Question

Barry, a solvent individual but a recovering alcoholic, embezzled $6,000 from his employer. In the same year that he embezzled the funds, his employer discovered the theft. His employer did not fire him and told him he did not have to repay the $6,000 if he would attend Alcoholics Anonymous. Barry met the conditions and his employer canceled the debt.
A. Barry did not realize any income because his employer made a gift to him.
B. Barry must include $6,000 in gross income from discharge of indebtedness.
C. Barry must include $6,000 in gross income under the tax benefit rule.
D. Barry may exclude the $6,000 from gross income because the debt never existed.
E. None of these.

Answer 1

Answer: Barry must include $6,000 in gross income from discharge of indebtedness

Explanation:

Feom the question above, we are told that Barry embezzled $6,000 from his employer and that even though his employer discovered the theft, the employ did not fire him and told him that he did not have to repay the $6,000 if he attend Alcoholics Anonymous. Barry met the conditions and the employer canceled the debt.

In this case, Barry will have to include the $6,000 he stole in gross income from discharge of indebtedness. The gross income has to do with the sum of the wages, profits, salaries, rents, interest payments, and every other earnings, before the deductions of taxes or other deductions. Since Barry stole the money and.he.has been forgiven, the $6,000 has to be included in the gross income from discharge of indebtedness.