Final answer:
Joanna's gross income includes only her compensation from her employer, which is $72,000, because stock appreciation is not realized and life insurance proceeds are generally non-taxable.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student question concerns the calculation of gross income for an individual with various sources of funds. It involves understanding which types of income are included in gross income for tax purposes. To calculate Joanna's gross income, we consider different components of her income during the year, such as:
- Compensation from her employer.
- The appreciation of her stock in the ABC company.
- Life insurance proceeds from the death of her husband.
Joanna's employer compensated her with $72,000, which is considered taxable income and must be included in her gross income.
The appreciation of her stock amounted to $7,500, but since she did not sell any stock, this increase in value is not considered realized, and thus not taxable until it is sold; hence it is not included in gross income for the current year. Life insurance proceeds are generally non-taxable, so the $35,800 she received is also not included in her gross income.
Therefore, Joanna's gross income from the provided items only includes her compensation, which is $72,000.