What's the Difference Between Gross Income vs Net Income?
Learn the difference between gross vs net income, and how each affects your tax payments.
Key Takeaways
- Gross income is the total amount of income you receive from all sources before any taxes or other deductions are taken out.
- Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is used in completing your tax return and is all of the taxable income you bring in, minus certain adjustments.
- Taxable income is your AGI minus your Standard Deduction (or itemized deductions from Schedule A) and your qualified business income deduction from Form 8995 or Form 8995-A.
- Net income typically means the amount of income left over after you pay your income tax or get a tax refund.
What is gross income?
Gross income is the total amount of income you receive from all sources before any taxes or other deductions are taken out. This includes your salary or wages, tips, bonuses, rental income, investment income, and any other sources of income you may have.
To calculate your annual gross income, you need to add up all sources of income you received during the year. Here are the steps to follow:
- Start by gathering all your income statements, such as W-2s, 1099s, and other documents that show your income for the year.
- Add up all your wages and salaries from your job(s) for the year. This includes any bonuses, tips, and commissions you received.
- If you have any self-employment income, add up the amounts from any Form 1099s you received plus all other income you received from your self-employment and deduct your business expenses to arrive at your self-employment income.
- Add up any investment income you received during the year, such as interest, dividends, and capital gains.
- If you received rental income from property you own, deduct your expenses and add that to your total.
- If you received any alimony or child support payments, add that to your total.
- Finally, add up any other sources of income you received during the year, such as refundable tax credits, unemployment benefits or Social Security benefits.
Once you have added up the income from all sources, you will have your annual gross income. Remember that this is the total amount of income you received before any taxes or other deductions were taken out.
Gross income is an important factor in determining a person's financial standing because it gives an idea of their earning potential and financial worth. This information is important for lenders and creditors when they are considering whether to approve a loan or credit application.
When applying for a loan or credit card, lenders will often look at your gross income to determine their creditworthiness. This is because a person's income is a key indicator of their ability to repay the loan or credit card. If a person has a high gross income, it suggests that they have the financial means to make regular payments on the loan or credit card, which makes them a more attractive candidate for lenders.
Additionally, gross income is used to calculate a person's debt-to-income ratio (DTI), which is another important factor in determining creditworthiness. DTI is the ratio of a person's monthly debt payments to their gross monthly income. Lenders use this ratio to assess whether a person can afford to take on additional debt. If a person's DTI is too high, it suggests that they may be overextended and may have difficulty making payments on new debt.
What is Adjusted Gross Income?
Your Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is used in completing your tax return and is all of the taxable income you bring in, minus certain adjustments. These adjustments can include IRA and self-employed retirement plan contributions, alimony payments (for divorce agreements prior to 2019), self-employed health insurance payments, and one-half of any self-employment taxes you paid throughout the year. Additionally, you may qualify for other adjustments, including health savings account deductions, penalties on the early withdrawal of savings, educator expenses, student loan interest, and more.
TurboTax Tip:
Gross income is what you bring in and net income is what you get to keep for spending.
What is taxable income?
Once you have determined your AGI, you can subtract any deductions that you have such as the Standard Deduction or itemized deductions (from Schedule A) and your qualified business income deduction from Form 8995 or Form 8995-A. Your AGI minus your deductions is your taxable income.
You can use your taxable income to determine your tax bracket. Tax brackets are a range of incomes that are subject to a specific tax rate. The United States has a progressive tax system, which means that as your income increases, so does your tax rate. For example, in 2024, the tax brackets for single filers are:
- 10% on taxable income up to $11,600
- 12% on taxable income between $11,600 and $47,100
- 22% on taxable income between $47,100 and $100,525
- 24% on taxable income between $100,525 and $191,950
- 32% on taxable income between $191,950 and $243,725
- 35% on taxable income between $243,725 and $609,350
- 37% on taxable income over $609,350
This means that if you are a single filer with a taxable income of $50,000, you would pay 10% on the first $11,600 ($1,160), 12% on the next $35,500 ($4,260), and 22% on the remaining $2,850 ($627), for a total tax bill of $6,047.
It is important to note that not all income is subject to income tax. Some types of income are exempt from taxation, such as certain types of municipal bond interest and some Social Security benefits. Additionally, some deductions and credits can reduce your tax bill even further.
To understand how much you may owe or get back when you file your taxes, see the TurboTax Taxcaster at: https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tools/calculators/taxcaster/
What is net income?
Net income typically means the amount of income left over after you pay your income tax or get a tax refund. Net income also includes refundable tax credits such as the Earned Income Credit (EIC), the refundable portion of the Child Tax Credit, or the American Opportunity Tax Credit. Your net income is the amount of money that you actually take home and can use for expenses such as rent, bills, and savings. Net income is important because it reflects a person's actual financial situation and how much money they have available to spend or save.
What is the difference between gross and net income?
The difference between gross and net income boils down to the difference between what you bring in (gross income) and what you get to keep for spending (net income).
Why does knowing the difference between gross vs. net income matter?
Understanding the difference between gross income and net income is crucial for managing your finances and planning for the future. By knowing how much money you take home after taxes and deductions, you can make informed decisions about budgeting, saving, and investing. It is also important to stay up to date on changes to tax laws and regulations that may affect your bottom line.
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