Question

Grady is a member of a large family and received the following payments this year. For each payment, determine whether the payment constitutes realized income and determine the amount of each payment Grady must include in his gross income. (Leave no answer blank. Enter zero if applicable.)
A gift of $60,000 of Ford Motor Bonds. Grady received the bonds on October 31, and he received $1,800 of semiannual interest from the bonds on December 31.

Answer 1

Answer:

Since Grady received the $60,000 gift, he does not owe any taxes on that transaction. When a gift is made, the receiving party pays no taxes, but the giving party has to pay taxes if it exceeds the $15,000 annual threshold or the  $11.4 million lifetime exclusion.

But Grady must include the interests that he earned from the bonds as part of his gross income ($1,800). Interests are taxed as ordinary income.