Final answer:
Calculating income tax is indeed difficult as it involves complex processes such as determining the correct taxable income from one's adjusted gross income after considering deductions and exemptions within a complicated tax code.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that the main difficulty in calculating an income tax is determining the correct amount of the tax base is generally true. Calculating taxable income involves subtracting the sum of deductions and exemptions from the adjusted gross income. Factors such as various income sources, exemptions, deductions, and credits along with the complex tax codes and brackets make it challenging to precisely determine the taxes owed.
The basic formula for calculating taxable income is:
- taxable income = adjusted gross income - (deductions + exemptions)
However, due to the intricacies of the tax code, including different tax rates for different levels of income and considerations like the alternative minimum tax, the calculation can be quite complex.