Taxation Legal Terms and Definitions

Limited Liability Company An LLC may be classified for Federal income tax purposes either as a partnership, a corporation, or an entity disregarded as an entity separate from its owner by applying the rules in Regulations section 301.7701-3. See Form 8832, Entity Classification Election, for more details. Estate and Gift Tax One of the oldest and most common forms of taxation is the taxation of property held by an individual at the time of their death. Such a tax can take the form, among others, of estate tax (a tax levied on the estate before any transfers). An estate tax is a charge upon the decedent's entire estate, regardless of how it is disbursed. Federal income tax The federal government levies a tax on personal income. The federal income tax provides for national programs such as defense, foreign affairs, law enforcement, and interest on the national debt. Depreciation and Section 179 Expense 50% special depreciation allowance. For qualified property you acquire after May 5, 2003, you can take a special depreciation allowance that is equal to 50% of the property's depreciable basis. However, instead of claiming the 50% special allowance, you can elect to claim the 30% special allowance or elect not to claim any special allowance. Earned Income Credit A tax credit for certain people who work, meet certain requirements, and have earned income under a specified limit. Gross income Money, goods, services, and property a person receives that must be reported on a tax return. Includes unemployment compensation and certain scholarships. It does not include welfare benefits and nontaxable Social Security benefits. Form W-4, Employee's Withholding Allowance Certificate Completed by the employee and used by the employer to determine the amount of income tax to withhold. Installment Agreements To be eligible for an installment agreement, all returns that are due must first be filed. Installment agreements generally require equal monthly payments. The amount of an installment payment will be based on the amount owed and on the taxpayer’s ability to pay that amount within the time legally available for the IRS to collect. Self-Employment Tax The self-employment tax rate on net earnings remains the same for 2003. This rate, 15.3%, is a total of 12.4% for social security (old-age, survivors, and disability insur­ance) and 2.9% for Medicare (hospital insurance). Dependency exemption Amount that taxpayers can claim for their eligible dependents. Each exemption reduces the income subject to tax. The exemption amount is a set amount that changes from year to year.

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	Corporate Reorganizations; Transfers of Assets or Stock Following a Reorganization These proposed regulations address the effect of transfers of the assets or the stock of parties to a reorganization pursuant to transactions intended to qualify as reorganizations within the meaning of section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. REG-130863-04. Published August 17, 2004.