Calculate the total 2020 tax liability for a surviving spouse with one dependent child with a gross income of ​$59 comma 400.00​, assuming that the taxpayer takes the standard deduction. If the dependent child is under the age of 17 and ​$3 comma 000.00 was withheld from the​ taxpayer's wages for federal income​ taxes, what is the amount of the​ taxpayer's refund or tax​ due?
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Part 1
Assuming the single parent​ taxpayer's filing status is Married Filing Jointly or Surviving​ Spouse, the​ taxpayer's standard deduction for the 2020 tax year is ​$

enter your response here.  ​(Enter the amount to the nearest​ cent.) Click the following link for a standard deduction​ table: LOADING....

Let's calculate the total tax liability for the surviving spouse with one dependent child based on the 2020 U.S. federal tax rules. Here's the step-by-step process:

### 1. **Gross Income:**
   The gross income is $59,400.

### 2. **Standard Deduction (2020):**
   The filing status is **Married Filing Jointly** (Surviving Spouse), which means the taxpayer qualifies for the **2020 standard deduction of $24,800**.

### 3. **Taxable Income Calculation:**
   The taxable income is determined by subtracting the standard deduction from the gross income:
   \[
   \text{Taxable Income} = 59,400 - 24,800 = 34,600
   \]

### 4. **Federal Income Tax Calculation (2020 Tax Brackets for Married Filing Jointly):**

   For 2020, the tax brackets for Married Filing Jointly are:
   - 10% on income up to $19,750
   - 12% on income from $19,751 to $80,250

   So, we will calculate the tax based on the following segments:
   - For the first $19,750:  
     \[
     19,750 \times 10\% = 1,975
     \]
   - For the remaining amount ($34,600 - $19,750 = $14,850):  
     \[
     14,850 \times 12\% = 1,782
     \]
   Adding these together gives the total tax liability:
   \[
   \text{Total Tax Liability} = 1,975 + 1,782 = 3,757
   \]

### 5. **Child Tax Credit:**
   Since the dependent child is under 17 years old, the taxpayer qualifies for the **Child Tax Credit**. The child tax credit for 2020 is $2,000 per qualifying child. So, the taxpayer receives a credit of:
   \[
   \text{Child Tax Credit} = 2,000
   \]
   Subtracting this from the tax liability:
   \[
   3,757 - 2,000 = 1,757
   \]

### 6. **Withholding:**
   The taxpayer has already had $3,000 withheld from their wages for federal income taxes.

### 7. **Refund or Tax Due Calculation:**
   Since $3,000 was withheld but the tax liability is only $1,757, the taxpayer is due a refund:
   \[
   \text{Refund} = 3,000 - 1,757 = 1,243
   \]

### Conclusion:
The taxpayer is entitled to a refund of **$1,243**.

---

Would you like more details on any part of this calculation? Here are five related questions to further explore this topic:

1. How would the refund change if the child was over 17 years old?
2. What is the impact of additional deductions or credits on taxable income?
3. How does filing status affect the standard deduction amount?
4. What if the grossincome was higher? How would the tax liability change?
5. How does the Child Tax Credit phase out for higher income levels?

**Tip:** Always check for any changes in tax laws or credits that might apply in future tax years, as these can significantly affect your tax calculations.

Calculate the total 2020 tax liability for a surviving spouse with one dependent child with a gross income of $59,400.00, assuming that the taxpayer takes the standard deduction. If the dependent child is under the age of 17 and $3,000.00 was withheld from the taxpayer's wages for federal income taxes, what is the amount of the taxpayer's refund or tax due?

Learn how to calculate the 2020 tax liability for a surviving spouse with one dependent child, with a gross income of $59,400. This detailed step-by-step guide covers tax brackets, standard deductions, child tax credits, and withholding amounts to determine if the taxpayer is due a refund or has taxes owed.

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