How Will Tax Reform Really Take Shape Under Trump and Ryan?

shutterstock_180341099

 

It’s no secret that both President Trump and other republican lawmakers want to change t he nation’s tax code and lower taxes across the board. However, as you might expect, they have different visions as to how to go about this. To be clear, though, both sides of the argument, namely the president and House Speaker Paul Ryan do have the same stated goals: lower the tax burden on Americans and simplify the tax code. They just don’t have the exact same plan to do get it done.

For starters, the House, led by Ryan wants to cut the tax brackets from seven to three with the numbers being 33 percent, 25 percent and 12 percent. Originally the president had proposed 25 percent, 20 percent and 10 percent, but he has since raised his numbers to match the House.

Both the president and the House want to raise the standard deductions. The House checks in at $12,000 for singles and $24,000 for married couples, while Trump wants $15,000 and $30,000 respectively. Meantime, the House wants to wipe out all itemized deductions except charitable donations and mortgage interest. Trump on the other hand wants to keep all itemized deductions but cap them at $100,000 for single filers and $200,000 for joint filers.

Both the House and Trump want to lower investment income taxes, aka capital gains. The House would like to lower the rates to half of the standard income rates:16.5 percent, 12.5 percent and 6 percent. Trump would lower them by much smaller amounts. As for corporate tax rates, Trump wants to tax all of that income at 15 percent, while the House is proposing a cut from 35 percent to 20 percent.

These are just a few of the major changes expected to take place, but there will likely be others. So stay tuned because one way or another your tax bill will be affected.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/important-news-on-tax-filing-deadlines-and-refunds-2017-01-10

Posted in

California Comes Out on Top of Estimated Tax Revenue

Who says California isn’t doing well financially? When it comes to taxes, it appears that the Golden State is doing just fine. California is definitely one of the worst locations to live if you want to keep your tax bill low. With the latest report from the state’s Controller, Betty Yee, it’s no wonder that…

How to Choose Your Tax Filing Status if You’re Married

If you’re married then you’ve probably just always filed a joint return with your spouse. In fact, chances are you’ve never even considered filing any other way. However, for some people, married filing jointly is not the best option. Depending on your situation, it could be more advantageous to file separately. Here are some things…

IRS Has Handed Out More Than $100 Billion in Refunds so far

As with every tax season there have been some mistakes that have caused problems for some taxpayers, as well as the usual battle with tax scams that pop up every year. However for the most part, the refund process has gone well to this point. In fact, at the end of February, the IRS reported…

There Is a Bright Side for Early Filers Victimized by Obamacare Gaffe

There’s been no shortage of complaints and problems with Obamacare since the nations new health care coverage law went into effect. In fact, the debate continues to rage on and another major decision from the U.S. Supreme Court is forthcoming in the months ahead. However, for the time being, Obamacare has been a problem for…