Final answer:
The calculation of federal income tax for individuals involves deducting the standard or itemized deductions from the AGI to determine the taxable income. Taxpayers must choose between itemized and standard deductions, and one spouse's decision to itemize affects the other's ability to claim the standard deduction on separate returns.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering federal income tax for individuals, we bear in mind that taxable income is calculated after determining the adjusted gross income (AGI). The AGI is essentially your income from various sources minus specific deductions before standard or itemized deductions are applied. The next step is to subtract either the standard deduction or itemized deductions (whichever is higher and applicable) to arrive at your taxable income.
The selection between claiming itemized deductions or the standard deduction is a critical choice taxpayers must make. If a taxpayer's itemized deductions exceed the standard deduction, as in the case of Claude, they cannot claim the standard deduction. Furthermore, the filing status, such as single or head of household, significantly influences the amount of the standard deduction one is eligible for.
If one spouse itemizes deductions on a separate return, the other spouse cannot take the standard deduction. This means that if Dan decides to itemize his deductions, Donna will not be able to claim the standard deduction on her separate return.