Federal taxation
BACKGROUND:
The taxpayers George A. Warden (social security number 333-33-3330) and Mary S.
Warden (social security number 444-44-4440) file a joint return. Both are 50 years old
have good eyesight and live with their three children Edward John and Ruth at 789 N.
Code Drive Chicago Illinois 60699 (312) 679-9999. Mr. Warden wants to contribute $3
of his income tax to the Presidential Election Campaign Fund. Mrs. Warden elects not to
contribute.
The Wardens%u2019 son Edward is a junior in college and he is 20 years old. He worked
during the summer and earned $4000. Their other son John is a 17-year old high school
student. He earned $3600 during the summer and worked part-time during the remainder
of the year. Neither son had any additional income. Their daughter Ruth is eight years
old and an elementary school student. She had no earned or unearned income during the
year. In August the Wardens paid $4000 in tuition for their son Edward for the
academic period that started in September. Edward%u2019s social security number is 300-11-
0001 John%u2019s social security number is 300-22-0002 and Ruth%u2019s social security number is
300-33-0003.
The Wardens claim Mrs. Warden%u2019s mother Grace D. Taylor as a dependent under a
multiple-support agreement. The total support of Mrs. Taylor is $6000 received from the
following three sources:
(1) $3000 from Mary Warden
(2) $1000 from another daughter Thelma Taylor and
(3) $2000 in social security benefits.
Mrs. Grace D. Taylor lived with the Wardens during all of 2012. Her social security
number is 400-44-0004. Thelma Taylor provides the Warden%u2019s with a written signed
statement that she will not claim her mother as a dependent in 2012. Thelma Taylor lives
at 1425 S. 62nd Street Chicago IL 60699 and her social security number is 500-55-
0005.
The Wardens use Trish Ford a professional tax preparer to prepare their income tax
return. Trish Ford%u2019s PTIN is P98765432 and she works for E&Z Tax Preparation (EIN
#36-0987654) which is located in a nearby suburb of Middle America (telephone
number 1-312-555-1040). However the Warden%u2019s do not authorize her to discuss their
return with the IRS.
INCOME AND EXPENSES GENERALLY
During 2012 Mrs. Warden was employed as a salesperson by a publishing company. Her
Form W-2 for 2012 reports the following:
Box 1. Wages tips and other compensation $75000
Box 2. Federal income tax withheld $4950
Box 4. Social security tax withheld $4650
Box 6. Medicare tax withheld $1088
Box 17. State income tax $2250
Mrs. Warden is not covered by her employer%u2019s retirement plan. In addition Mr. Warden
is a self-employed individual who does not maintain a Keogh or a SEP plan. Mrs.
Warden made a $1500 contribution to a traditional IRA and a $2000 contribution to a
Roth IRA in 2012. Mr. Warden decided against making a contribution to a traditional
IRA.
The Wardens received a $30 state income tax refund. They itemized in the prior year and
elected to take the state income tax as a deduction. The Wardens also received a $20
federal income tax refund.
Form 1040 Schedule A
The Wardens made federal estimated tax payments of $2000 for 2012.
The Wardens incurred the following medical expenses during 2012:
%u2022 prescription drugs $1000;
%u2022 doctor bills $3550;
%u2022 hospital bills $1750;
%u2022 transportation $100; and
%u2022 eyeglasses $500.
In addition Mr. Warden who is self-employed paid $3750 in premiums for health
insurance coverage for himself and his family.
The Wardens paid their 2011 real estate taxes of $1810 due on July 1 2012.
In addition they sold their residence on September 13 2012. They allowed the buyer a
credit equal to 70% of the estimated real estate taxes of $2000 for 2012. The real estate
taxes on the new property they purchased on May 1 2012 are not payable until 2013.
There was no taxable gain on the sale of their prior residence.
Mr. and Mrs. Warden paid $3878 in deductible home mortgage interest to a bank. They
also paid $3000 in points when they purchased their new home.
They paid the following personal interest in 2012:
%u2022 $600 to finance Mrs. Warden%u2019s car and
%u2022 $400 in credit card interest.
The Wardens gave $1500 in cash to various recognized charities; no individual gift was
$250 or more; all charities sent an acknowledgment of the contribution.
Form 2106
Mrs. Warden incurred employee business expenses in connection with her occupation as
salesperson for the publishing company. On January 3 2012 she purchased a new car
that was used primarily for business reasons. The car cost $19500 and she paid $500 in
sales tax. During 2012 the car was driven a total of 20000 miles by Mrs. Warden. Of
those miles 16600 were business related. Mrs. Warden drove 1250 miles while
commuting (five-mile daily roundtrip commute) and 2150 miles for personal purposes.
Mrs. Warden depreciates the car using a five-year MACRS recovery period the 200%
declining-balance method and the half-year convention. However it should be noted that
depreciation on the car is limited because of the %u201Clisted property%u201D rules. Mrs. Warden%u2019s
gasoline oil and insurance expenses on the car amounted to $4750. She paid $600 in
interest on the installment loan incurred to purchase the car. She also paid $50 for
business parking fees and $75 for a car rental while away from home. Mrs. Warden elects
to claim the actual automobile-related expenses.
