Common examples of income not included in taxable income are gifts and inheritances, child support payments, most life insurance proceeds, qualified scholarships, employer-provided health insurance benefits, cash rebates, and alimony for post-2018 divorces, as these are generally transfers not in exchange for services, reimbursements, or specifically excluded by IRS rules.
Unemployment compensation generally is taxable. Inheritances, gifts, cash rebates, alimony payments (for divorce decrees finalized after 2018), child support payments, most healthcare benefits, welfare payments, and money that is reimbursed from qualifying adoptions are deemed nontaxable by the IRS.
Individuals receiving allowances exemption
These exemptions are designed to reduce taxable income by excluding certain types of allowances, such as House Rent Allowance (HRA), Leave Travel Allowance (LTA), and allowances for children's education.
Untaxed income is income that is excluded from federal income taxation under the IRS code. Examples include Supplemental Security Income, child support, alimony, and federal or public assistance.
You earned less than R350 000 in the tax year; You received income from only one employer; You have no other sources of income (such as interest, rental, or freelance work); and. You are not claiming any deductions (such as for medical expenses, travel, or retirement contributions).
Types of taxable income
To calculate taxable income, start with your Gross Income, subtract "above-the-line" adjustments (like retirement contributions) to get your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI), and then subtract either the Standard Deduction or Itemized Deductions (whichever is greater) from your AGI; the result is your taxable income, which is the amount subject to tax.
How to calculate taxable income – Step by Step
Non-taxable payments and benefits from employment
You can deduct these expenses whether you take the standard deduction or itemize:
Gratuity received by any government employee is fully exempted from income tax. For non-government employees covered by the payment of Gratuity Act of 1972, the least of the three is exempted from income tax. 15 days salary based on the last drawn salary for each year of service.
Some common forms of nontaxable income include inheritances, cash gifts of $19,000 or less, scholarships that cover school tuition and fees, alimony, child support, and welfare payments. Taxable income can be “earned” on the job, as with wages, salaries, and commissions.
Businesses that show losses are more likely to be audited, especially if the losses are recurring. The IRS might suspect that you must be making more money than you're reporting. Otherwise, why would you stay in business? Most likely to be audited are taxpayers reporting small business losses.
Not reporting all of your income is an easy-to-avoid red flag that can lead to an audit. Taking excessive business tax deductions and mixing business and personal expenses can lead to an audit. The IRS mostly audits tax returns of those earning more than $200,000 and corporations with more than $10 million in assets.
When Does a Bank Have to Report Your Deposit? Banks report individuals who deposit $10,000 or more in cash. The IRS typically shares suspicious deposit or withdrawal activity with local and state authorities, Castaneda says.
To reduce taxable income, maximize pre-tax contributions to retirement accounts (401(k), IRA, HSA), take itemized deductions like mortgage interest or charitable gifts (or "bunch" them), claim business deductions if self-employed, sell losing stocks (tax-loss harvesting), and utilize education credits or other specific tax credits.
All income you receive during the year is considered taxable income unless it's specifically exempt by law. Whether you've received wages, self-employment income, investment income, and more, you're required to pay income tax on it. Learn all about taxable income and how to lower it using tax deductions.