Final answer:
Cason's income of $36,000, which mostly consists of long-term capital gains, would be taxed at a marginal rate with preferential rates for the capital gains. His tax burden using the alternative method should be low, but without the specific 2023 tax brackets, an exact figure cannot be provided.
Step-by-step explanation:
To determine the tax on taxable income using the alternative tax method for Cason, who is single with a 2023 taxable income of $36,000 that includes $34,000 of 0%/15%/20% net long-term capital gains, we need to understand how the marginal tax rate works and apply the relevant tax brackets for the year. Since Cason's income is above $9,075 but below $36,900, his marginal tax rate for ordinary income would be 15%. However, his long-term capital gains are taxed at different rates, which are typically lower than the rates for ordinary income.
The tax owed on long-term capital gains is conditioned by the fact that these gains can benefit from a lower tax rate. For 2023, if Cason's ordinary income falls within the 15% tax bracket, his long-term capital gains would likely be taxed at 0%. Because the long-term capital gains constitute the majority of his income and only a minor portion of his income is taxable at the ordinary rate, his resulting tax liability using the alternative method is likely to be on the lower end.
Without specific tax bracket information for 2023, it's difficult to calculate the exact tax owed. However, with the information provided, the best estimate is that Cason's tax owed would be minimal due to the beneficial tax treatment of long-term capital gains.