Brandon and Jane Forte File a Joint Tax Return and Decide

question 33

Multiple Choice

Brandon and Jane Forte file a joint tax return and decide to itemize their deductions. The Forte's income for the year consists of $120,000 in salary, $1,000 interest income, $1,500 nonqualifying dividends, and $1,100 long-term capital gains. The Forte's expenses for the year consist of $3,000 investment interest expense and $900 tax preparation fees. Assuming that the Forte's marginal tax rate is 30% and they make no special elections, what is the amount of investment interest expense deduction for the year?

• A) Zero.
• B) $1,000.
• C) $2,500.
• D) $3,000.
• E) None of the choices are correct.

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Definitions:

Current Cost

The price that would be paid for goods or services if purchased in the current market, as opposed to historical cost.

User Cost

The cost of using a durable good or asset, which includes depreciation, interest lost on funds used to buy the asset, and maintenance costs.

Nonrenewable Resources

Natural resources that cannot be replenished within a human lifetime, such as fossil fuels or minerals.

Opportunity Cost

The value of the next best alternative foregone as the result of making a decision, representing the benefits an individual, investor, or business misses out on when choosing one alternative over another.