Question: Myrna and Geoffrey filed a joint tax return in 2015. Their AGI was $85,000, and itemized deductions were $13, 700, which included $4,000 in state income tax. In 2016, they received a $1, 800 refund of the state income taxes that they paid in 2015. The standard deduction for married filing jointly in 2015 was $12, 600.
Under the tax benefit rule, $ x of the state income tax refund is included in gross income in 2016.
If an income item is within the all-inclusive definition of gross income, the item can be excluded only if the taxpayer can locate specific authority for doing so.