SYLLABUS FOR ACCOUNTING 307: INDIVIDUAL INCOME TAX
Tuesday and Thursday 2:00-3:50
College of Business Building 111
Winter Quarter 2014-2015
Professor:
William Brian Dowis
Office Location:
College of Business 305
Address:
School of Accountancy
College of Administration & Building
Louisiana Tech University
Ruston, LA 71272
E-mail Address:
wbdowis@latech.edu
Office Hours:
Tuesday – 9:00-10:00 a.m., 1:00-2:00 p.m, 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Wednesday – 9:00-11:00 a.m., 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Thursday – 9:00-10:00 a.m., 1:00-2:00 p.m., 4:00-5:00 p.m.
Required Textbook:
CCH Federal Taxation-Comprehensive topics
2015 edition
COURSE PREQ:
Accounting 201 and all students majoring in accounting must earn at least a “C”
in this course.
COURSE OBECTIVES: This course is designed to foster the accounting major’s introduction to the
federal tax law. It will primarily cover topics applicable to the taxation of individuals. This course will
not make you a tax expert; however, these basic concepts will provide a foundation for further study or
tax practice. Finally, as a side benefit of the course, the material covered will help you prepare for some
of the tax questions found on the CPA examination.
COURSE PROCEDURE: The attached tentative course schedule shows the material to be covered in each
class meeting. You will be expected to prepare for class by reading the textbook as indicated and
working the problems before coming to class. Classes will be a combination of lectures and problem
solving sessions. Student participation will be emphasized.
TAX RETURN PREPARATION: Students will be required to complete several tax return projects.
Information on these projects will be announced during the quarter.
TAX RESEARCH: You will be required to perform tax research utilizing RIA, CCH, and Lexis Online Systems
and the internet. Problems will be assigned and projects will require detailed tax analysis.
EXAMS: Exams can consist of problems, true-false questions, essay questions, and multiple choice
questions.
COURSE GRADING:
Grades ACCT 307 are computed on the following basis:
Three tests including the final exam
84 points
Class participation (5 pts), Research Project (5 pts), and Tax Return (6 pts) 16 points
TOTAL
100 points
Grades are assigned according to the following ranges:
A is 90-100 points
B is 80-89 points
C is 70-79 points
D is 60-69 points
F is below 60 points
POLICY ON MISSING EXAMS: A score of zero will be assigned to anyone absent from a scheduled exam
unless prior approval has been granted by the instructor. In those rare instances where prior approval is
granted, a makeup exam will be required and scheduled at the Professor’s discretion.
Assignments will be made by the Professor for each class meeting. In addition, reading lists will be
handed out periodically for required topics. See tentative Schedule of Assignments for the primary class
agenda. Also, the honor code of the University will be strictly adhered to in this course.
CAMPUS EMERGENCY: All Louisiana Tech University students are strongly encouraged to enroll and
update their contact information in the Emergency Notification System (ENS) to ensure you are able to
receive important text and voice alerts in the event of a campus emergency
(http://www.latech.edu/administration/ens.shtml).
In case of a campus emergency, you must login to http://www.latech.edu within 24 hours of the
emergency for campus updates. In case of a campus closure, you must sign on to Moodle within 36
hours to contact the instructor regarding course materials and assignments. It is anticipated that in this
situation, an additional research paper or an expanded paper assignment will be used to take the place
of missed faculty presentations, depending on the number of presentations missed.
WRITTEN COMMUNICATIONS: At least 10% of your grade will be determined from written
communication. This may be in the form of essay questions on exams, research projects, and/or
homework assignments.
SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS: Qualified students needing testing or classroom accommodations based
on a disability are encouraged to make their requests to me at the beginning of the quarter either
during office hours or by appointment. Note: Prior to receiving disability accommodations, verification
of eligibility from the Testing and Disability Services Office is needed. Disability information is
confidential. Information for Testing and Disability Services may be obtained in Wyly Tower 318 or
www.latech.edu/ods.
STATEMENT OF ETHICS AND SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY: The accounting profession has a longestablished reputation for its high level of ethical conduct. This reputation reaches into the academic
arena where the profession’s future leaders are being prepared. Academic dishonesty will not be
tolerated in accounting courses. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to copying, sharing or
obtaining information from any unauthorized source during examinations or quizzes. It also includes
copying from or unauthorized sharing of homework assignments, attempting to take credit for the
intellectual creation of another person, or falsifying information. Any student involved in academic
dishonesty will be penalized in accordance with published University rules.
ACADEMIC HONOR CODE (http://www.latech.edu/documents/honor-code.pdf). An appropriate
syllabus statement is “In accordance with the Academic Honor Code, students pledge the following:
Being a student of higher standards, I pledge to embody the principles of academic integrity.”
MOODLE: The syllabus and other class information will be available on Moodle
CHANGES TO SYLLABUS: The instructor reserves the right to make changes as necessary to this syllabus.
If changes are necessitated during the term of the course, the instructor will immediately notify you of
such changes.
Attendance is required at all class meeting dates. Only medical or extraordinary circumstances will be
accepted in lieu of a zero for the missed class meeting. The class attendance policy as stated in the
2010-2011 Louisiana Tech University Bulletin will be followed.
Computerized tax research will be incorporated into the course. In this endeavor, each student will be
required to complete several research projects using RIA Online System, CCH Network Research Site,
and Lexis Research Site.
CELL PHONES: Please turn your cell phone off or put in a silent mode during class. Cell phones may not
be used as a calculator for quizzes or exams. ALL PHONES MUST REMAIN IN YOUR BOOK BAG, POCKET
OR PURSE AT ALL TIMES. On test days, everything except pencils, calculators and the test must be
placed in front of the room on the day of the test, e.g., book bags, phones, hats, etc.
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
DATE
12/4, 12/9, & 12/11
TOPICS
Introduction to Tax Research
12/16, 12/18
1/6
1/8, 1/13, & 1/15
1/20, 1/22, & 1/27
1/29 & 2/3
2/5
2/10 & 2/12
2/19
2/24
2/26
3/3
Individual Taxation
Test 1
Gross Income
Gross Income Exclusions
Deductions
Test 2
Business Deductions
Itemized Deductions
Tax Credits, Prepayments, & Alt. Min. Tax
Property Transactions
Test 3 & Research Projects/Tax Returns
ASSIGNMENT
Chapters 1 & 2 Problems To
Be Assignment
Chapter 3 & Problems
Chapter 4 & Problems
Chapter 5 & Problems
Chapter 6 & Problems
Chapter 7 & Problems
Chapter 8 & Problems
Chapter 9 & Problems
Chapter 10 & Problems