individual income. Corporate profit may be dis- A share of corporate profit
distributed to shareholders,
tributed to individuals as a dividend, for example, which then becomes the individual’s taxable in-
usually as cash or corporate
come. Likewise, funds established for a specific purpose may distribute money to an individual that is stock.
taxable as individual income. A trust, for example, is a legal arrangement whereby control over prop-
erty is transferred to a person or organization (the trustee) for the benefit of someone else (the benefi- trust
ciary). If you were a beneficiary and received a distribution, that money would be taxable as individual A legal entity created to own
income. and manage assets for the
The definition of the taxable “individual” is determined by filing status: benefit of beneficiaries.

< Single, never married, widowed, or divorced

< Married, in which case two adults file as one taxable “individual,” combining all taxable activities
and incomes, deductions, exemptions, and credits
< Married filing separately, in which case two married adults file as two separate taxable
individuals, individually declaring and defining incomes, deductions, exemptions, and credits
< Head-of-household, for a family of one adult with dependents

Some taxes are levied differently depending on filing status, following the assumption that family struc-
ture affects ability to pay taxes.
All taxable entities have to file a declaration of incomes and pay any tax obligations
annually. Not everyone who files a return actually pays taxes, however. Individuals with FIGURE 6.6
low incomes and tax exempt, nonprofit corporations typically do not. All potential tax-
payers nevertheless must declare income and show their obligations to the government.
For the individual, that declaration is filed on Form 1040 (or, if your tax calculations
are simple enough, Form 1040EZ).

2.2 Income
For individuals, the first step in the process is to calculate total income. Income may
come from many sources, and each income must be calculated and declared. Some
kinds of income have a separate form or schedule to show their more detailed calcula-
tions. The following schedules are the most common for reporting incomes separately
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by source.

Schedule B: Interest and Dividend Income

Interest income is income from selling liquidity. For example, the interest that your savings account,
certificates of deposit, and bonds earn in a year is income. You essentially are earning interest from
lending cash to a bank, a money market mutual fund, a government, or a corporation (though not all
your interest income may be taxable). Dividend income, on the other hand, is income from investing in
the stock market. Dividends are your share of corporate profits as a shareholder, distributed in propor-
tion to the number of shares of corporate stock you own.

Schedule C: Business Income

Business income is income from self-employment or entrepreneurial ventures or business enterprises.
For sole proprietors and partners in a partnership, business income is the primary source of income.
Many other individuals rely on wages, but have a small business on the side for extra income. Business
expenses can be deducted from business income, including, for example, business use of your car and
home. If expenses are greater than income, the business is operating at a loss. Business losses can be de-
ducted from total income, just as business income adds to total income.
The tax laws distinguish between a business and a hobby that earns or loses money. You are con-
sidered to have a business for tax purposes if you made a profit in three of the past five years including
the current year, or if you are operating as a registered business with the intention of making a profit. If
you are operating your own business you also must also pay self-employment tax on business income.
In addition, the self-employed must pay estimated income taxes in quarterly installments based on ex-
pected income.

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 118 PERSONAL FINANCE

Tariq is thinking about turning his hobby into a business. He has been successful buying and
FIGURE 6.7 selling South Asian folk art online. He thinks he has found a large enough market to support a business
enterprise. As a business he would be able to deduct the costs of Web site promotion, his annual art
buying trip, his home office, and shipping, which would reduce the taxes he would have to pay on his
business income. Tariq decides to enroll in online courses on becoming an entrepreneur, how to write
a business plan, and how to find capital for a new venture.

Schedule SE: Self-Employment Tax

Self-employment tax is an additional tax on income from self-employment or business income earned
by a sole proprietor. It represents the employer’s contribution to Social Security, which is a mandatory
retirement savings program of the federal government. Both employers and employees are required to
contribute to the employee’s Social Security account. When you are both the employee and the em-
© 2010 Jupiterimages Corporation ployer, as in self-employment, you must contribute both shares of the contribution.

Schedule D: Capital Gains (or Losses)

Gains or losses from investments derive from changes in asset value during ownership between the as-
set’s original cost and its market value at the time of sale. If you sell an asset for more than you paid for
it, you have a gain. If you sell an asset for less than you paid for it, you have a loss. Recurring gains or
losses from investment are from returns on financial instruments such as stocks and bonds. One-time
gains or losses, such as the sale of a home, are also reported on Schedule D.
cost basis
The tax code distinguishes between assets held for a short time—less than one year, and assets held
for a long time—one year or more. Short-term capital gains or losses are taxed at a different rate than
The original cost of an asset
long-term capital gains or losses (Figure 6.8). When you invest in financial assets, such as stocks,
that is used to calculate a
gain (loss) upon sale of the
bonds, mutual funds, property, or equipment, be sure to keep good records by noting the date when
asset. you bought them and the original price. These records establish the cost basis of your investments,
which is used to calculate your gain or loss when you sell them.

