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January/February 1998
Do-It-Yourself 1040 Tax Form
Here's a chance to see just how bad things will be in April.
| 1997
Gross income |
|
$ |
Less
contributions to retirement plan $
(IRA, SEP, pension, profit-sharing) |
|
$ |
| Adjusted
Gross Income |
|
$ |
| Deductions
and Exemptions |
|
|
| State
and local income, property taxes |
$ |
|
| Mortgage
interest |
$ |
|
| Contributions |
$ |
|
| Business
expenses |
$ |
|
Exemptions
($2,650 per person) |
$ |
|
| Total
deductions and exemptions |
|
$ |
| Taxable
income |
|
$ |
| Income
tax |
|
|
| (See
rates below) |
|
|
Married Individuals Filing
Joint Return
| Taxable
Income |
Tax on
Lower Amount |
Rate
on Excess |
Over |
| $0 $41,200 |
$0 |
15% |
0 |
| $41,200 99,600 |
$6,180.00 |
28% |
$41,200 |
| $99,600 151,750 |
$22,532.00 |
31% |
$99,600 |
| $151,750 271,050 |
$38,698.50 |
36% |
$151,750 |
| $271,050 |
$81,646.50 |
39.6% |
$271,050 |
Single Individuals Filing
Joint Return
| Taxable
Income |
Tax on
Lower Amount |
Rate
on Excess |
Over |
| $0 $24,650 |
$0 |
15% |
0 |
| $24,650 59,750 |
$3,967.50 |
28% |
$24,650 |
| $59,750 124,650 |
$13,525.50 |
31% |
$59,750 |
| $124,650 271,050 |
$33,644.50 |
36% |
$124,650 |
| $271,050 |
$86,348.50 |
39.6% |
$271,050 |
Have you been wondering if you are on track for your '97 taxes? Grab your calculator and spend fifteen minutes right now calculating your bill (or refund!) It's worth having a general idea of where you are and what (if anything) can be done to help. Hopefully you are on a computerized system so it's relatively easy to locate the following information.
You will need:
Your 1997 gross income
Retirement contributions
State and local income and property taxes paid
An estimate of your mortgage interest paid
Contributions
Business expenses
Exemptions
A calculator
Example
Your 1997 taxable income is $135,000. If you are married, filing jointly, the tax you owe on the lower amount ($151,750 tax bracket) is $22,532 on the first $99,600 of your combined income. The tax on the excess ($135,000 - 99,600) is $35,400 x 31% = $10,974. Your total tax owed is approximately ($22,532 + 10,974) = $35,506.
This do-it-yourself tax form was developed by Stanley Greenfield, RHU, of Jacksonville Beach, FL.
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