PrinciplesofTaxationforBusinessandInvestmentPlanning202023rdEditionby n n n n n n n
nSallyJones, ShelleyRhoades Catanach
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Chapter1TaxesandTaxingJurisdictions n n n n
Questionsand ProblemsforDiscussion n n
1. Taxpaymentsdifferfromgovernmentfinesandpenaltiesbecausetheyaren‘tintendedto deter
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norpunishunacceptablebehavior.Taxpaymentsdifferfromfeesorusercharges because
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ntheydon‘tentitlethepayertoaspecificgovernmentgoodorservice,suchasa postagestamp
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noradriver‘slicense.Taxpaymentsalsodifferfromfeesorusercharges because they are
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ncompulsory.
2. Thispaymenthascharacteristicsofatax,apenalty,andauserfee.Thecompulsorypayment is not
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nspecificallypunitivebutdoesapplyselectivelytothosecompaniesmostlikely responsiblefor the n n n n n n n n n n n n n
npollutedconditionofGreenRiver.However,thesesamecompaniesmay betheentitiesthat benefit
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nmost from the environmental clean-up.
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3. Thispaymentmorecloselyresemblesafeeforagovernmentservicethanatransaction-basedtax
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nbecausethetransactionoccursbetweenaprivatepartyandthejurisdictionitself,rather than
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nbetweenprivatepartiesengaginginamarkettransaction.Thepaymentalsoentitlesthepayertoa
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nspecific benefit (the right to marry under law). n n n n n n n
4. TotheextentthatthedeclineinexteriormaintenancereducesthevalueofMr.Powell‘s apartment
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ncomplex,hebearstheincidenceoftheincreasedpropertytax.Totheextentthatthe declinereduces
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nthevalueofadjoiningpropertiesormakestheneighborhoodlessattractive,the ownersofthe
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nadjoiningpropertiesandtheneighborhoodresidentssharetheincidenceofthe taxincrease. n n n n n n n n n n n n
5. Peoplewhodon‘tdirectlyusepublicschools(suchasMr.andMrs.Ahernorpeoplewhodon‘thave
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nchildren)indirectlybenefitfromapubliceducationsystemforthegeneralpopulation.Arguably, public
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educationcontributes toaskilledworkforceandimprovestheculturalandsocial environmentinwhich
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Mr.andMrs.Ahernlive.Basedonthisargument,Mr.andMrs.Ahernshould not be exempt from the local
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nproperty tax. n
6. Theconsumerswhopaythesamepriceforasmallerbarofsoapoflesserqualitybearthe
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nincidence of the new gross receipts tax. n n n n n n
7. Realpropertycan‘t behiddenormoved,anditsownership(legaltitle)isamatter ofpublic
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nrecord.Incontrast,personalpropertyismobileandmaybeeasilyconcealed.Moreover,
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njurisdictionsmaynothaveaneffectivemeanstodiscoverortraceownershipofpersonal n n n n n n n n n n n n n
nproperty.
8. Arguably,privategolfcoursesbeautifythelocalityandareenvironmentallymoredesirable than
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nothercommercialactivities.Theyalsomayrequiremoreacreagethanotherbusinessesand,
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ntherefore, would be at a competitive disadvantage without a preferential real propertytax n n n n n n n n n n n n
nrate.
9. Manyjurisdictionsthatlevypropertytaxesprovideanexemptionforpublicinstitutions,suchas state
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universitiesorprivatecolleges.IfUniversity K isentitledtosuchanexemption, every commercial
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buildingorresidenceacquiredbytheUniversityreducesthelocaljurisdiction‘s property taxbase.
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,10. Excise taxes are imposed on a much narrower range of consumer goods and services than sales
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taxes. Consequently, people can more readily avoid purchasing the specific good or service
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subject to excise tax.
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11. Thetaxincreasemayhavereducedtheaggregatedemandforconsumergoodsand,
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consequently,municipalresidents are buyingfewer goods.A secondpossibility is that
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municipalresidentsaretravelingtootherjurisdictionswithlowertaxratesormakingmore
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purchases through mail order catalogs or on-line.
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12. Fromapoliticalperspective,liquorandcigarettessalesmakeanexcellenttaxbasebecause
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consumptionofthetwoproductsispurelydiscretionary,andanydeclineinconsumption becauseof
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thetaxissociallydesirable.Fromaneconomicperspective,thesesalesareagood tax base
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becausethedemandforliquor andcigarettesisrelatively priceinelastic.Inother words,people
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whodrinkandsmokeonaregularbasisbuytheseproductsregardlessofaheavy excisetax.
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13. Thefederalincomehasthebroaderbase.Thefederalpayrolltaxisimposedonwages, salaries, and
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otherformsofcompensationearnedbyemployees.Thefederalincometaxisimposedon alltypesof
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compensationaswellasnetbusinessprofit,investmentincome,andanyother income item from
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whatever source derived.
