Final answer:
Jewel's year-end basis in the S corporation is $0 after accounting for her share of ordinary income, tax-exempt income, and the operating distribution. Only $4,000 of the $25,000 distribution is taxable as capital gain since the distribution exceeded her adjusted basis in the S corporation.
Step-by-step explanation:
Jewel is a shareholder in an S corporation and has various financial transactions to report. At the start of the year, Jewel's basis was $2,000. Her share of the ordinary income for the year was $17,000, which directly increases her basis. Additionally, Jewel received $2,000 in tax-exempt income which also increases her basis since it is a separately stated item that doesn't get taxed but does affect shareholder basis. The S corporation then made an operating distribution to Jewel amounting to $25,000.
First, let's calculate her new basis. The initial basis of $2,000 plus the ordinary income of $17,000, plus the tax-exempt income of $2,000, provides a total of $21,000 as her adjusted basis before distributions. Distributions are taken out against the basis. Therefore, after receiving the $25,000 distribution, Jewel's basis in the S corporation would be reduced. However, because distributions can only reduce her basis to zero and not below, her basis at the end of the year would be $0.
Concerning the distributions and their character, because Jewel's basis before distribution was $21,000, the entire $25,000 distribution will not be taxed as income as long as it doesn't exceed her basis and accumulated adjustments account (AAA). But since the distribution did exceed her adjusted basis by $4,000 (i.e., $25,000 distribution - $21,000 basis), this excess amount is considered capital gain income. The amount of the capital gain would be reported on her individual tax return.