Question

Zooey is a single mother of two young children whose husband died in a tragic car accident. She earns $20,000 per year working as a cashier at a grocery store. The government uses a negative income tax system in which Taxes owed = (1/4 of income) - $15,000.

How much does Zooey owe or receive from the government?

a. She owes $5,000
b. She receives $10,000.
c. She owes $10,000.
d. She receives $15,000.

Answer 1

b. She receives $10,000

Step-by-step explanation:

Taxes owed = (1/4 of income) - $15,000.

Taxes owed = (1/4 x 20,000) - $15,000.

= 5,000 - 15,000 => -10,000

Hence, she receives $10,000 from the government.

A negative income tax is a system where people earning below a certain amount receive supplemental pay from the government instead of paying taxes to the government.