FIGURE 6.8 Capital Gains Tax Rates

Schedule E: Rental and Royalty Income; Income from Partnerships, S Corporations, and
Trusts
Rental or royalty income is income earned from renting an asset, either real property or a creative work
such as a book or a song. This can be a primary source of income, although many individuals rely on
wages and have some rental or royalty income on the side. Home ownership may be made more afford-
able, for example, if the second half of a duplex can be rented for extra income. Rental expenses can
also be deducted from rental income, which can create a loss from rental activity rather than a gain.
Unlike a business, which must become profitable to remain a business for tax purposes, rental activities
may generate losses year after year. Such losses are a tax advantage, as they reduce total income.
Partnerships and S corporations are alternative business structures for a business with more than
one owner. For example, partnerships and S corporations are commonly used by professional prac-
tices, such as accounting firms, law firms, medical practices, and the like, as well as by family
businesses.
The partnership or S corporation is not a taxable entity, but the share of its profits distributed to
each owner is taxable income for the owner and must be declared on Schedule E.

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 CHAPTER 6 TAXES AND TAX PLANNING 119

Schedule F: Farm Income

Farm income is income from growing food, livestock, or livestock products, such as wool, to sell.
Farmers have a special status in the tax code, stemming from the original agricultural basis of the U.S.
economy and the strategic importance of self-sufficiency in food production. Thus, the tax code applies
exemptions specifically to farmers.

Other Taxable and Nontaxable Income

Other taxable income includes alimony, state or local tax refunds, retirement fund distributions from
individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and/or pensions, unemployment compensation, and a portion
of Social Security benefits.
Your total income is then adjusted for items that the government feels should not be taxed under
certain circumstances, such as certain expenses of educators, performing artists, and military reservists;
savings in health savings or retirement accounts; moving expenses; a portion of self-employment taxes;
student loan interest; tuition and educational fees; and alimony paid. Income that is not taxed by the
U.S. government and does not have to be reported as income includes the following:
< Welfare benefits
< Interest from most municipal bonds
< Most gifts
< Most inheritance and bequests
< Workers compensation
< Veteran’s benefits
< Federal tax refunds
< Some scholarships and fellowships

It’s important to read tax filing instructions carefully, however, because not everything you’d think
would qualify actually does. The government allows adjustments to be reported (or not reported) as in-
come only under certain circumstances or up to certain income limits, and some adjustments require
special forms.
The result of deducting adjustments from your total income is a calculation of
your adjusted gross income (AGI). Your AGI is further adjusted by amounts that may FIGURE 6.9
be deducted or exempted from your taxable income and by amounts already credited to
your tax obligations.

2.3 Deductions, Exemptions, and Credits

Deductions and exemptions reduce taxable income, while credits reduce taxes. Deduc-
tions are tax breaks for incurring certain expenditures or living in certain circum-
stances that the government thinks you should not have to include in your taxable in-
come. There are deductions for age and for blindness. For other deductions, there is a
standard, lump-sum deduction that you can take, or you may choose to itemize your
deductions, that is, detail each one separately and then calculate the total. If your item-
ized deductions are more than your standard deduction, it makes sense to itemize. © 2010 Jupiterimages Corporation
Other deductions involve financial choices that the government encourages by re-
warding an extra incentive in the form of a tax break. Home mortgage interest is a de-
duction to encourage home ownership, for example; investment interest is a deduction to encourage
investment, and charitable donations are deductions to encourage charitable giving.
Deductions are also created for expenditures that may be considered nondiscretionary, such as
medical and dental expenses, job-related expenses, or state and local income and property taxes. As
with income adjustments, you have to read the instructions carefully, however, to know what expendit-
ures qualify as deductions. Some deductions only qualify if they amount to more than a certain per-
centage of income, while others may be deducted regardless. Some deductions require an additional
form to calculate specifics, such as unreimbursed employee or job-related expenses, charitable gifts not
given in cash, investment interest, and some mortgage interest.

