Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)

Definition of "Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)"

Dale Tomalewski  real estate agent

Written by

Dale Tomalewski elite badge icon

Coldwell Banker Real Estate Services Inc.

We all know what income is or what gross income means, but what is adjusted gross income? When a company calculates its income to determine their taxable income, they take the gross income to measure their adjusted gross income (AGI). The AGI is where the calculations begin for a taxpayer’s tax bill and the baseline for most deductions and credits. When a taxpayer files their taxes online, the software will calculate their AGI for them. 

The adjusted gross income measure of calculation is used to calculate a filer’s tax liability. In active participation, an AGI can make an active participant investor in real estate eligible or not for deductions and influences the claims for deductions and credits.

What does Adjusted Gross Income Mean?

To simplify it, an adjusted gross income is the gross income modified in the tax code. While gross income is the money earned during a year (salary, capital gains, dividends, interest income, alimony, rental income, royalties, and retirement distributions), the AGI considers allowed deductions from the gross income to determine the figure the income tax liability is calculated.

For tax activities, the most useful measure of calculation is the AGI, as deductions are taken out of the gross income. Those deductions are known as adjustments to an individual’s income.

How to calculate Adjusted Gross Income?

The start of the adjusted gross income calculation starts with adding all sources of income from that year. Here we’ll have salaries, profit from a property sale, pensions, unemployment compensations, Social Security payments, or other income types that weren’t reported in the tax returns. From this, the taxpayer subtracts allowed deductions and payments. That leaves a taxpayer with their adjusted gross income.

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

When we talk about acceptance in the real estate world, we have to talk about an offer that is accepted. The definition of acceptance implies the existence of an offer that we can accept or ...

The term proxy comes from the power of attorney by which the holder of stockholders in a real estate company transfers voting rights to another stockholder. A proxy fight may arise in which ...

Document describing the benefits and provisions for people or businesses covered by group insurance. Document in life and health insurance issued to a member of a group insurance plan ...

The Multiple Listing Service (MLS) is an exclusive database of properties created by real estate agents and brokers. The idea behind the creation of the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) ...

member of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers, Inc. ...

Also called a will. Describes the disposition of property. ...

In the business world, the definition of override means a salesperson paying a commission to a supervisor or another agent. The meaning of override refers to an arrangement for acquitting ...

Examination of the financial records of a business to uncover errors and other irregularities. Involves looking at source documents to determine the legitimacy of transactions. An ...

One that is legally binding because it is in conformity with legal requirements and conditions. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions