Darwin, age $23,$ graduated with a B$.$S$.$ from SDSU in Fall $2022.$ He currently earns $$50,000$ per year as a financial counselor and is paid as a W$-2$ employee. Assume he has worked at the same employer since January $2023.$ His employer offers a $3\%401($k$)$ match, but he feels he can only afford to contribute $1\%$ of his salary to his $401($k$).$ He as a high deductible health insurance plan through his employer and contributes $$200/$year pre$-$tax to a Health Savings Account. He comes to you, a financial planner, to make sure he is doing everything he can to maximize his wealth accumulation. Use the information above and below answer the following questions $($Show your work for all calculations to receive full credit$)$:

$(1)$ What is Darwin$$s net worth?

$(2)$ What is Darwin$$s net gain$/$loss$?$

$(3)$ What is Darwin$$s liquidity ratio? Does he have $3-6$ months of living expenses saved?

$(4)$ What is Darwin$$s debt$-$to$-$income ratio? What recommendations do you have for Darwin based on his debt$-$to$-$income ratio?

$(5)$ Assume Darwin is a single taxpayer. What is his federal standard deduction amount for the $2024$ tax year? $($Hint: The taxes being filed by April $15,2024$ are for the $2023$ tax year$)$

$(6)$ Darwin has $$75,000$ in group term life insurance through his employer. How much of this benefit is taxable to Darwin?

$(7)$ If Darwin inherits stock owned by his grandfather that has an FMV of $$20,000,$ but his grandfather$$s basis was $$15,000,$ what is Darwin$$s basis in the stock?

$(8)$ How much student loan interest paid could Darwin claim as an adjustment to income on his federal tax return?

$(9)$ What are additional strategies Darwin can employ to reduce his tax liability?

$(10)$ How much of Darwin$$s assets are covered by FDIC insurance?

$(11)$ Darwin purchased his truck in January $2023.$ The loan as an APR of $8\%$ and a term of $6$ years. What might Darwin be able to do to lower the cost of the loan?

$(12)$ Darwin$$s credit card was stolen and used to make $$1,000$ in fraudulent purchases. He reported the theft to his bank within $7$ business days. How much, at most, is he liable? What can he do to ensure no negative information about the theft is reported to the credit bureaus?

$(13)$ Darwin is tired of his old, secondhand$,$ particle board furniture from college. He went to a couple of furniture stores and was shocked by the prices. He is considering getting furniture from Rent$-$a$-$Center or Aarons. Is this a good idea? Why or why not?

$(14)$ Darwin is interested in purchasing a home. Can he afford to do so$?$ Why or why not?

$(15)$ Is Darwin doing everything to meet his goal of maximizing wealth accumulation? Why or why not?

Assets Liabilities

Checking account at First Bank and Trust $=$ $$5,000$ Truck $=$ $$55,000$

Savings account at Wells Fargo $=$ $$5,000$ Student loans $=$ $$30,000$

Truck: $$60,000$

Savings bonds $=$ $$1,000$ Credit card $=$ $$3,000$

$401($k$)=$ $$2,000$

Income Expenses

Salary $=$ $$50,000$ Student loan payments $=$ $$6,000$

Truck payments $=$ $$6,500$

Renter$$s insurance $=$ $$200$

Auto insurance $=$ $$1200$

Food $=$ $$2400$

Gas $=$ $$2,000$

Clothing $=$ $$1,000$

Rent $=$ $$14,000$

Utilities $=$ $$6,000$