For more than 25 years, the Pratt & Kulsrud Taxation series has provided educators, students and professionals an engaging and clear presentation of tax law. In 1984, the series began with Federal Taxation, a first-of-its-kind textbook exploring issues related to the taxation of individuals and businesses. The success of that text and the demand for additional topics led to the creation of two separate texts: Corporate, Partnership, Estate and Gift Taxation and Individual Taxation. Through each edition, the series has consistently held to the principle that the key to learning taxation is to understand the underlying purpose behind every rule. For this reason, the authors and editors have made a concerted effort to provide the conceptual background and the historical foundation they believe are essential for comprehension. This edition continues the tradition of excellence with timely updates reflecting the latest in tax laws, the integration of H&R Block At Home? software, and rich online resources for instructors.