PRINCE GEORGE'S COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Welcome to Federal Income Tax!
ACC 221
Reference No. 9289
Spring 2006
INSTRUCTOR:
Professor Mary Falkey, M.S., M.B.A
Accounting Department, Behavioral Science
and Business Studies Division
OFFICE:
Bldg. T-13 (near Novak Field House)
PHONE NUMBERS:
My Office: 301 322-0769
Accounting Department: 301 322-0126
EMAIL ADDRESS:
falkeymx@pgcc.edu
To facilitate email communication with me, please include the
following code: NM231 in either the subject or the first line of
any emails to me during the spring 2006 semester. (The code stops
legitimate email messages from being evaluated wrongly as
SPAM—but does not allow emails that contain a virus or illegal
attachment into our network.)
Monday and Wednesdays 12:00 – 2:30 PM
OFFICE HOURS:
COURSE DESCRIPTION:A study of the federal tax system emphasizing the application of tax
principles to specific problems for individuals. Students study applicable tax legislation and
court rulings and apply them to practical tax problems. Prerequisite: ACC 101. Three hours
online.
COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES: After successful completion of ACC221, students
will be able to:
1) Identify and explain the U.S. tax structure and basic tax terminology.
2) Identify and define major types of taxes.
3) Use the basic tax formula to calculate taxable income and determine tax liabilities using both,
tax tables and tax rate schedules.
4) Determine personal and dependency exemptions and describe the related rules.
5) Identify items included in gross income.
6) Identify major exclusions to gross income.
7) Describe and calculate allowable deductions and losses.
8) Calculate depreciation for various classes of assets using depreciation concepts and tables.
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9) Determine the deductibility of certain employee expenses.
10) Determine allowable itemized deductions.
11) Calculate tax credits and tax payments.
12) Determine special tax transactions and apply appropriate treatment.
13) Describe basic tax planning considerations including the role of estimated tax payments.
TEXTBOOK: INDIVIDUAL INCOME TAXES,
Hoffman, Smith and Willis, 2006 Edition
OPTIONAL: Study Guide
OTHER REQUIRED COURSE MATERIALS: Internet Access, Calculator, pencils, pens
HOW ASSIGNMENTS ARE TO BE SUBMITTED
Homework assignments should be submitted via the Digital Drop Box in Blackboard.
GRADING CRITERIA
The final course grade will be determined by points accumulated through exams, quizzes,
participation, homework assignments, writing exercises, and case projects as follows:
3 Exams @ 100 points each
Homework (6 @ 10 points each)
Participation (Discussion Board)
Quizzes (3 @ 10 points each)
Case Project
Writing Exercises (Discussion Board)
Total Points Possible
300
60
70
30
100
40
600
GRADING SCALE
The grading scale will be based on total points as follows:
540-600
480-539
420-479
360-419
0-359
=
=
=
=
=
A
B
C
D
F
Late assignments are not accepted. Make-up exams will incur a five- point penalty.
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HOW TO LOG IN TO BLACKBOARD
New Procedure!
Blackboard is a web-based program that serves as the college's online classroom. You will use
Blackboard to communicate with your instructor, to see your course materials, to submit
assignments and to discuss course ideas with your classmates.
To log in to your Blackboard course, please follow these steps:

Go to the Prince George's Community College Blackboard web site, which is located at
http://pgcconline.blackboard.com. NOTE: There is no "www" in the Blackboard
address.

ALL STUDENTS must log in to Blackboard using their myPGCC account (this includes
students who have used Blackboard in the past).

If you do not have a myPGCC account,
o Go to http://my.pgcc.edu to create a myPGCC account and receive the username
and password you need to log in to Blackboard.

If you already have a myPGCC account,
o Go to http://my.pgcc.edu to reset your myPGCC password if you created a
myPGCC account prior to summer 2005. You must change your password to
access Blackboard.

Once you have your myPGCC account information, type it in the Blackboard login box at
the http://pgcconline.blackboard.com.