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 120 PERSONAL FINANCE

There are exemptions based on the number of your dependents, who are usually
FIGURE 6.10 children, but may be elderly parents or disabled siblings, that is, relatives who generally
cannot care for themselves financially. Exemptions are made for dependents as nondis-
cretionary expenditures, but the government also encourages individuals to care for
their financially dependent children, parents, and siblings because without such care
they might become dependents of a government safety net or a charity.
After deductions and exemptions are subtracted from adjusted gross income, the
remainder is your taxable income. Your tax is based on your taxable income, on a pro-
gressive scale. You may have additional taxes, such as self-employment tax, and you
may be able to apply credits against your taxes, such as the earned income credit for
lower-income taxpayers with children.
Deductions, exemptions, and credits are some of the more disputed areas of the tax
code. Because of the depth of dispute about them, they tend to change more frequently
© 2010 Jupiterimages Corporation
than other areas of the tax code. For example, in 2009, a credit was added to encourage
first-time homebuyers to purchase a home in the hopes of stimulating the residential
real estate market. As a taxpayer, you want to stay alert to changes that may be to your
advantage or disadvantage. Usually, such changes are phased in and out gradually so you can include
them in your financial planning process.

2.4 Payments and Refunds

Once you have calculated your tax obligation for the year, you can compare that to any taxes you have
paid during the year and calculate the amount still owed or the amount to be refunded to you.
You pay taxes during the tax year by having them withheld from your paycheck if you earn income
through wages, or by making quarterly estimated tax payments if you have other kinds of income.
When you begin employment, you fill out a form (Form W-4) that determines the taxes to be withheld
from your regular pay. You may adjust this amount, within limits, at any time. If you have both wages
and other incomes, but your wage income is your primary source of income, you may be able to in-
crease the taxes withheld from your wages to cover the taxes on your other income, and thus avoid
having to make estimated payments. However, if your nonwage income is substantial, you will have to
make estimated payments to avoid a penalty and/or interest.
The government requires that taxes are withheld or paid quarterly during the tax year because it
uses tax revenues to finance its expenditures, so it needs a steady and predictable cash flow. Steady pay-
ments also greatly decrease the risk of taxes being uncollectible. State and local income taxes must also
be paid during the tax year and are similarly withheld from wages or paid quarterly.
Besides income taxes, other taxes are withheld from your wages: payments for Social Security and
Medicare. Social Security or the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) and Medicare are federal
government programs. Social Security is insurance against loss of income due to retirement, disability,
or loss of a spouse or parent. Individuals are eligible for benefits based on their own contributions—or
their spouse’s or parents’—during their working lives, so technically, the Social Security payment with-
held from your current wages is not a tax but a contribution to your own deferred income. Medicare
finances health care for the elderly. Both programs were designed to provide minimal benefits to those
no longer able to sell their labor in exchange for wage income. In fact, both Social Security and Medi-
care function as “pay-as-you-go” systems, so your contributions pay for benefits that current benefi-
ciaries receive.
If you have paid more during the tax year than your actual obligation, then you are
FIGURE 6.11 due a refund of the difference. You may have that amount directly deposited to a bank
account, or the government will send you a check.
If you have paid less during the tax year than your actual obligation, then you will
have to pay the difference (by check or credit card) and you may have to pay a penalty
and/or interest, depending on the size of your payment.
The deadline for filing income tax returns and for paying any necessary amounts is
April 15, following the end of the tax year on December 31. You may file to request an
extension of that deadline to August 15. Should you miss a deadline without filing for
an extension, you will owe penalties and interest, even if your actual tax obligation res-
ults in a refund. It really pays to get your return in on time.

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 CHAPTER 6 TAXES AND TAX PLANNING 121

K E Y T A K E A W A Y S

< The most relevant tax for financial planning is the income tax, as it affects the taxpayer over an entire
lifetime.
< Different kinds of income must be defined and declared on specific income schedules and are subject to
tax.
< Deductions and exemptions reduce taxable income.
< Credits reduce tax obligations.
< Payments are made throughout the tax year through withholding from wages or through quarterly
payments.

