Question

Kathy is 60 years of age and self-employed. During 2021 she reported $500,000 of revenues and $100,000 of expenses relating to her self-employment activities. If Kathy has no other retirement accounts in her name, what is the maximum amount she can contribute to a SEP IRA for 2021? Assume she pays $30,986 in self-employment tax for 2021. (Round your final answer to the nearest whole number.)

a. $58,000

b. $64,500

c. $93,801

d. $86,153

Answer 1

After calculating Kathy's net earnings from self-employment for 2021 by subtracting her business expenses and the deductible part of her self-employment tax from her revenues, the maximum SEP IRA contribution she can make is $58,000 (option a), which is the limit set for the year 2021.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question is asking for the maximum amount Kathy can contribute to a SEP (Simplified Employee Pension) IRA based on her self-employment income and expenses for the year 2021.



To determine the maximum SEP IRA contribution, we must calculate Kathy's net earnings from self-employment, which will consider her revenues, expenses, and the deductible part of her self-employment taxes.

The formula to calculate the maximum SEP IRA contribution for a self-employed individual is:

Net Profit - 1/2 Self-Employment Tax = Net Earnings

Net Earnings x Contribution Percentage (up to 25%) = Maximum SEP IRA Contribution

First, we must calculate the deductible portion of Kathy's self-employment tax:

Self-Employment Tax = $30,986

Deductible Part of Self-Employment Tax = $30,986 / 2 = $15,493

Next, we calculate Kathy's net earnings:

Revenues - Expenses = Net Profit

$500,000 - $100,000 = $400,000 Net Profit

Net Profit - 1/2 Self-Employment Tax = Net Earnings

$400,000 - $15,493 = $384,507 Net Earnings

Finally, we calculate the maximum SEP IRA contribution:

$384,507 x 25% = $96,126.75

However, for 2021, the SEP IRA contribution limit cannot exceed $58,000. Therefore, Kathy can contribute a maximum of $58,000 to her SEP IRA for 2021.