Chapter 12 Planning your Tax Strategy Taxes What

Chapter 12 Planning your Tax Strategy

Taxes? ? What are they? What do they pay for? How much do you pay in taxes? Is there anyone who doesn’t pay taxes? What percentage do you pay in taxes?

Tax Liability is term used in accounting. It means that this is money that is owed to someone. Tax Liability means the total amount of taxes that are owed.

Types of Taxes 4 major categories of taxes › › Purchases Property Wealth Earnings

Purchases Every time you buy something. You pay taxes on it. › Excise tax is a tax on a specific goods and services (such as gasoline, air travel and telephone service) collected by federal and state government.

Taxes on Property This is something that we discussed in the past. Taxes in this category are based on the value of land buildings.

Taxes on Wealth Estate tax is a federal tax collected on the value of a person’s property at the time of his or her death. Inheritance tax is a state tax collected on the property left by a person to his or heir(s) in a will. Gift Tax is a tax collected on money or property valued at more than $11, 000 given by one person to another in a single year. › Gifts of any amount for educational or medical expenses are not subject to gift taxes.

Taxes on Earnings This is the biggest form of income for the government. Income Tax is the tax on wages, salaries, and self-employed earnings. › Anytime you make money many different taxes are collected, state, federal, and local taxes are taken from every pay check that you have. › Social Security funds are also collected as a tax. These funds finance retirement, disability and life insurance benefits of the federal government's social program.

I. R. S. Internal Revenue Service › The police department of taxes. › They check to make sure that you and your employer pay your taxes…. .

Understanding Income Taxes How much do you owe? Income tax return Is a form, such as 1040 or 1040 EZ on which a taxpayer reports how much money he or she received from working and other sources and the exact taxes that are owed.

What is taxed? Gross and Adjusted Gross Income can include at least 3 parts. 1. Earned income – the money you receive for working – salary, hourly pay, tips, commissions. 2. Interest Income – the interest that you receive from banks, credit unions, and savings and loan. 3. Dividend income – the cash dividends that you receive from investments. (Capital Gains )

What is not included when we do our taxes? Exclusions › Is another name for tax-exempt income or income that is not subject to taxes. Tax deferred income › Or income that will be taxed at a later date. › Certificate of Deposit

Adjusted Gross Income This is the amount that you pay your taxes on…. The Adjusted Gross Income is your gross income after calculating certain reductions. These reductions are called adjustments to income. These can include student loans, or retirement accounts.

Taxable Income Adjusted gross income minus allowable tax deductions and exemptions. A tax deduction is an expense that you can subtract from your adjusted gross income to figure your taxable income.

Types of deductions Itemized deduction Standard Deduction • The same deduction everyone gets • Single ($4850) • Married ($9700) • Is a specific expense, such as a medical expense, that you deduct from your adjusted gross income. • Medical • Taxes • Interest • Contributions

Tax Table Rate on Taxable Income Single Taxpayers Married Taxpayers 10% Up to $7000 Up to $14, 000 15% 7000 -28, 400 $14, 000 -56, 800 25% 28, 400 -68, 800 56, 800 -114, 650 28% 68, 800 -143, 500 114, 650 -174, 700 33% 143, 500 -311, 950 174, 400 -311, 950 35% 311, 950 and up

Tax Credits Which is the amount of money that can be subtracted directly from taxes you owe. Low income families › Earned income credit – a tax credit for people who work and whose taxable income is less than a certain amount.

Payroll Withholding Allowance › Is an adjustment on the tax withheld from your paycheck, based on your marital status and whether you have dependents.

When do you pay taxes… Everyone who works for a business pays on April 15 th If you are self-employed you pay estimated payments (or if you don’t want to pay a total amount on April 15 th)

Family Economics & Financial Education Paychecks and Tax Forms Take Charge of your Finances

Where Does My Money Go? Almost 31% of an individual’s paycheck is deducted › Taxes are the largest expense most individuals will have › Therefore, it is important to understand the systematic deductions U. S. tax system operates on an ongoing payment system › Taxes are immediately paid on income earned

Paying Employees Three methods employers may use to pay employees: 1. Paycheck Most common method Employee responsible for handling the paycheck Immediately see payroll stub and deductions

Paying Employees continued 2. Direct Deposit Employers directly deposit employee’s paycheck into the authorized employee’s depository institution account Employee receives the paycheck stub detailing the paycheck deductions Most secure because there is no direct handling of the check Employee knows exactly when paycheck will be deposited and available

Paying Employees continued 3. Payroll Card A payroll card electronically carries the balance of the employee’s net pay Funds are directly deposited by an employer into an account at a depository institution that is linked to the payroll card Parties involved: Employer Employee Depository institution Use the payroll card for ATM withdrawals or to make purchases

Payroll Card There are numerous fees associated with payroll cards › Number of fees depends upon the depository institution › Examples: Monthly or annual fee ATM fee Inactivity fee Fee after a specific number of transactions have been used Replacement fee if the card is lost, stolen , or destroyed Load fee (when funds are placed on the card account) Point of sale (POS) fee for using the card at a POS terminal, or an electronic payment processor

