Simply put, to estimate taxable income, we take gross income and subtract tax deductions. Then, we apply the corresponding tax category (based on income and marital tax status) to calculate the tax liability. Learning to calculate your taxable income involves knowing what items to include and what to exclude. You'll need to know your tax filing status, add up all your sources of income, and then subtract any deductions to determine the amount of your taxable income.
Some credits are refundable, meaning you can get paid for them even if you don't owe any income tax. Some states have property rules that require married couples who file separate returns to combine certain income and expenses owned by both spouses and then divide income and expenses equally on the returns. So how exactly is your taxable income determined? This publication will break down the details of how to calculate taxable income by following these steps. When preparing your tax return, it's helpful to understand how tax law views your income and how to determine taxable income.
The federal personal income tax administered by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is the largest source of income for U.S. states. Governments that have a state income tax require you to file a separate state tax return, since they have their own rules. Once you've calculated your adjusted gross income, you can subtract any deduction you qualify for (whether itemized or standard) to calculate taxable income.
Then, your adjusted gross income (AGI) is calculated by subtracting the adjustments from your total income. Start with your household's adjusted gross income (AGI), your total (or “gross) income for the tax year, minus certain adjustments you can make. Unlike adjustments and deductions, which apply to your income, tax credits apply to your tax liability, that is, the amount of tax you owe. Keep in mind that your income is part of what determines how much you owe in federal and state income taxes.
Income in the United States is taxed by the federal government, most state governments, and many local governments.
