What is taxable income and what is not?
Most income is taxable unless it's specifically exempted by law. Income can be money, property, goods or services. Even if you don't receive a form reporting income, you should report it on your tax return. Income is taxable when you receive it, even if you don't cash it or use it right away.
Inheritances, gifts, cash rebates, alimony payments (for divorce decrees finalized after 2018), child support payments, most healthcare benefits, welfare payments, and money that is reimbursed from qualifying adoptions are deemed nontaxable by the IRS.
It can be described broadly as adjusted gross income (AGI) minus allowable itemized or standard deductions. Taxable income includes wages, salaries, bonuses, and tips, as well as investment income and various types of unearned income.
Most gifts and inheritances. Most amounts received from a life insurance policy after someone's death. Most amounts received from a Tax-free savings account (TFSA) Most amounts received as compensation for personal injuries.
Gross income includes all income you receive that isn't explicitly exempt from taxation under the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). Taxable income is the portion of your gross income that's actually subject to taxation. Deductions are subtracted from gross income to arrive at your amount of taxable income.
You report the taxable portion of your social security benefits on line 6b of Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR. Your benefits may be taxable if the total of (1) one-half of your benefits, plus (2) all of your other income, including tax-exempt interest, is greater than the base amount for your filing status.
Income Taxes and Your Social Security Benefit (En español)
Between $25,000 and $34,000, you may have to pay income tax on up to 50% of your benefits. More than $34,000, up to 85% of your benefits may be taxable.
Contributions you make to a 401(k) plan, any match your employer provides and any earnings in the account (including interest, dividends and capital gains) are all tax-deferred. That means you won't owe any income tax on these funds until you withdraw money from your account, typically after you retire.
Earned income includes all the taxable income and wages you get from working or from certain disability payments. Taxable earned income includes wages, salaries, tips, and other taxable employee pay.
If the amount you owe is greater than the amount your employer withheld from your paycheck, you must pay taxes to the IRS. More commonly, though, you'll end up owing less than the amount withheld, which means the IRS will pay the difference back to you in the form of a tax refund.
Which of the following would not be excluded from taxable income?
A company car allowance would not be excluded from taxable income as it's considered compensation and is subject to income taxes, whereas other listed options like life insurance proceeds, scholarships, and employer-paid premiums for health insurance typically have tax exemptions.
Section 61(a) of the Internal Revenue Code defines gross income as income from whatever source derived, including (but not limited to) “compensation for services, including fees, commissions, fringe benefits, and similar items.” I.R.C.
For the tax year 2023, the standard deduction is $13,850 for singles and married persons filing separate returns, $27,700 for married couples filing jointly and $20,800 for heads of households. This deduction is subtracted from your AGI to calculate your taxable income.
Your tax bracket depends on your taxable income and your filing status: single, married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er), married filing separately and head of household. Generally, as you move up the pay scale, you also move up the tax scale.
Essentially, net income is your gross income minus taxes and other paycheck deductions. It's what you take home on payday. To calculate it, begin with your gross income or the amount you earn from all taxable wages, tips and any income you make from investments, like interest and dividends.
Social Security can potentially be subject to tax regardless of your age. While you may have heard at some point that Social Security is no longer taxable after 70 or some other age, this isn't the case. In reality, Social Security is taxed at any age if your income exceeds a certain level.
Taxes aren't determined by age, so you will never age out of paying taxes. Basically, if you're 65 or older, you have to file a return for tax year 2023 (which is due in 2024) if your gross income is $15,700 or higher.
Generally, your Social Security benefits are taxed when your income is more than $25,000 per year, including income from investments held in retirement accounts like traditional 401(k)s and IRAs.
Starting with the month you reach full retirement age, there is no limit on how much you can earn and still receive your benefits.
Have you heard about the Social Security $16,728 yearly bonus? There's really no “bonus” that retirees can collect. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a specific formula based on your lifetime earnings to determine your benefit amount.
What is the extra standard deduction for seniors over 65?
| Filing Status | Taxpayer Is: | Additional Standard Deduction 2023 (Per Person) |
|---|---|---|
| Single or Head of Household | Blind | $1,850 |
| Single or Head of Household | 65 or older | $1,850 |
| Single or Head of Household | Blind AND 65 or older | $3,700 |
Once you reach 59½, you can take distributions from your 401(k) plan without being subject to the 10% penalty. However, that doesn't mean there are no consequences. All withdrawals from your 401(k), even those taken after age 59½, are subject to ordinary income taxes.
Deferring Social Security payments, rolling over old 401(k)s, setting up IRAs to avoid the mandatory 20% federal income tax, and keeping your capital gains taxes low are among the best strategies for reducing taxes on your 401(k) withdrawal.
The IRS allows penalty-free withdrawals from retirement accounts after age 59½ and requires withdrawals after age 72.
Cash gifts aren't considered taxable income for the recipient. That's right—money given to you as a gift doesn't count as income on your taxes. Score! Everything from that $40 gift card to your favorite restaurant for your birthday to the $100 your friends pulled together when your tire blew out is yours to keep.