E X E R C I S E S

1. Read the IRS document defining tax liability at http://www.irs.gov/publications/p17/

ch01.html#en_US_publink100031858. Do you have to file a tax return for the current year? Why or why
not? (Identify all the factors that apply.) Which tax form(s) should you use?
2. Download and study the following schedules or their equivalent for the current year. In what
circumstances would you have to file each one? Tentatively fill out any schedules that apply to you for the
current year.
< Schedules A: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040sa.pdf
< Schedules B: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040sb.pdf
< Schedule C: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040sc.pdf
< Schedule D: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040sd.pdf
< Schedule E: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040se.pdf
< Schedule F: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f1040sf.pdf
3. Find answers to the following questions at http://www.finaid.org/scholarships/taxability.phtml.
a. Is financial aid for college subject to federal income tax?
b. Can federal and state education grants be taxed as income?
c. Are student loans taxable?
d. When is a scholarship tax exempt?
e. Do you have to be in a degree program to qualify for tax exemption?
f. When can the cost of textbooks be deducted from gross income for tax reporting purposes?
g. Can the amount of a scholarship used for tuition be deducted?
h. Can living expenses while on scholarship be deducted?
i. Is the income and stipend from a teaching fellowship or research assistantship tax exempt?
j. Are the tuition, books, and stipends of ROTC students tax exempt?

3. RECORD KEEPING, PREPARATION, AND FILING

L E A R N I N G O B J E C T I V E S

1. Identify sources of tax information.

2. Explain the importance of verifiable records and record keeping.
3. Compare sources of tax preparation assistance.
4. Trace the tax review process and its implications.

The Internal Revenue Code (IRC), the federal tax law, is written by the U.S. Congress and enforced by
the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), which is a part of the U.S. Department of Treasury. The IRS is re-
sponsible for the collection of tax revenues. To collect revenues, the IRS must inform the public of tax
obligations and devise data collection systems that will allow for collection and verification of tax in-
formation so that collectible revenues can be verified. In other words, the IRS has to figure out how to
inform the public and collect taxes while also collecting enough information to be able to check that
those taxes are correct.
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 122 PERSONAL FINANCE

To inform the public, the IRS has published over six hundred separate publications covering vari-
ous aspects of the tax code. There are more than a thousand forms and accompanying instructions to
file complete tax information, although most taxpayers actually file about half a dozen forms each year.
In addition, the IRS provides a Web site (http://www.irs.gov) and telephone support to answer ques-
tions and assist in preparing tax filings.
By far, most income taxes from wages are collected through withholding as earned. For most tax-
payers, wages represent the primary form of income, and thus most of their tax payments are withheld
or paid as wages are earned. Still, everyone has to file to summarize the details of the year’s incomes for
the IRS and to calculate the final tax obligation. In 2007, the IRS collected 138,893,908 individual re-
turns representing $1.367 trillion of tax revenue.[1]

3.1 Keeping Records

The individual filer must collect and report the information on tax forms and schedules. Fortunately,
this is not as difficult as the volume of data would suggest. Employers are required to send Form W-2
to each employee at the end of the year, detailing the total wages earned and taxes and contributions
withheld. If you have earned other kinds of income, your clients, customers, retirement fund, or other
source of income may have to file a Form 1099 to report that income to you and to the IRS. Interest
and dividend income is also reported by the bank or brokerage firm on Form 1099. The W-2 and the
Form 1099 are reported to both the IRS and you.
The system for filing tax information has purposeful redundancies. Where possible, information is
collected independently from at least two sources, so it can be verified. For example, your wage data is
collected both from you and from your employer, your interest and dividend incomes are reported by
both you and the bank or brokerage that paid them, and so on. Those redundancies, wherever practic-
al, allow for a system of cross-references so that the IRS can check the validity of the data it receives.
Incomes may be summarized and reported to you, but only you know your ex-
FIGURE 6.12 penses. Expenditures are important if they are allowed as deductions, such as charitable
gifts, medical and dental expenses, job-related expenses, and so on, so data should be
collected throughout the tax year. If you do nothing more than keep a checkbook, then
you will have to go through it and identify the deductible expenses for the tax year. Fin-
ancial software applications will make that task easier; most allow you to flag deductible
expenses in your initial setup.
You should also keep receipts of purchases that may be deductible; credit or debit
card statements and bank statements provide convenient backup proof of expenditures.
Proof is needed in the event the IRS questions the accuracy of your return.