Assume the answers for Form 2106 Lines 18 19 20 and 21 are %u201CYes.%u201D
Mrs. Warden elected not to claim any Code Sec. 179 deduction or additional bonus
depreciation on the car in 2012.
Mrs. Warden incurred the following other business expenses:
%u2022 meals and entertainment $1500;
%u2022 airfare $233;
%u2022 gifts to customers $150; and
%u2022 business seminar $60.
Mrs. Warden received $5000 as a car expense reimbursement from her employer under a
plan that required her to account for the expenses. The $5000 was not reported on her
Form W-2. Mrs. Warden was not reimbursed for her other business expenses.
The Wardens paid $500 for the preparation of their 2011 tax return (including $200 for
the preparation of Schedule C Profit or Loss from Business for George Warden%u2019s
furniture business) $50 for the rental of a safe deposit box where they stored their
securities and $350 for investment publications.
Form 1040 Schedule B
During 2012 the Wardens received $500 in interest from the Heartland National Bank
and $150 as nominees from the Third National Savings and Loan. They received $200 in
interest from tax-exempt bonds issued by the state of Illinois.
The Warden%u2019s received the following qualified dividends: $400 from E&Z Tax
Preparation Inc. $300 from Secure Money Market Fund and $250 from Rapid Growth
Mutual Fund. They also received a $100 capital gain distribution from Rapid Growth. In
addition the Warden%u2019s received $700 in nonqualified foreign corporation dividends from
Consolidated Tapioca and paid foreign taxes of $10 to various countries in connection
with this investment. The responses to the questions on Part III of Schedule B are %u201CNo.%u201D
Form 1040 Schedule D
During 2012 the Wardens sold the following capital assets:
(1) On February 2 100 shares of Ahab Inc. were sold for $1000. They had been
purchased on November 12 2010 for $2500.
(2) On November 5 200 shares of Pequod Inc. were sold for $5000. They had
been purchased on January 5 2011 for $2000.
(3) On December 4 100 shares of Squall Inc. were sold for $10000. They had
been purchased on January 4 2001 for $4000.
(4) On December 10 200 shares of Kismet Inc. were sold for $5000. They had
been purchased on September 5 2005 for $2000.
(5) On December 15 a number of gold coins were sold for $2000. The coins had
been purchased on October 15 2004 for $3000.
Form 1040 Schedule E
Mr. and Mrs. Warden own and rent a brick two-flat apartment building located at 12
West 5th Ave. Chicago Illinois 60626. The apartment building is not used for personal
purposes by either the Wardens or members of their family. Mr. Warden actively
participates in the operation of the building. The Wardens received rents of $12000 in
2012. Their expenses are as follows:
cleaning and maintenance $2500;
mortgage interest $4000;
repairs $750;
advertising $500
insurance $1000 and
real estate taxes $1250.
The current depreciation figure taken from the Wardens%u2019 work papers (not reproduced) is
$3000.
Form 2441
During 2012 the Wardens%u2019 daughter Ruth attended two child care centers. They were:
Happy Day Care 4210 W. Maple Chicago Illinois 60699 whose identification number
is 36-0987654; and Greenfields Day Care 901 N. Ash Chicago Illinois 60699 whose
identification number is 36-1234567. The Wardens paid $3720 to Happy Day Care and
$1860 to Greenfields Day Care. The Wardens did not receive employer-provided
dependent care benefits.
BUSINESS INCOME
Form 1040 Schedule C
Mr. Warden operated Interiors Unlimited selling home furnishings at retail as a sole
proprietor during the entire year. The business address is 45 Boswell Blvd. Villa Park
Illinois 60181. His employer identification number is 36-3456789. The business code is
442200. In order to clearly show business income Mr. Warden maintains an inventory at
cost and he uses the accrual method of accounting for his sales and purchases.
Total gross receipts of the business were $127247 and returns and allowances amounted
to $1500.
The business books showed the following information:
Inventory at beginning of year (valued at cost) . . . . . . $35000
Merchandise purchased . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70000
Inventory at end of year . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22000
Truck expenses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550
Other interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Rent (property) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7800
Repairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 280
Taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2000
Wages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12541
Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1450
Utilities and telephone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1200
Advertising . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2240
Legal and accounting
(includes $200 of tax preparation fees) . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
Office expense . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Depreciation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7858
Travel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
Meals and entertainment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1040
Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
FARM INCOME AND EXPENSES
Form 1040 Schedule F
Mr. Warden owned and operated a farm in Illinois. The Principal Agricultural Activity
Code for this farm is 112111 and the principal product raised is beef cattle. Mr. Warden
utilizes the cash basis to report farm income and expenses. His books and records show
the following information:
Farm income Amount
Livestock sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $29500
Cooperative distributions ($30 nontaxable) . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Farm expenses Amount
Livestock purchases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15000
Depreciation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1000
Feed purchased . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 750
Freight and Trucking. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Insurance. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
Laborhired. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3000
Other Interest. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Pasturerentals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Taxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 450
Veterinary fees . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500
Assume that Mr. Warden%u2019s basis in the livestock sold during 2012 was $19500.
ASSIGNMENT:
You are to Prepare the Wardens%u2019 2012 Form 1040 Joint Individual Tax Return including
Schedules A B C D E and F and Forms 2106 and any other form which you think is
appropriate.