Last year Nate opened a savings account with a deposit of $15,000. The account was in the name of Nate and Derrick, joint tenancy with the right of survivorship. Derrick did not contribute to the account, but this year he withdrew $5,000. Has Nate made a complete gift, and if so, what is the amount of the taxable gift and when was the gift made?
> BUSINESS WEEK magazine says firms should “base executive compensation on actual company performance, rather than on the company’s stock price.” For example, Target Corp. bases executive pay on same-store sales growth rather than stock price. Discuss.
> Distinguish between long-range planning and strategic planning.
> College football coaches get paid millions, presumably because there is so much money involved in college football the need to win is paramount. However, head coaches are often fired when a season goes badly, such as Gene Chizik at Auburn University in l
> Define halo error. How can halo error inhibit selecting the best strategies to pursue?
> In order of importance, list six “characteristics of objectives.”
> Rate the five websites provided under the “Sources of External Information” section of the chapter from best to worst for finding information about a company.
> Explain benchmarking.
> Why do you think the SWOT Matrix is the most widely used of all strategy matrices?
> List five financial ratios that may be used by your university to monitor operations.
> If a firm competes in a very unstable industry such as telecommunications, where on the SP axis of the SPACE Matrix would you plot the appropriate point?
> Give a hypothetical example where Company A buys Company B for a 15.0% discount.
> If a firm has the leading market share in its industry, where on the BCG Matrix would the circle lie?
> Define and discuss the “spam” problem in the United States.
> Consider developing a before and after BCG or IE Matrix to reveal the expected results of your proposed strategies. What limitation of the analysis would this procedure somewhat overcome?
> How can a firm best achieve sustained competitive advantage?
> Prepare a BCG Matrix for a two-division firm with sales of $5 and $8 versus profits of $3 and $1 respectively. State assumptions for the RMSP and IGR axes to enable you to construct the diagram.
> Envision a QSPM with no weight column. Would that still be a useful analysis? Why or why not? What do you lose by deleting the weight column?
> Explain why successful strategy implementation often hinges on whether the strategy-formulation process empowers managers and employees.
> Why is it that a firm can sustain a competitive advantage normally for only a limited period of time?
> Do you believe expenditures for childcare or fitness facilities are warranted from a cost/benefit perspective? Why or why not?
> What are the most important characteristics of an effective management information system (MIS)?
> If the CEO of a beverage company such as Dr Pepper/Snapple asked you whether backward or forward integration would be better for the firm, how would you respond?
> Minorities and women each hold less than 15 percent of board seats of S&P 500 companies. Why is this not good?
> Aldina has identified conflicting authorities that address her research question. How should she evaluate these authorities to make a conclusion?
> Stephen transferred $15,000 to an irrevocable trust for Graham. The trustee has the discretion to distribute income or corpus for Graham’s benefit but is required to distribute all assets to Graham (or his estate) not later than Graham’s 21st birthday. W
> Barry transfers $1,000,000 to an irrevocable trust with income to Robin for her life and the remainder to Maurice (or his estate). Calculate the value of the life estate and remainder if Robin’s age and the prevailing interest rate result in a Table S di
> Tim is a plumber who joined a barter club. This year Tim exchanges plumbing services for a new roof. The roof is properly valued at $2,500, but Tim would have only billed $2,200 for the plumbing services. What amount of income should Tim recognize on the
> In constructing a keyword search, what should the keyword search include?
> Identify the sections in the Internal Revenue Code that authorize the use of qualified terminable interests (QTIPs) for gift and estate tax purposes, respectively.
> Explain why Congress allows self-employed taxpayers to deduct the employer portion of their self-employment tax.
> Paul is a widower with several grown children. He is considering transferring his residence into a trust for his children and retaining a life estate in it. Comment on whether this plan will prevent the value of the home from being included in Paul’s gro
> Using the IRS Web site (www.irs.gov/uac/The-Tax-Gap), how large is the current estimated “tax gap” (i.e., the amount of tax underpaid by taxpayers annually)? What group of taxpayers represents the largest “contributors” to the tax gap?
> Sandy has determined that her research question depends upon the interpretation of the phrase “not compensated by insurance.” What type of research question is this?
> Using the facts from the previous problem, how would your answer change if instead, Duff adopted the cash method of accounting to allow him to better control the timing of his cash receipts and disbursements?
> Explain why Congress allows taxpayers to deduct interest forfeited as a penalty on the premature withdrawal from a certificate of deposit.
> This year Gerry’s friend, Dewey, was disabled. Gerry paid $15,000 to Dewey’s doctor for medical expenses and paid $12,500 to State University for college tuition for Dewey’s son. Has Gerry made taxable gifts, and if so, in what amounts?
> Describe the type of event that qualifies as a casualty for tax purposes.
> All else being equal, should taxpayers prefer to exclude income or defer it? Why?
> Explain the argument that the deductions for charitable contributions and home mortgage interest represent indirect subsidies for these activities.
