Blog

Key Tax Cuts & Jobs Act Points 

Tax is a constantly evolving field, endlessly shifting and changing in response to public expectations and societal needs. If you take a break from the tax field and return, there’s a good chance you’ll be a bit clueless. This is true even for those who only take a very short break. Tax law changes rapidly. Accordingly, it’s imperative that you stay current with the latest changes to ensure you’re in a financially optimal position.

Changes wrought by the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act of 2017 include a number of substantive provisions. These changes will have a tremendous impact on individual taxpayers and corporate entities. In this article, we identify some of the more significant changes contained in the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act. We then discuss the implications of these changes for society as a whole.

Increased Standard Deduction 

The “standard deduction,” that is, the deduction available to those who don’t “itemize,” has been increased by the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act by a significant margin. For individuals, the standard deduction is increased from its previous amount of $6,350 to $12,700 (i.e., doubled). The standard deduction for married couples filing jointly is increased from its old amount of $12,000 to $24,000 (again, doubled).  

This doubling of the standard deduction represents an immense change. It will undoubtedly play a role in how many tax returns are itemized in coming years. This change will certainly tip the scale and increase the number of those opting to take the standard deduction rather than itemize. For many, those who would have itemized will, instead, end up claiming the standard deduction because the changes makes it financially prudent to do so.  

Elimination of Personal Property Exchanges 

Section 1031 of the tax code traditionally allowed “personal property exchanges”. The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, though, eliminated this provision from Section 1031. Personal property is one of two “macro” categories of property, the other being real property. Real property is generally defined as land and its accompanying structures. Personal property is any other tangible or intangible property. Under Section 1031, individuals or corporate entities “exchange” their property for other property of like-kind and defer capital gains recognition. Accordingly, many previously exchanged personal property, say, an airplane, car or other personal property not excluded under Section 1031. They did so in order to maximize their financial position and “roll forward” their unrecognized tax liability.  

The  almost full elimination of Section 1031 exchanges (see The Near Death of the 1031 Exchange) and resultant elimination of personal property exchanges will have a significant impact on many. For instance, previously, a rental car business could “swap” or exchange their used models for newer models without incurring a tax liability. Now, though, such businesses will have to recognize a liability in the same scenario. Fortunately, real property exchanges survived the tax code revisions. As a result, real estate investors can still utilize the tax advantages of this code section. 

Preservation of the Home Mortgage Interest Deduction 

The preservation of the home mortgage interest deduction is another highlight of the Tax Cuts & Jobs Act, although technically it’s not a change at all but, rather, an almost-lost continuation of existing law. Due to its preservation in the new law, homeowners can still choose to take a home mortgage interest deduction, which has the potential to significantly reduce a taxpayer’s overall tax liability.  

Changes to the Tax Rate Structure for Individuals 

The Tax Cuts & Jobs Act also altered the tax table for individuals filing singly, married filing jointly, heads of household and married couples filing separately. For unmarried individuals filing, the rate structure is as follows: 10% for income not above $9,525, 12% for income above $9,525 but below $38,700, 22% for income above $38,700 but below $82,500, 24% for income above $82,500 but below $157,500, 32% for income above $157,500 but below $200,000, 35% for income above $200,000 but below $500,000, and 37% for income above $500,000. The structure still has the same number of brackets as before, seven in total, but the rates are modified to assist lower and middle income earners.  

To view the full tables for individuals, heads of households, married couples filing jointly and married couples filing separately, see the official page from the IRS here. The top rates for all of these categories is the same at 37%, but the brackets vary widely between categories. 

Tax Cuts & Jobs Act Help

Again, these are just a few of the more significant changes to the code introduced through the act; a full summary of all the changes would go far beyond the scope of our article here. But these very substantial alterations clearly prove that the world of tax moves very quickly. Any person wishing to maximize his or her financial condition must diligently keep track of these changes.

When you select a tax attorney, it’s imperative that you know they’re up-to-date with rules and regulations. When planning your financial future, don’t assume that the tax perks and advantages previously available are still available subsequent to these changes.   

Call Us For Assistance!

The attorneys at Mackay, Caswell & Callahan, P.C. work hard to stay on top of current law. We regularly conduct research and put in effort to follow significant developments in their field. If you have a tax issue and need assistance, don’t hesitate to contact a top New York tax attorney today. 

Image credit: Images Money