Category Archives: Deductions

New Medical Deduction

Medical Deductions

An attempt by Congress to end the medical expense deduction caused an intense reaction because it would have affected people in nursing homes and those with costly chronic diseases. In the end, the deduction was retained and made slightly more generous by lawmakers. They lowered the threshold from 10 percent to 7.5 percent of income […]

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Deductions

The tax overhaul also suspended many other deductions or imposed new limits on them while targeting major write-offs such as mortgage interest and state and local taxes. These changes usually expire in late 2025. On Schedule A, a grab bag of items, Congress eliminated deductions for miscellaneous expenses. The change removed deductions for unreimbursed travel, […]

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Tax Deductions for Charitable

Tax Deduction for Charitable Donations

As a result of the overhaul, the number of tax returns claiming deductions for charitable contributions is expected to fall by more than 50%. For 2018, approximately 15 million filers will take this write-off, compared to approximately 36 million for 2017. The standard 2018 deduction is almost double the 2017 level, rising from $6,350 to […]

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Alimony Payments and Recipients

The overhaul made a significant change to the alimony payments tax status. For divorce and separation agreements signed after 2018, payers will not be able to deduct alimony on their tax returns. At the same time, future recipients will no longer be required to report these payments as income, making their tax treatment similar to […]

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New Mortgage Interest Deduction

The tax overhaul contains new restrictions, both indirect and direct, on mortgage interest deductions. By the end of 2025, these changes expire. According to IRS, the number of tax returns with a mortgage interest deduction will fall to approximately 14 million in 2018 compared to 32 million in 2017. One reason for the change is […]

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New Standard Deduction

New Standard Deduction

For many people, the most significant changes in the tax overhaul are the almost doubling of the standard deduction and the abrogation of the personal exemption. The standard deduction is the amount filers subtract from income if they do not break deductions for mortgage interest, charitable contributions, state and local taxes and other items in […]

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New SALT limit

SALT

The tax overhaul placed a limit on deductions for state and local taxes, known as SALT, in a landmark change. These deductions were previously unlimited for individuals, although many people who owed the alternative minimum tax lost some or all of their SALT write-offs. Taxpayers can deduct property and income taxes or sales taxes for […]

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Choosing between Itemized and Standard Deduction

When filing your taxes, you will often have to choose between itemizing your deductions and taking a standard deduction. You should determine the amount of your deductions using both methods, then select which option reduces the amount of tax you owe. The method that leads to the greatest deduction typically provides the greatest credit. How […]

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Standard deduction

Standard Deduction

In 2018, it’s $12,000 for single filers and separate married filers, $24,000 for jointly filing married filers and $18,000 for head of household. Even if you have no other qualifying deductions or tax credits, the IRS lets you take the standard deduction on a no-questions-asked basis. The standard deduction reduces the amount of income on […]

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Medical and Dental Expenses

Medical and Dental Expenses

New rules apply this year to taxpayers who want to deduct any type of medical expenses from their tax return. These new rules may affect your return and before you file you should be aware of them. If you seek deductions for your medical or dental expenses, familiarize yourself with the following guidelines. Gross adjusted […]

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