3.2 Tax Preparation and Filing

© 2010 Jupiterimages Corporation
After you have collected the information you need, you fill out the forms. The tax code
is based on the idea that citizens should create revenues for the government based on
their ability to pay—and the tax forms follow that logic. Most taxpayers need to complete only a few
schedules and forms to supplement their Form 1040 (or 1040 EZ). Most taxpayers have the same kinds
of taxable events, incomes, and deductions year after year and file the same kinds of schedules and
forms.
Many taxpayers prefer to consult a professional tax preparer. Professional help is useful if you have
a relatively complicated tax situation: unusual sources of income or expenditures that may be deduct-
ible under unusual circumstances. Some taxpayers use a tax preparer simply to protect against making
a mistake and having the error, however, innocent, prove costly to fix. Fees for tax preparers depend on
how complex your return is, the number of forms that need to be completed, and the type of profes-
sional you consult.
Professional tax preparers may be lawyers, accountants, personal financial planners, or tax consult-
ants. You may have an ongoing relationship with your tax preparer who may also be your accountant
or financial planner, working with you on other financial decisions. Or you may consult a tax preparer
simply on tax issues. You may want your tax preparer to fill out and file the forms for you, or you may
be looking for advice about future financial decisions that have tax consequences. Tax preparers may
be independent practitioners who work during tax season, or employees of a national chain that
provide year-round tax services.
There is no standard certification to be a professional tax preparer. An enrolled agent is someone
who has successfully passed training courses from the IRS. A certified public accountant (CPA) has
specific training and experience in accounting. When looking for a tax preparer, your lawyer, account-
ant, or financial planner may be appropriate or may be able to make a recommendation. If your in-
formation is fairly straightforward, you may minimize costs by using a preparer who simply does taxes.
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 CHAPTER 6 TAXES AND TAX PLANNING 123

If your situation involves more complications, especially involving other entities such as businesses or
trusts, or unusual circumstances such as a gain, gift, or distribution, you may want to consult a profes-
sional with a range of expertise, such as an accountant or a lawyer who specializes in taxes. Many pro-
fessionals also offer a “guarantee,” that is, that they will also help you if the information on your return
is later questioned by the IRS.
Whether you prepare your tax return by yourself or with a professional, it is you
who must sign the return and assume responsibility for its details. You should be sure FIGURE 6.13
to review your return with your tax preparer so that you understand and can explain
any of the information found on it. You should question anything that you cannot un-
derstand or that seems contrary to your original information. You should also know
your tax return because understanding how and why tax obligations are created or
avoided can help you plan for tax consequences in future financial decisions.
You may choose to prepare the return yourself using a tax preparation software
application. There are many available, and several that are compatible with personal
financial software applications, enabling you to download or transfer data from your
financial software directly into the tax software. Software applications are usually de-
signed as a series of questions that guide you through Form 1040 and the supplemental
schedules, filling in the data from your answers. Once you have been through the
“questionnaire,” it tells you the forms it has completed for you, and you can simply © 2010 Jupiterimages Corporation
print them out to submit by mail or “e-file” them directly to the IRS. Most programs
also allow you to enter data into the individual forms directly.
Many tax preparation software packages are available, and many are reviewed in the business press
or online. Some popular programs include the following (see http://tax-software-
review.toptenreviews.com):
< Turbo Tax
< Tax Cut
< Tax
< ACT
< Complete Tax
< TaxSlayer Premium
< TaxBrain 1040 Deluxe
< OLT Online Taxes

Software can be useful in that it automatically calculates unusual circumstances, limitations, or excep-
tions to rules using your complete data. Some programs even prompt you for additional information
based on the data you submit. Overlooking exceptions is a common error that software programs can
help you avoid. The programs have all the forms and schedules, but if you choose to file hard copy ver-
sions, you can download them directly from the IRS Web site, or you can call the IRS and request that
they be sent to you. Once your return is completed, you must file it with the IRS, either by mail or by e-
file, which has become increasingly popular.

3.3 Following Up
After you file your tax return it will be processed and reviewed by the IRS. If you are owed a refund, it
will be sent; if you paid a payment, it will be deposited. The IRS reviews returns for accuracy, based on
redundant reporting and its “sense” of your data. For example, the IRS may investigate any discrepan-
cies between the wages you report and the wages your employer reports. As another example, if your
total wages are $23,000 and you show a charitable contribution of $20,000, that contribution seems too
high for your income—although there may be an explanation.
The IRS may follow up by mail or by a personal interview. It may just ask for verification of one or audit
two items, or it may conduct a full audit—a thorough financial investigation of your return. In any
A review of tax calculations
case, you will be asked to produce records or receipts that will verify your reported data. Therefore, it is and obligations performed by
important to save a copy of your return and the records and receipts that you used to prepare it. The the Internal Revenue Service
IRS has the following recommendations for the number of years to save your tax data: (IRS).
1. If you owe additional tax and situations 2, 3, and 4 below do not apply to you, keep records for
three years.
2. If you do not report income that you should report, and it is more than 25 percent of the gross
income shown on your return, keep records for six years.
3. If you file a fraudulent return, keep records indefinitely.
4. If you do not file a return, keep records indefinitely.
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 124 PERSONAL FINANCE

