This is an older course description. We are awaiting updates from the instructor.
COURSE NUMBER:  UGBA 121-1 

COURSE TITLE: Federal Income Tax Accounting

UNITS OF CREDIT: 4 

INSTRUCTOR:  Cerf 

E-MAIL: acerf@haas.berkeley.edu 

CLASS WEB PAGE LOCATION (HTTP URL):  http://catalyst.haas.berkeley.edu/

MEETING DAYS/TIMES: see schedule

PREREQUISITE:  UGBA 102A 

CLASS FORMAT: 

REQUIRED READINGS:   Textbook and a few articles on Internet tax issues CONTENT AND OBJECTIVES: 

Objectives: 

  • To introduce students to a broad range of tax concepts and types of taxpayers 
  • To emphasize the role of taxation in the business decision-making process. 
  • To provide students with the ability to conduct basic tax research and tax-planning. 
  • To provide students with a knowledge of the interrelationship and differences between financial accounting and tax accounting. 
  • To introduce students to tax policy matters in the context of the current debate regarding Internet taxation. 
Content: 
Using as a textbook, West Federal Taxation:  An Introduction to Business Entities, the emphasis is on business taxation.   The first two chapters cover the various types of taxes in the U.S. system, conceptual underpinnings of the Federal income tax system, a tax planning framework, and tax research methodology.   Coverage of these topics provides the skills for the two assigned planning and research problems as well as other problems in the text.   Chapters 3 through 8 focus on income, deductions, losses, and property transactions.  While topics
in these chapters concern both individuals and businesses, the emphasis is on the taxation of business entities.  Chapters 9 through 14 deal with the formation and operation of regular corporations, S corporations, partnerships, limited liability entities, and sole proprietorships.  Chapter 14 concludes this segment by comparing  the tax consequences of the different business entity forms within a tax-planning framework.   The final chapters, 15 and 16 address individual taxpayers. 

In light of time constraints, coverage of selected portions of certain chapters will be limited. 

In order for students to appreciate tax policy issues, the current debate regarding Internet taxation will be explored.   Students will read current articles on the subject 

MODIFICATIONS TO COURSE FROM ITS MOST RECENT OFFERING

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH:
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