Addison Parker, single and age 32, lives at 3218 Columbia Drive, Spokane, WA 99210. She is employed as regional sales manager by VITA Corporation, a manufacturer and distributor of vitamins and food supplements. Addison is paid an annual salary of $83,000 and a separate travel allowance of $24,000. As to the travel allowance, VITA does not require any accounting on the part of Addison.

• Addison participates in VITA’s contributory health and § 401(k) plans. During 2016, she paid $3,500 for her share of the medical insurance and contributed $11,000 to the § 401(k) retirement plan.
• Addison uses her automobile 70% for business and 30% for personal. The automobile, a Toyota Avalon, was purchased new on June 30, 2014, for $37,000 (no trade-in was involved). Depreciation has been claimed under MACRS 200% declining balance method, and no § 179 election was made in the year of purchase. (For depreciation information, see the IRS Instructions for Form 4562, Part V). During 2016, Addison drove 15,000 miles and incurred and paid the following expenses relating to the automobile:

• Because VITA does not have an office in Spokane, the company expects Addison to maintain one in her home. Out of 1,500 square feet of living space in her apartment, Addison has set aside 300 square feet as an office. Expenses for 2016 relating to the office are listed below.

• Addison’s employment-related expenses (except for the trip to Korea) for 2016 are summarized below.

Most of Addison’s business trips involve visits to retail outlets in her region. Store managers and their key employees, as well as some suppliers, were the parties entertained. The business gifts were boxes of candy costing $30 ($25 each plus $5 for wrapping and shipping) sent to 18 store managers at Christmas. The continuing education was a noncredit course dealing with improving management skills that Addison took online.

• In July 2016, Addison traveled to Korea to investigate a new process that is being developed to convert fish parts to a solid consumable tablet form. She spent one week checking out the process and then took a one-week vacation tour of the country. The round-trip airfare was $3,600, while her expenses relating to business were $2,100 for lodging ($300 each night), $1,470 for meals, and $350 for transportation. Upon returning to the United States, Addison sent her findings
about the process to her employer. VITA was so pleased with her report that it gave her an employee achievement award of $10,000. The award was sent to Addison in January 2017.
• Addison provides more than 50% of the support of her parents (Gordon and Anita Parker), who live in Seattle. In addition to modest Social Security benefits, her parents receive a small amount of interest on municipal bonds and nontaxable retirement income.

• Besides the items already mentioned, Addison had the following receipts in 2016:

Regarding the city lot (located in Vancouver), Addison purchased the property in 2001 for $16,000 and held it as an investment. Unfortunately, the neighborhood where the lot was located deteriorated, and property values declined. In 2016, Addison decided to cut her losses and sold the property for $13,000. The sailboat was used for pleasure and was purchased in 2012 for $16,500. Addison sold the boat because she purchased a new and larger model (see below). While at the
Spokane airport, Addison found an unmarked envelope containing $5,000 in $50 bills. As no mention of any lost funds was noted in the media, Addison kept the money.

• Addison’s expenditures for 2016 (not previously noted) are summarized below.

Most of the medical expenses Addison paid were for her mother’s dental implants. Addison keeps careful records regarding sales taxes. In 2016, the sales tax total was unusually high due to the purchase of a new sailboat. In 2016, Addison decided to pay her church pledge for both 2015 and 2016. The insurance premium was on a policy covering her father’s life. (Addison is the designated
beneficiary under the policy.)

Relevant Social Security numbers are 123-45-6785 (Addison), 123-45-6783 (Gordon), and 123-45-6784 (Anita). Addison’s employer withheld $5,600 for Federal income tax purposes, and she applied her $800 overpayment for 2015 toward the 2016 tax liability.
Compute Addison’s Federal income tax payable (or refund) for 2016. In making the calculation, use the Tax Rate Schedule and disregard the application of the alternative minimum tax (AMT), which is not discussed until Chapter 15.