Question

Rick, who is single, has been offered a position as a city landscape consultant. The position pays $141,800 in cash wages. Assume Rick has no dependents. Rick deduct the standard deduction instead of itemized deductions and he is not eligible for the qualified business income deduction. (Use the tax rate schedules.)

Required:
a. What is the amount of Rick’s after-tax compensation (ignore payroll taxes) and his income tax liability?
b. Suppose Rick receives a competing job offer of $102,500 in cash compensation and nontaxable (excluded) benefits worth $4,900.

Answer 1

I used the 2020 standard deduction and income tax brackets to calculate the answer.

a. What is the amount of Rick’s after-tax compensation (ignore payroll taxes) and his income tax liability?

Rick's gross income $141,800

- standard deduction $12,400

taxable income $129,400

income taxes = (10% x $9,875) + (12% x $30,250) + (22% x $45,400) + (24% x $43,875) = $25,135.50

after tax income = $141,800 - $25,135.50 = $116,664.50

b. Suppose Rick receives a competing job offer of $102,500 in cash compensation and nontaxable (excluded) benefits worth $4,900.

Rick's gross income $102,500

- standard deduction $12,400

taxable income $90,100

income taxes = (10% x $9,875) + (12% x $30,250) + (22% x $45,400) + (24% x $4,575) = $15,703.50

after tax income = $102,500 - $15,703.50 + $4,900 = $91,696.50