5. If you file a claim for credit or refund after you file your return, keep records for three years from
the date you filed your original return or two years from the date you paid the tax, whichever is
later.
6. If you file a claim for a loss from worthless securities or bad debt deduction, keep records for
seven years.
7. Keep all employment tax records for at least four years after the date that the tax becomes due or
is paid, whichever is later.
If you have a personal interview, your tax preparer may accompany you to help explain and verify your
return. Ultimately, however, you are responsible for it. If you have made errors, and if those errors res-
ult in a larger tax obligation (if you owe more), you may have to pay penalties and interest in addition
to the tax you owe. You may be able to negotiate a payment schedule with the IRS.
The IRS randomly chooses a certain number of returns each year for review and possible audit
even where no discrepancies or unusual items are noticed. The threat of a random audit may deter tax-
payers from cheating or taking shortcuts on their tax returns. Computerized record keeping has made
it easier for both taxpayers and the IRS to collect, report, and verify tax data.

3.4 Filing Strategies

Most citizens recognize the need to contribute to the government’s revenues but want to avoid paying
tax avoidance
more than they need to. Tax avoidance is the practice of ensuring that you have no excess tax obliga-
The legal attempt to
tions. Strategies for minimizing or avoiding tax obligations are perfectly legal. However, tax eva-
minimize tax obligations.
sion—fraudulently reporting tax obligations, for example, by understating incomes and gains or over-
tax evasion stating expenses and losses—is illegal.
The illegal attempt to report Timing can affect the value of taxable incomes or deductibles expenses. If you anticipate a sig-
financial information nificant increase in income—and therefore in your tax rate—in the next tax year, you may try to defer a
fraudulently to minimize tax deductible expense. When you have more income and it is taxed at a higher rate, a deductible expense
obligations. may be worth more as a tax savings to offset your income. For example, if your tax rate is 20 percent
and your deductible expense of $100 saves you from paying taxes on $100, then it saves you $20 in
taxes. If your tax rate is 35 percent, that same $100 deductible saves you $35. Likewise, if you anticipate
a decrease in income that will decrease your tax rate, you may want to defer receipt of income until the
next year when it will be taxed at a lower rate. In addition, some kinds of incomes are taxed at different
rates than others, so how your income is created may bear on how much tax it creates.
The definition of expenses and the way you claim them can affect the tax they save.
FIGURE 6.14 You may be able to deduct more expenses if you itemize your deductions than if you do
not, or it may not make a difference. Also, there is some discretion in classifying ex-
penses. For example, suppose you are a high school Spanish teacher. You also tutor stu-
dents privately. You buy Spanish books to improve your own language skills and to
keep current with the published literature. Are the costs of those books an unreim-
bursed employee expense related to your job as a teacher, or are they an expense of
your private tutoring business?
They may be both, but you can only claim the expense once or in one place on
your tax return. If you claim it as an employment-related expense, your ability to de-
duct the cost may be limited, but if it is a cost of your tutoring business, you may be
able to fully expense it from your business income.
An income that is not taxed or taxed at a lower rate is more valuable than an in-
© 2010 Jupiterimages Corporation come that is taxed or taxed at a higher rate. An expense that is fully deductible is more
valuable than an expense that is not. Taxes deferred—by delaying income or accelerat-
ing expense—create more liquidity and thus more value. However, taxable income is
still income, and a deductible expense is still an expense. Tax consequences should not obscure the be-
nefits of enjoying income and the costs of incurring expenses.
There are many ideas about how to avoid an audit or what will trigger one: certain kinds of in-
comes or expenses, or filing earlier or later, for example. In truth, with the increased sophistication of
computerization, the review process is much better at noticing real discrepancies and at choosing
audits randomly. Time and effort (and cost) invested in outsmarting a possible audit is usually wasted.
The best protection against a possible audit is to have verification—a receipt or a bill or a canceled
check—for all the incomes and expenses that you report.

