Final answer:
Reggie may deduct $2,635.38 of the property taxes on his tax return, as this is the prorated amount based on his ownership of the property from January 1 to April 30.
Step-by-step explanation:
Real property taxes are generally a prorated expense between the buyer and seller in the year of a property's sale. Since the real property tax is levied on January 1 in Lawrence County and is payable on June 1, the property tax for the year will be divided based on the period each party owned the property.
Since Reggie sold the house to Dana on May 1 and Dana paid the entire real estate tax on June 1, Reggie would be responsible for the taxes from January 1 to April 30, a period of 4 months (or 121 days, as this is not a leap year). Therefore, Reggie's share of the total annual property tax of $7,950 would be calculated as follows:
Daily Tax Liability: $7,950 / 365 days
= $21.78 per day
Reggie's Tax Liability:
121 days x $21.78 per day
= $2,635.38
Therefore, Reggie may deduct $2,635.38 of the property taxes on his tax return, assuming itemization and the state and local tax (SALT) deduction limit does not apply to him.