Benefits of Using Payroll Cards Employers › Lower internal costs Costs associated with producing, handling, and distributing pay checks is eliminated Depository Institutions › Profit from the fees charged to employees, employers, and merchants Employees › Safer than carrying large amounts of cash › Unbanked employees do not have to pay check cashing fees Americans roughly spend $8 billion annually in check cashing fees › Can access electronic monthly statement of transactions › Can receive a second card Give allowances to children Send money internationally › Easily make online purchases

Consumer Protection with Payroll Cards Regulation E – Electronic Fund Transfer Act › Protects payroll card holder from fraudulent charges on lost or stolen cards Card holder is only liable for $50 if a lost or stolen card is reported within 48 hours › Over four million paychecks are stolen annually with no protection to employees › Regulation E provides exceptional safety and protection for payroll card holders

Taxes – Compulsory charges imposed on citizens by local, state, and federal governments. › Used to provide public goods and services. › Largest amount of taxes a person pays is on his/her income. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) – Collects federal taxes, issues regulations, and enforces tax laws written by the United States Congress.

Starting a New Job To receive a paycheck, an employee must: › Complete a Form W-4 Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate › Complete a Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification

Form W-4 Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate › Determines the percentage of gross pay which will be withheld for taxes Allowances › Used to determine the amount of federal taxes withheld from the paycheck › A person may claim a personal allowance if no one else claims the person as a dependent Dependent – a person who relies on the taxpayer for financial support

Steps to Completing a Form W-4 Print or type legal name on Line 1 and home address directly below the name Write Social Security number on Line 2 On Line 3, check the appropriate box to indicate marital status Enter a zero on Line 5 if not claiming any allowances Sign name and date the form before giving it to the employer Keep a copy for personal records

Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification Form Used to verify the eligibility of individuals to avoid hiring undocumented workers or others who are not eligible to work in the United States Must provide documentation which establishes identity and employment eligibility › Examples include driver’s license, passport, Social Security card, and birth certificate

Family Economics & Financial Education Reading a Paycheck

Paycheck Stub On-The-Go Employee SSN Check # Beakens, Joe 201 -92 -4856 164 Employee Address 293 Michael Grove Billings, MT 59102 Check Amount $1, 102. 98 Pay Type. Gross Pay Deductions Current Year-to-date $1, 353. 33 Federal Withholding State Withholding Fed OASDI/EE or Social Security Fed MED/EE or Medicare Medical 401 K $106. 00 $40. 82 $83. 91 $19. 62 $0. 00 $503. 46 $117. 72 $636. 00 $244. 92 $0. 00 Totals $250. 35 $1, 502. 10 Pay Period 6/11/2004 -7/11/2004 Paycheck Stub › A document included each pay period which outlines paycheck deductions

Personal Information – States the employee’s full name, address, and Social Security number – Always check to ensure this information is correct

Pay Period – The length of time for which an employee’s wages are calculated; most are weekly, bi-weekly, twice a month, or monthly – The last day of the pay period is not always payday to allow a business to accurately compute wages

Gross Pay – The total amount of money earned during a pay period before deductions • This is calculated by multiplying the number of hours worked by the hourly rate • If a person is on salary, it is the total salary amount divided by the specified time period

Net Pay – The amount of money left after all deductions have been withheld from the gross pay earned in the pay period

Deductions – The amount of money subtracted from the gross pay earned for mandatory systematic taxes, employee sponsored medical benefits, and/or retirement benefits

Federal Withholding Tax – The amount required by law for employers to withhold from earned wages to pay taxes – The amount of money deducted depends on the amount earned and information provided on the Form W-4 – Largest deduction withheld from an employee’s gross income

State Withholding Tax – The percentage deducted from an individual’s paycheck to assist in funding government agencies within the state – The percentage deducted depends on the amount of gross pay earned

FICA (Federal Insurance Contribution Act) FICA – This tax includes two separate taxes: Fed OASDI/EE or Social Security and Fed MED/EE or Medicare – These two taxes can be combined as one line item or itemized separately on a paycheck stub

Social Security – Nation’s retirement program, helps provide retirement income for elderly and pays disability benefits – Based upon a percentage (6. 2%) of gross income, employer matches the contribution made by the employee

Medicare – Nation’s health care program for the elderly and disabled, provides hospital and medical insurance to those who qualify – Based upon a percentage (1. 45%) of gross income

Medical – The amount taken from the employee’s paycheck for medical benefits – Occurs when the employer has a medical plan for employees but does not pay full coverage for his/her benefits

Retirement Plan – The amount an employee contributes each pay period to a retirement plan – A specified percentage of the contribution is often matched by the employer – May be a 401 K, a state, or local retirement plan

Year-to-Date • Total of all of the deductions which have been withheld from an individual’s paycheck from January 1 to the last day of the pay period indicated on the paycheck stub

Now it is tax time……. • April 15 is quickly apporaching and we must now do our taxes. • Using our W-2’s and our make believe I-9’s we will fill out the 1040 ez form.