What's not taxable

Nontaxable income won’t be taxed, whether or not you enter it on your tax return. The following items are deemed nontaxable by the IRS:

Inheritances, gifts and bequests

Cash rebates on items you purchase from a retailer, manufacturer or dealer

Alimony payments (for divorce decrees finalized after 2018)

Child support payments

Most healthcare benefits

Money that is reimbursed from qualifying adoptions

Welfare payments

Under certain circumstances, the following items may be nontaxable. TurboTax can help you determine what should be included in your return.

Money you receive from a life insurance policy when someone dies is not taxable. However, if you cash in a life insurance policy, then a portion, if not all of it, is likely taxable.

Money from a qualified scholarship is not taxable. However, if you use the money for room and board, or use it to pay other personal expenses, that portion is normally taxable.

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Compensation

Generally, income can be received in three ways: money, services and property. But, you can also pay tax on income not yet in your possession. For example, if you receive a check but don’t cash it by the end of the tax year, it is still considered income for the year you received the check.

The IRS requires that you declare all income on your return. This can include:

Wages

Salaries

Commissions

Unemployment compensation

Strike pay

Rental income

Alimony (for divorce decrees finalized before 2019)

Royalty payments

Stock options, dividends and interest

Self-employment income

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Income from fringe benefits

If you receive fringe benefits for services you render, they are usually considered taxable income, even if someone else receives them, such as your spouse. These taxable benefits and perks may include:

A company-paid off-site gym membership

A company vehicle for personal use

Holiday gifts in the form of cash or gift certificates from your employer

A certain portion of employer-paid dependent care

Company-paid tuition fees over a certain amount

Company-paid financial counseling fees

Employer-paid group life insurance over a certain amount

Miscellaneous income

Income that may not be readily identified as taxable but generally must be included on your tax return includes: