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Standard Deduction

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On December 22, 2017, The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was signed into law. The information in this article predates the tax reform legislation and may not apply to tax returns starting in the 2018 tax year. You may wish to speak to your tax advisor about the latest tax law. This publication is provided for your convenience and does not constitute legal advice. This publication is protected by copyright.

Standard Deduction

Most taxpayers are permitted to deduct either a standard deduction or itemized deductions in determining their taxable income. The standard deductions are based on filing status. For 2017, the amounts are: Single and Married Taxpayers Filing Separately $6,350 (up from $6,300 in 2016), Head of Household $9,350 (up from $9,300 in 2016), Married Filing Jointly and Surviving Spouse $12,700 (up from $12,600 in 2016), In addition, elderly and blind taxpayers are allowed an “add-on” to the standard deduction for their filing status. The add-on amount for single taxpayers is $1,550 and $1,250 for married taxpayers. As an example, in 2017, a married couple filing jointly and both over age 65 would have a standard deduction of $15,200 ($12,700+ $1,250 + $1,250). For 2017, the standard deduction of an individual who is, or could be, a dependent of someone else is limited to the greater of $1,050 or the individual’s earned income plus $350 (but not exceeding $6,350). Note: When filing using the married separate status, both spouses either must itemize their deductions or use the standard deduction.

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