Taxation Legal Terms and Definitions

Compulsory payroll tax An automatic tax collected from employers and employees to finance specific programs. Estate and Gift Tax One of the oldest and most common forms of taxation is the taxation of property held by an individual at the time of their death. Such a tax can take the form, among others, of estate tax (a tax levied on the estate before any transfers). An estate tax is a charge upon the decedent's entire estate, regardless of how it is disbursed. Excise tax A tax on the sale or use of specific products or transactions. Standard Mileage Rate For 2004, the standard mileage rate for the cost of operating your car, van, pickup, or panel truck is increased to 37.5 cents a mile for all business miles. Partnership return If you need more time to file a partnership return, file Form 8736, Application for Automatic Extension of Time To File U.S. Return for a Partnership, REMIC, or for Certain Trusts, for an automatic 3-month extension. File Form 8736 by the regular due date of the partnership return. Self-Employment Tax The self-employment tax rate on net earnings remains the same for 2003. This rate, 15.3%, is a total of 12.4% for social security (old-age, survivors, and disability insur­ance) and 2.9% for Medicare (hospital insurance). Federal income tax The federal government levies a tax on personal income. The federal income tax provides for national programs such as defense, foreign affairs, law enforcement, and interest on the national debt. Income taxes Taxes on income, both earned (salaries, wages, tips, commissions) and unearned (interest, dividends). Income taxes can be levied on both individuals (personal income taxes) and businesses (business and corporate income taxes). Depreciation and Section 179 Expense 50% special depreciation allowance. For qualified property you acquire after May 5, 2003, you can take a special depreciation allowance that is equal to 50% of the property's depreciable basis. However, instead of claiming the 50% special allowance, you can elect to claim the 30% special allowance or elect not to claim any special allowance. Subchapter S The S-Corporation must complete and file IRS Form 1120s to report its annual income to the IRS each year.

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	Did You Know?
	Corporate Reorganizations; Transfers of Assets or Stock Following a Reorganization These proposed regulations address the effect of transfers of the assets or the stock of parties to a reorganization pursuant to transactions intended to qualify as reorganizations within the meaning of section 368(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. REG-130863-04. Published August 17, 2004.