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 CHAPTER 6 TAXES AND TAX PLANNING 125

K E Y T A K E A W A Y S

< Tax code information is available from the Internal Revenue Service.
< Verifiable records must be kept for all taxable incomes and expenses or other taxable events and activities.
< Professional tax assistance and tax preparation software are readily available.
< The Internal Revenue Service reviews tax returns for errors and may follow up through an informal or
formal audit process.
< Tax avoidance is the legal practice of minimizing tax obligations.
< Tax evasion is the illegal process of fraudulently presenting information used in calculating tax obligations.
< Tax avoidance strategies can involve the timing of incomes and/or expenses to take advantage of
changing tax circumstances.

E X E R C I S E S

1. Read the article “Policy Basics: Where Do Our Federal Tax Dollars Go” (Center on Budget and Policy
Priorities, April 13, 2009) at http://www.cbpp.org/cms/index.cfm?fa=view&id=1258. In 2008, what were the
federal government’s three largest expenditures of tax dollars? According to the IRS.gov article “Tips for
Choosing a Tax Preparer” at http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=133088,00.html, when should you
look for in a professional tax preparation service provider, and what fees should you avoid paying?
2. Gather a current sample of the kind of records you will use to calculate your tax liability this year and to
verify your tax return. List each type of record and identify exactly what information it will give you, your
tax preparer, and the IRS about your tax situation. What additional records will you need that are not yet in
your possession?
3. Compare and contrast tax preparation software at sites such as http://financialplan.about.com/od/
software/tp/TPTaxSoftware.htm and http://www.consumersearch.com/tax-preparation-software/reviews.
What are the chief differences among the top three or four programs? Also check out the IRS Free File
program at http://www.irs.gov/efile. Would you quality for Free File?
4. Use your spreadsheet program, or download a free one, to develop a document showing monthly cash
flows for income and expenses to date for which you have written records. If you continue to develop this
document for the remaining months, how will it help you prepare your tax returns?
5. Research how can you reduce your tax liability and/or avoid paying taxes when you file this year. Work
with classmates to develop a tip sheet for students on tax avoidance.

4. TAXES AND FINANCIAL PLANNING

L E A R N I N G O B J E C T I V E S

1. Trace the tax effects of life stages and life changes.

2. Identify goals and strategies that provide tax advantages.
3. Identify tax advantages that may be useful in pursuing your goals.
4. Discuss the relationship of tax considerations to financial planning.

You may anticipate significant changes in income or expenses based on a change of job or career, or a
change of life stage or lifestyle. Not only may the amounts of income or expenses change, but the kinds
of incomes or expenses may change as well. Planning for those changes in relation to tax obligations is
part of personal financial planning.

4.1 Tax Strategies and Life Stages

Tax obligations change more broadly as your stage of life changes. Although everyone is different, there
is a typical pattern to aging, earning, and taxes, as shown in Figure 6.15.

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 126 PERSONAL FINANCE

FIGURE 6.15 Life Stages and Tax Implications

In young adulthood, you rely on income from wages, and you usually have yet to acquire an asset base,
so you have little income from interest, dividends, or capital gains. Your family structure does not in-
clude dependents, so you have few deductions but also low taxable income.
As you progress in your career, you can expect wages, expenses, and dependents to increase. You
are building an asset base by buying a home, possibly saving for your children’s education, or saving
for retirement. Because those are the kinds of assets encouraged by the government, they not only build
wealth but also create tax advantages—the mortgage interest deduction, retirement, or education sav-
ings exemption.
In older adulthood, you may begin to build an asset base that can no longer
FIGURE 6.16 provide those tax advantages that are limited or may create taxable income such as in-
terest, dividends, or rental income. In retirement, most people can anticipate a sig-
nificant decrease in income from wages and a significant increase in reliance on in-
comes from investments such as interest, dividends, and gains. Some of those assets
may be retirement savings accounts, such as an Individual Retirement Account (IRA)
or 401(k) that created tax advantages while growing, but will create tax obligations as
income is drawn from them.
Generally, you can expect your income to increase during your middle adult life,
but that is when many people typically have dependents and deductions such as mort-
gage interest and job-related expenses to offset increased tax obligations. As you age,
and especially when you retire, you can expect less income and also fewer deductions:
any kids have left home, the mortgage in paid off.
The bigger picture is that at the stages of your life when income is increasing, so
are your deductions and exemptions, which tend to decrease as your income decreases.
Although your incomes change over your lifetime, you tax obligations change propor-
tionally, so they remain relative to your ability to pay.
The tax consequences of such changes should be anticipated and considered as you
evaluate choices for financial strategies. Because the tax code is a matter of law it does
change, but because it is also a matter of politics, it changes slowly and only after much
public discussion. You can usually be aware of any tax code changes far enough in ad-
vance to incorporate them into your planning.

