Williams Owned an Office Building (But Not the Land) That

question 97

Essay

Williams owned an office building (but not the land) that was destroyed by a fire. The building was insured and Williams has a $156,000 gain because his insurance recovery exceeded his adjusted basis for the building. Williams may replace the building. Williams had taken $145,000 of depreciation on the building, has no § 1231 lookback loss, has no other § 1231 transactions for the year, and has no Schedule D transactions for the year. What is the final nature of Jamison's gain for the year and what tax rate(s) apply to the gain if:
(a) He does reinvest the insurance proceeds?
(b) If he doesn't reinvest the insurance proceeds?

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Definitions:

Large Numbers of People

A phrase that refers to situations, studies, or phenomena involving a significant population size.

Normative Economic Statement

A statement expressing a value judgment about what ought to be, based on personal values or opinions rather than factual evidence.

Economic Growth

An increase in the production of goods and services in an economy over a period of time, typically measured by gross domestic product (GDP) growth.

Unemployment Rate

The percentage of the labor force that is jobless and actively looking for employment.