Question

Duc has been employed by Longbow Corporation for 25 years. During that time, he bought an annuity at a cost of $50 per month ($15,000 total cost). The annuity will pay him $200 per month after he reaches age 65. When Duc dies, his wife, Annika, will continue to receive the annuity until her death. Duc turns 65 in April 2019 and receives 8 payments on the contract. Annika is age 60 when the annuity payments begin.

Required:
a. How much gross income does Duc have from the contract in the current year?
b. Assume that Duc dies on April 2, 2025. How does Annika account for the contract in 2025?
c. Assume the same facts as in part b and that Annika dies on August 4, 2032. How does the executor of Annika's estate account for the contract in the year of her death?

Answer 1

a. How much gross income does Duc have from the contract in the current year?

According to the IRS, Duc's life expectancy is 90 years and 8 months, or 310 more months. This means that Duc can discount from his monthly income $15,000 / 310 = $48.39 (which we must round down to $48).

Duc received 8 x $200 = $1,600

deductions = 8 x $48 = $384

taxable income = $1,216

b. Assume that Duc dies on April 2, 2025. How does Annika account for the contract in 2025?

Annika should account for the contract in the same way as Duc did, and will also be able to discount $48 per month form her gross income. Since Annika will still file her taxes as married during 2025, she will report net income from this contract = ($200 - $48) x 12 months = $1,824

c. Assume the same facts as in part b and that Annika dies on August 4, 2032. How does the executor of Annika's estate account for the contract in the year of her death?

Both Duc and Annika received [(2032 - 2019) x 12] + 4 = 160 payments in total, so her estate is entitled to a tax deduction = (310 - 160) x $48 = $7,200

Since she died on August, her estate must also report income = ($200 - $48) x 8 = $1,216