Federal Income Tax Lecture 2 (Part 2): Deductions, Credits, and Reporting

This lecture provides an overview of deductions, tax credits, and reporting requirements relevant to federal income tax.

Deductions reduce taxable income. Above-the-line deductions, such as IRA contributions and student loan interest, impact Adjusted Gross Income (AGI). Below-the-line deductions include itemized deductions like medical expenses, state and local taxes (SALT, capped at $10,000), mortgage interest, and charitable contributions, or the standard deduction. Business expenses that are ordinary and necessary are deductible. Taxpayers can deduct capital losses against capital gains and, to a limited extent ($3,000), against ordinary income.

Tax credits reduce the final tax bill dollar for dollar and are more valuable than deductions. Nonrefundable credits, like the foreign tax credit and the child and dependent care credit, can reduce tax liability to zero. Refundable credits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the child tax credit, can result in a refund. Many credits have phaseouts based on income levels.

Capital gains and losses can impact deductions because losses can offset gains and, to a degree, ordinary income. Short-term capital gains are taxed at ordinary income rates, while long-term gains are taxed at preferential rates.

Filing and reporting is done via Form 1040, with schedules for itemized deductions (Schedule A), business income (Schedule C), and capital gains/losses (Schedule D). Taxpayers must keep records to substantiate claims. Penalties exist for underpayment, non-filing, and fraud. The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) ensures high-income individuals pay a minimum level of tax by disallowing certain deductions.

An example illustrates how to apply these concepts, including calculating above-the-line deductions, choosing between itemized and standard deductions, and determining eligibility for credits.

Key steps for answering exam scenarios: identify income sources, subtract above-the-line deductions to get AGI, decide whether to itemize, factor in credits, consider capital gains/losses, and watch for specialized situations like AMT.