> Under what circumstances can a taxpayer deduct medical expenses paid for a member of his family? Does it matter if the family member reports significant amounts of gross income and cannot be claimed as a dependent?
> For each of the following situations, indicate how much the taxpayer is required to include in gross income and explain your answer: a. Steve was awarded a $5,000 scholarship to attend State Law School. The scholarship pays Steve’s tuition and fees. b.
> Identify the amount, if any, that these individuals must include in gross income in the following independent cases. Assume that the individuals are on the cash method of accounting and report income on a calendar-year basis. a. Elmer was an extremely di
> Devon owns 1,000 shares of stock worth $10,000. This year he received 200 additional shares of this stock from a stock dividend. His 1,200 shares are now worth $12,500. Must Devon include the dividend paid in stock in income?
> Explain why taxpayers are allowed to exclude gifts and inheritances from gross income even though these payments are realized and clearly provide taxpayers with the wherewithal to pay.
> One common argument for imposing so-called sin taxes is the social goal of reducing demand for such products. Using cigarettes as an example, is there a segment of the population that might be sensitive to price and for whom high taxes might discourage p
> The cash method of accounting means that taxpayers don’t recognize income unless they receive cash or cash equivalents. True or false? Explain.
> Explain how state and local governments benefit from the provisions that allow taxpayers to exclude interest on state and local bonds from their gross income.
> Cassie works in an office and has access to several professional color printers. Her employer allows Cassie and her fellow employees to use the printers to print color postcards for the holidays. This year Cassie printed out two dozen postcards worth alm
> Courtney recently received a speeding ticket on her way to the university. Her fine was $200. Is this considered a tax? Why or why not?
> Approximately what percentage of tax returns does the IRS audit? What are the implications of this number for the IRS’s strategy in selecting returns for audit?
> Maurice has a client that recently asked him about the odds of the IRS detecting cash transactions not reported on a tax return. What are some of the issues that Maurice should discuss with his client?
> Sasha owes additional tax imposed in a recent audit. In addition to the tax, will she be assessed other amounts? If so, how will these amounts be determined?
> Using the same facts from the previous problem, how would your answer change if Randy estimates that there is only a 20 percent chance that the position will be sustained upon audit or judicial proceeding?
> Irene is disabled and receives payments from a number of sources (see below). The interest payments are from bonds that Irene purchased over past years and a disability insurance policy that Irene purchased herself. Calculate Irene’s gross income. Inte
> Benjamin, a new staff accountant for Local Firm CPAs, LLC, takes a CPA review course to help prepare for the CPA exam. Benjamin is not reimbursed for the cost of the course ($1,500), but his firm expects him to take and pass the exam. a. Use an availabl
> How do taxpayers determine whether they should deduct their itemized deductions or utilize the standard deduction?
> Explain why an insolvent taxpayer is allowed to exclude income from the discharge of indebtedness if the taxpayer remains insolvent after receiving debt relief.
> Based on the definition of gross income in §61, related regulations, and judicial rulings, what are the three criteria for recognizing taxable income?
> Shaun is a huge college football fan. In the past, he has always bought football tickets on the street from ticket scalpers. This year, he decided to join the university’s ticket program, which requires a $2,000 contribution to the university for the “ri
> Matt and Lori recently were divorced. Although grief stricken, Matt was at least partially comforted by his monthly receipt of $10,000 alimony. He was particularly excited to learn from his friend, Denzel, that the alimony was not taxable. Use an availab
> This year Dan and Mike purchased realty for $180,000 and took title as equal tenants in common. However, Mike was able to provide only $40,000 of the purchase price and Dan paid the remaining $140,000. Has Dan made a complete gift to Mike, and if so, i
> Paris was happy to provide a contribution to her friend Nicole’s campaign for mayor, especially after she learned that charitable contributions are tax deductible. a. Use an available tax service to determine whether Paris can deduct this contribution.
> What does it mean to say that a married couple filing a joint tax return has joint and several liability for the taxes associated with the return?
> Pierre recently received a tax penalty for failing to file a tax return. He was upset to receive the penalty, but he was comforted by the thought that he will get a tax deduction for paying the penalty. a. Use an available tax research service to determi
> As noted in Example 1-2, tolls, parking meter fees, and annual licensing fees are not considered taxes. Can you identify other fees that are similar?
> Katie recently won a ceramic dalmatian valued at $800 on a television game show. She questions whether this prize is taxable since it was a “gift” she won on the show. a. Use an available tax research service to answer Katie’s question. b. Write a letter
> What are the rewards of tax avoidance? What are the rewards of tax evasion?
> Lindley has become very frustrated in researching a tax issue using keyword searches. What suggestions can you give her?
