Your friend, Sam, receives take-home pay of $2,140.50 twice a month. In reviewing the pay stub, you notice the following: Federal income taxes withheld of $450, FICA of $186, Medicare of $43.50, and state tax withholding of $180. Sam is single and does not itemize.
Determine (Using 2020 rates and standard deduction amounts!):
a. The amount of taxable wages that are to be reported on line 1 of Form 1040.
b. The amount of taxable income Sam has on line 15 on Form 1040 (page 1).
c. The federal income tax liability on line 16 of Form 1040 (page 2).
d. The amount of refund or balance due (either line 34 or line 35 on page 2 of Form 1040).
e. What is Sam’s average rate of tax when adding up the actual federal taxes, FICA and Medicare, and state income taxes? (Assume that state income taxes withheld equals the actual state income tax liability).
f. What is Sam’s marginal tax rate for the next $1 of earnings? This would be the federal and state rates plus FICA and Medicare.