How does the tax benefit rule apply in the following cases?
a. In 2015, the Orange Furniture Store, an accrual method taxpayer, sold furniture on credit for $1,000 to Sammy. Orange's cost of the furniture was $600. In 2016, Orange took a bad debt deduction for the $1,000 because Sammy would not pay his bill.
In 2017, Sammy inherited some money and paid Orange the $1,000 he owed. Orange was in the 35% marginal tax bracket in 2015, the 15% marginal tax bracket in 2016, and the 35% marginal tax bracket in 2017.
b. In 2016, Ariana, a cash basis taxpayer, was in an accident and incurred $8,000 in medical expenses, which she claimed as an itemized deduction for medical expenses. Because of a limitation, though, the expense reduced her taxable income by only $3,000. In 2017, Ariana successfully sued the person who caused the physical injury and collected $8,000 to reimburse her for the cost of her medical expenses. Ariana was in the 15% marginal tax bracket in all tax years?