> Last year Robert transferred a life insurance policy worth $45,000 to an irrevocable trust with directions to distribute the corpus of the trust to his grandson, Danny, upon his graduation from college, or to Danny’s estate upon his death. Robert paid $1
> Terry transferred $500,000 of real estate into an irrevocable trust for her son, Lee. The trustee was directed to retain income until Lee’s 21st birthday and then pay him the corpus of the trust. Terry retained the power to require the trustee to pay inc
> Walter owns a whole-life insurance policy worth $52,000 that directs the insurance company to pay the beneficiary $250,000 on Walter’s death. Walter pays the annual premiums and has the power to designate the beneficiary of the policy (it is currently hi
> This year Jeff earned $850,000 and used it to purchase land in joint tenancy with a right of survivorship with Mary. Has Jeff made a taxable gift to Mary and, if so, in what amount? What is your answer if Jeff and Mary are married?
> Using the Internal Revenue Code, describe two deductions for AGI that are not discussed in this chapter.
> Explain how a transfer of property as a gift may have income tax implications to the donee.
> What limitations are placed on the deductibility of capital losses for individual taxpayers?
> In reviewing the tax rate schedule for married filing jointly, Jorge and Anita note that the tax on $155,000 is $29,517.50 plus 28 percent of the taxable income over $151,900. What does the $29,517.50 represent?
> What tax rate applies to net short-term capital gains?
> Describe how interest income and dividend income are taxed. What are the similarities and differences in their tax treatment?
> In each of the following independent cases, indicate the amount (1) deductible for AGI, (2) deductible from AGI, and (3) neither deductible for nor deductible from AGI before considering income limitations or the standard deduction. a. Ted paid $8 rent
> Hardaway earned $100,000 of compensation this year. He also paid (or had paid for him) $3,000 of health insurance. What is Hardaway’s AGI in each of the following situations (ignore the effects of Social Security and self-employment taxes)? a. Hardaway
> Determine whether a taxpayer can change his or her election to itemize deductions once a return is filed. (Hint: Read about itemization under Reg. §1.63-1.)
> Explain why the cost of commuting from home to work is not deductible as a business expense.
> Dontae’s employer has offered him the following employment package. What is Dontae’s gross income from his employment? Salary………………………………………………………………………..$400,000 Health Insurance……………………………………………………………….10,000 Dental Insurance………………………………………………………
> Duff is really interested in decreasing his tax liability, and by his very nature he is somewhat aggressive. A friend of a friend told him that cash transactions are more difficult for the IRS to identify and, thus, tax. Duff is contemplating using this
> Jerry has a certificate of deposit at the local bank. The interest on this certificate was credited to his account on December 31 of last year but he didn’t withdraw the interest until January of this year. When is the interest income taxed?
> Using the Internet, find a comparison of income tax rates across states. What state currently has the highest income tax rate? In considering individual tax burdens across states, what other taxes should you consider?
> Is a qualifying relative always a qualifying person for purposes of determining head of household filing status?
> Jamareo has found a “favorable” authority directly on point for his tax question. If the authority is an administrative authority, which specific type of authority would he prefer to answer his question? Which administrative authority would he least pref
> Jasper and Crewella Dahvill were married in year 0. They filed joint tax returns in years 1 and 2. In year 3, their relationship was strained and Jasper insisted on filing a separate tax return. In year 4, the couple divorced. Both Jasper and Crewella fi
> To help pay for the city’s new stadium, the city of Birmingham recently enacted a 1 percent surcharge on hotel rooms. Is this a tax? Why or why not?
> Faith, a resident of Florida (11th Circuit) recently found a circuit court case that is favorable to her research question. Which two circuits would she prefer to have issued the opinion?
> Consider the following tax rate structure. Is it horizontally equitable? Why or why not? Is it vertically equitable? Why or why not? Total Tax Тахрауer Rodney Salary S10,000 $600 Keisha 10,000 600
> Daniel is considering selling two stocks that have not fared well over recent years. A friend recently informed Daniel that one of his stocks has a special designation, which allows him to treat a loss up to $50,000 on this stock as an ordinary loss rath
> Bob’s Lottery, Inc., has decided to offer winners a choice of $100,000 in ten years or some amount currently. Assume that Bob’s Lottery, Inc., earns a 10 percent after-tax rate of return. What amount should Bob offer lottery winners currently, in order f
> Randy deducted a high level of itemized deductions two years ago relative to his income level. He recently received an IRS notice requesting documentation for his itemized deductions. What audit procedure likely identified his tax return for audit?
> Yong’s tax return was audited because he calculated his tax liability incorrectly. What IRS audit procedure identified his tax return for audit?
> Given the following tax structure, what tax would need to be assessed on Venita to make the tax horizontally equitable? Тахраyer Salary Total Tax Мае $10,000 $ 600 Pedro 20,000 1,500 Venita 10,000 ???
> True or False. For purposes of determining head of household filing status, the taxpayer’s mother or father is considered to be a qualifying person of the taxpayer (even if the mother or father does not qualify as the taxpayer’s dependent) as long as the
> Sophia recently won a tax case litigated in the 7th Circuit. She recently heard that the Supreme Court denied the writ of certiorari. Should she be happy or not, and why?
> Assume Rafael can earn an 8 percent after-tax rate of return. Would he prefer $1,000 today or $1,500 in five years?
