High School

Jack contributed [tex]$\$ 400$[/tex] per month into his retirement account in pre-tax dollars during the last tax year. His taxable income for the year was [tex]$\$ 62,350$[/tex]. He files taxes as a single taxpayer.

a. What would his taxable income have been had he contributed to the account in after-tax dollars?

b. Use the tax table below to calculate his tax in both the pre-tax and after-tax contribution situations.

c. How much did Jack save in taxes during that year?

[tex]\[
\begin{array}{|c|c|c|c|c|c|}
\hline
\text{If line 43 (taxable Income) is-} & \text{But less than} & \text{Single} & \text{Married filing jointly} & \text{Married filing separately} & \text{Head of a household} \\
\hline
62,000 & 62,050 & 11,300 & 8,381 & 11,300 & 9,829 \\
62,050 & 62,100 & 11,313 & 8,389 & 11,313 & 9,829 \\
62,100 & 62,150 & 11,325 & 8,396 & 11,325 & 9,854 \\
62,150 & 62,200 & 11,338 & 8,404 & 11,338 & 9,866 \\
62,200 & 62,250 & 11,350 & 8,411 & 11,350 & 9,879 \\
62,250 & 62,300 & 11,363 & 8,419 & 11,363 & 9,891 \\
62,300 & 62,350 & 11,375 & 8,426 & 11,375 & 9,904 \\
62,350 & 62,400 & 11,388 & 8,434 & 11,388 & 9,916 \\
62,400 & 62,450 & 11,400 & 8,441 & 11,400 & 9,929 \\
62,450 & 62,500 & 11,413 & 8,449 & 11,413 & 9,941 \\
62,500 & 62,550 & 11,425 & 8,456 & 11,425 & 9,954 \\
62,550 & 62,600 & 11,438 & 8,464 & 11,438 & 9,966 \\
62,600 & 62,650 & 11,450 & 8,471 & 11,450 & 9,979 \\
62,650 & 62,700 & 11,463 & 8,479 & 11,463 & 9,991 \\
62,700 & 62,750 & 11,475 & 8,486 & 11,475 & 10,004 \\
62,750 & 62,800 & 11,488 & 8,494 & 11,488 & 10,016 \\
62,800 & 62,850 & 11,500 & 8,501 & 11,500 & 10,029 \\
62,850 & 62,900 & 11,513 & 8,509 & 11,513 & 10,041 \\
62,900 & 62,950 & 11,525 & 8,516 & 11,525 & 10,054 \\
62,950 & 63,000 & 11,538 & 8,524 & 11,538 & 10,066 \\
\hline
\end{array}
\][/tex]

Answer :

Sure, let's go through the problem step-by-step together:

Part a: What would his taxable income have been had he contributed to the account in after-tax dollars?

1. Understand the contributions: Jack contributes [tex]$400 each month to his retirement account. Over a year, this equals an annual contribution of:
- \( 400 \times 12 = \$[/tex]4,800 \).

2. Taxable Income with after-tax contributions: If Jack had contributed this amount in after-tax dollars, it wouldn't reduce his taxable income. Therefore, his taxable income would have been:
- [tex]\( 62,350 + 4,800 = \$67,150 \)[/tex].

Part b: Calculate his tax in both the pre-tax and after-tax contribution situations.

1. Pre-tax contribution taxation:
Jack's taxable income with pre-tax contributions is \[tex]$62,350. According to the tax table, for taxable income of \$[/tex]62,350, the tax for a single filer is \[tex]$11,388.

2. After-tax contribution taxation:
With a taxable income of \$[/tex]67,150 (as calculated earlier), using the tax table, the tax for a single filer is \[tex]$12,575.

Part c: How much did Jack save in taxes during that year?

To determine the tax savings, subtract the pre-tax scenario tax amount from the after-tax scenario tax amount:
- Tax Savings = Tax after-tax - Tax pre-tax
- \( 12,575 - 11,388 = -1,187 \).

So, Jack saved \$[/tex]1,187 in taxes by contributing to his retirement account with pre-tax dollars. This highlights the benefit of making contributions with pre-tax dollars as it reduces taxable income, leading to tax savings.

I hope this breakdown clarifies the calculations for you!