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14. Aproperty tax is a periodic (usually annual) tax levied on the ownership of property and basedon
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thevalueofthepropertyonaparticularassessmentdate.Atransfertaxisa transaction-basedtax
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leviedonthetransferofpropertyfromonepartytoanother.Atransfertax is basedonthevalueofthe
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property atdateoftransfer.
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15. Ifthefederalgovernmentcould―piggyback‖anationalsalestaxonexistingstatesalestax collection
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systems,thefederalgovernmentcouldavoidcreatinganewfederalagencyfor collectingthetax.In
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contrast,thefederalgovernmentwouldhavetocreateanewcollection systemforanationalVAT.
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However,anationalVATwouldbelesslikelytocausejurisdictional conflictbetweenthefederal
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governmentandthestatesbecausestatesdon‘tdependonVATs as a source of revenue.
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16. TheInternalRevenueCodeisfederalstatutorylaw,enactedbyCongressandsignedbythe President.
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Technically,Treasuryregulationsonlyinterpretandexplainthestatuteandaren‘tlaws intheirown
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right.Thus,regulationsarelessauthoritativethantheCodeitself.However,because Congress
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authorizedtheTreasurytowriteregulations,theyarethegovernment‘sofficial interpretationof
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statutory law.Practically,theregulations carryconsiderableauthoritativeweight.
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Application Problems n
1. a. Thestatementoffactsidentifiesthreetaxpayers:Mr.JoshKenney,JKServices,andJK
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Realty.
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b. ThegovernmentofthelocalityinwhichMr.Kenneyresides,thestategovernmentof
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Vermont,andtheU.S.governmenthavejurisdictiontotaxMr.Kenney.Thelocal
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governmentsofthefourcountiesinwhichJKServicesconductsbusiness,thestate
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governmentofVermont,andtheU.S.governmenthavejurisdictiontotaxJKServices. The
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cityofBoston,thestategovernmentofMassachusetts,andtheU.S.government have
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jurisdiction to tax JK Realty.
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2. a. TheUnitedStateshasjurisdictiontotaxMrs.Maybecausesheisapermanentresident.
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b. TheUnitedStateshasjurisdictiontotaxMrs.MayonlyontheU.S.sourcerental
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income generated by the Manhattan real estate.
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, c. TheUnited Statesdoesnot havejurisdictiontotax Mrs.May.
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d. TheUnited Stateshasjurisdiction totax Mrs. Maybecause sheisaU.S.citizen.
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3. a. TheUnited Stateshas jurisdiction totax Mr.Tompkin because he isaU.S citizen.
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b. TheUnitedStateshasjurisdictiontotaxMr.TompkinonlyontheU.S.sourcerental
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income generated by the Buffalo real estate.
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c. TheUnitedStateshasjurisdictiontotax Mr.Tompkinbecauseheisapermanent resident.
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d. TheUnitedStateshasjurisdictiontotaxMr.TompkinonhisshareoftheU.S.
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source business income generated by Sophic Partnership.
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4. StateA: n
Volumeof salesbeforerateincrease n n n n n $800,000,000
Originaltaxrate n n .05
Revenuebeforerateincrease n n n $40,000,000
Volumeof salesafter rateincrease n n n n n $710,000,000
Newtax rate n n .06
Revenueafterrateincrease n n n $42,600,000
Additionalrevenue($42,600,000−$40,000,000) n n n $2,600,000
StateZ: n
Volumeofsalesaddedtotax base n n n n n n $50,000,000
Tax rate n .05
Additional revenue n $2,500,000
5. a. Thepropertytaxis$8,300($415,0002%).
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b. Thepropertytax is$19,000([$500,000 2%]+[$225,000 4%]).
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6. a. The propertytax is$39,000 ($1.3million 3%).
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b. The propertytax is$85,000 ([$2million 3%]+[$2.5million 1%]).
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7. Increase in County G‘s aggregate assessed property tax value
n n n n n n n n $23,000,000
nAssessedvalueofLexon‘snewfacility n n n n n (20,000,000)
Net increase in County G‘s tax base
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nTaxrate n
.04
Net effect onCountyG‘scurrentyear revenue
n n n n n n n $120,000
8. a. Value of property purchased in State K n n n n n n $600,000
Use tax rate in State H
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.06
Precredit usetaxn n n $36,000
Salestax paidtoStateK n n n n n (18,000)
Usetax owedtoStateH n n n n n $18,000
b. Value of property purchased in State L n n n n n n $750,000
Use tax rate in State H
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.06
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, Precredit usetax
n n n $45,000
Salestax paidtoStateL
n n n n n (48,750)
Usetax owedtoStateH
n n n n n -0-
Copyright©2020 McGraw-Hill Education. Allrights reserved.
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