If your login is successful, you will see the Blackboard "Welcome" screen. In the box
labeled "My Courses", you will see the course or a list of courses in which you are
enrolled. Click on the course name to enter your Blackboard course.
Immediately change your Blackboard email address.
When information is downloaded into Blackboard from the college's database, your email
address does not automatically download. The email address first posted in Blackboard is a
generic address given to everyone. To ensure that your instructor can contact you by email, it is
VERY important to change your email address as soon as you log in to Blackboard for the first
time. Here are the steps for changing your Blackboard email address:
1. From YOUR Blackboard Welcome page (you will see WELCOME, ___! in bold letters at the
top of this page), click on Personal Information in the Tools Box on the left side.
2. Click on Edit Personal Information.
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3. Change your email address to your preferred email address (the one you check the most often).
4. Click the Submit button in the lower right corner to save the changes you have made.
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DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES
Students requesting academic accommodations are required to contact the Disability Support Services Office (M1042) or call (301) 322-0838 (voice) or (301) 322-0122 (TTY) to establish eligibility for services and
accommodations. Students with documented disabilities should discuss the matter privately with their instructors at
the beginning of the semester and provide a copy of their Student/Faculty Accommodation Form.
CODE OF CONDUCT
The Prince George's Community College Code of Conduct defines the rights and responsibilities of students and
establishes a system of procedures for dealing with students charged with violations of the code and other rules and
regulations of the college. A student enrolling in the college assumes an obligation to conduct himself/herself in a
manner compatible with the college's function as an educational institution. Refer to the 2005-2006 Student
Handbook, beginning on page 41, for a complete explanation of the code of conduct, including the Code of
Academic Integrity and the procedure for dealing with disruptive student behavior.
CODE OF ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
The college is an institution of higher learning that holds academic integrity as its highest principle. In the pursuit of
knowledge, the college community expects that all students, faculty, and staff will share responsibility for adhering
to the values of honesty and unquestionable integrity. To support a community committed to academic achievement
and scholarship, the Code of Academic Integrity advances the principle of honest representation in the work that is
produced by students seeking to engage fully in the learning process. The complete text of the Code of Academic
Integrity is in the 2005-2006 Student Handbook (pages 42-45) and posted on the college's website.
CLASSROOM POLICIES
1. Gentlemen, please remove your hats in the classroom.
2. Turn off cellphones during class
3. Be seated in your seat at the scheduled class time, with books, materials and homework
ready. Tardy arrivals will be penalized one Attendance and Participation point per occurrence.
IMPORTANT DATES
Last day to apply for spring graduation
Presidents’ Day – College closed - No classes
Last day to change from "audit" to
"credit" or "credit" to "audit"
Spring Break – College closed - No classes
Last day to withdraw from full-semester classes
Final exam period/last week of classes
Commencement, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, February 15
Monday, February 20
Friday, March 3
Mon.-Sun., April 10-16
Friday, April 21
Tues.-Mon., May 9-15
Thursday, May 25
DELAYED COLLEGE OPENINGS
When the College announces a delayed opening, all classes with at least 45 minutes of class time
remaining at the time of the opening will be held. For example, in the event of a 10 a.m.
opening, a 9:30-10:45 a.m. class will be held. This procedure applies to all credit classes.
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COLLEGE RESOURCES AND SERVICES
Campus Bookstore
Largo Student Center, Room 116
www.pgcc.edu/pgweb/pgdocs/bookstore.html
Library
Accokeek Hall
301-322-0912
General information: 301-322-0105
Circulation services: 301-322-0475
Reference services: 301-322-0476
www.pgcc.edu/library
The Library provides a range of library and media services. Refer to the web site for hours
and more information about the services.
Student Assessment Services Center (Testing Center)
301-322-0090
Bladen Hall, Room 100
www.pgcc.edu/pgweb/pgdocs/student_services/student_assessment_services.htm
Check the web site for hours, policies, and procedures.
Student Development Services
301-322-0886
www.pgcc.edu/pgweb/pgdocs/student_services/index-sds.htm
Student Development Services has various programs that provide students with mentoring,
advising, and individual counseling. Call or check the website for more information.
Tutoring and Writing Centers
301-322-0886
Bladen Hall, Room 107
Stop by or call to make an appointment.
www.pgcc.edu/students/tutoring_writing_grammar
The Tutoring Center can help you in many courses with free one-on-one or group tutoring.
The Writing Center offers one-on-one tutoring for all students who are working on a writing
assignment in any course.
GENERAL COURSE STRUCTURE:
1) You will be given the requirements/assignments for each week’s work in the
Announcements/Assignments section each week.
2) You will then go into Course Documents and obtain chapter outlines and other materials
for the week, if any.
3) You should then read the outline and the assigned chapter(s). Hint: The examples
throughout each chapter and in the optional Study Guide are VERY helpful.
4) You should then complete all assigned homework and submit it to me through the Digital
Drop Box feature before the due date.
5) You should also read and respond to the Discussion Board topic/assignment by the due
date for that week.