4.2 Tax Strategies and Personal Financial Planning

© 2010 Jupiterimages Corporation Tax advantages are sometimes created for personal financial strategies as a way of en-
couraging certain personal goals. In the United States, as in most developed economies,
certain goals such as home ownership, retirement savings, and education and health
financing are seen as personal goals that benefit society as well as the individual.
In most cases, tax advantages are created to encourage progress toward those goals. For example,
most people can buy a home only if they can use debt financing, which creates added costs. So mort-
gage interest, that added cost, is tax deductible (up to a limit) to make home financing and therefore
home ownership more affordable and attractive.

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 CHAPTER 6 TAXES AND TAX PLANNING 127

Retirement saving is encouraged, so some savings plans such as an IRA or a defined contribu-
defined contribution
tion plan such as a 401(k) or a 403b (so named for the sections of the Internal Revenue Code that
A tax-advantaged pension
define them) create tax advantages. The deposits made to those plans may be used to reduce taxable in-
plan, such as a 401(k), that
come, although there are limits to the amount of those deposits. There are also retirement savings both employer and
strategies that do not create tax advantages, such as saving outside of a tax-advantaged account. There employee may contribute to
are limited tax-advantaged savings accounts for education savings and health care expenses as well. and that does not pay an
Where you have a choice, it makes sense to use a strategy that will allow you to obligated or defined benefit
make progress toward your goal and realize a tax advantage. Your enthusiasm for the at maturity.
tax advantage should not define your goals, however. Taxes affect the value of your al-
ternatives, so recognizing tax implications should inform your choices without defining FIGURE 6.17
your goals.
Unanticipated events such as an inheritance, a gift, lottery winnings, casualty and
theft losses, or medical expenses can also have tax consequences. They are often unusu-
al events (and therefore unanticipated) and may be unfamiliar and financially complic-
ated. In those circumstances it may be wise to consult an expert.
Your financial plans should reflect your vision for your life: what you want to have,
how you want to get it, how you want to protect it. You will want to be aware of tax ad-
vantages or disadvantages, but tax consequences should not drive your vision. You
would not buy a house with a mortgage only to get the mortgage interest deduction, for
example. However, if you are buying a home, you can plan to do so in the most tax-ad-
vantageous way.
As Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr., said, “Taxes are what we
pay for a civilized society.”[2] Like any costs, you want to minimize your tax costs of liv- © 2010 Jupiterimages Corporation
ing and of life events, but tax avoidance is only a means to an end. You should make
your life choices for better reasons than avoiding taxes.

K E Y T A K E A W A Y S

< Tax strategies may change as life stages and family structure changes.
< Some personal finance goals may be pursued in a more or less tax-advantaged way, so you should
evaluate the tax effects on your alternatives.
< Tax strategies are a means to an end, that is, to achieve your personal finance goals with a minimum of
cost.

E X E R C I S E S

1. Review your list of personal financial goals. For each goal, how does the U.S. Tax Code help or hinder you
in achieving it?
2. Investigate tax strategies that would benefit you in your present life stage. Begin your online research at
this comprehensive list of tax links: http://www.el.com/elinks/taxes/. What tax strategies would benefit
you in your next life stage? Share your findings and strategies with others in your life stage.
3. What does Benjamin Franklin mean in the following quote about taxation? What advice is implied and
how would you apply that advice to your financial planning?
“Friends and neighbors complain that taxes are indeed very heavy, and if those laid on by the government were the
only ones we had to pay, we might the more easily discharge them; but we have many others, and much more
grievous to some of us. We are taxed twice as much by our idleness, three times as much by our pride, and four times
as much by our folly.”
- Benjamin Franklin[3]

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 128 PERSONAL FINANCE

2. U.S. Department of the Treasury, http://www.treas.gov/education/faq/taxes/

ENDNOTES taxes-society.shtml (accessed January 19, 2009).
3. Benjamin Franklin, “As Certain as Death—Quotations About Taxes,” compiled and ar-
ranged by Jeffrey Yablon, in Tax Notes, January 5, 2004; retrieved from
http://www.taxanalysts.com/www/freefiles.nsf/Files/Yablon.pdf/$file/Yablon.pdf
1. Statistics of Income Division and Other Areas of the Internal Revenue Service, (accessed January 19, 2009).
http://www.irs.gov/taxstats (accessed January 19, 2009).

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