Question

Martha and Lew are married taxpayers with $400 of foreign tax withholding from dividends in a mutual fund. They have enough foreign income from the mutual fund to claim the full $400 as a foreign tax credit. Their tax bracket is 24 percent and they itemize deductions. Should they claim the foreign tax credit or a deduction for foreign taxes on their Schedule A?

Answer 1

Martha and Lew should claim the foreign tax credit instead of the deduction, as it would provide a greater tax benefit given their 24 percent tax bracket.

Step-by-step explanation:

Martha and Lew need to decide between taking the foreign tax credit or claiming a deduction for foreign taxes paid on their Schedule A. Given that they are in the 24 percent tax bracket and itemize deductions, the better choice would usually be to claim the foreign tax credit. This is because a credit reduces their tax liability dollar-for-dollar, making it more valuable than a deduction which only reduces the amount of income subject to tax. Therefore, if they have enough foreign income to claim the full $400 as a credit, it would typically provide a greater tax benefit than a deduction.

Answer 2

Answer: they should claim a deduction for foreign taxes on their Schedule A?

Explanation: An itemized deduction is an expenditure on eligible products, services, or contributions that can be subtracted from adjusted gross income (AGI) to reduce your tax bill.

Most taxpayers have the option to either itemize deductions or claim the standard deduction that applies to their filing status.