Those who are married and filing jointly will have an increased standard deduction of $24,000, up from the $13,000 it would have been under previous law.
Single taxpayers and those who are married and file separately now have a $12,000 standard deduction, up from the $6,500 it would have been for this year prior to the reform.
For heads of households, the deduction will be $18,000, up from $9,550.
Child tax credit
The child tax credit has been raised to $2,000 per qualifying child, those who are under 17, up from $1,000. A $500 credit is available for dependents who do not get the $2,000 credit.
Mortgage interest
The deduction for interest is capped at $750,000 for mortgage loan balances taken out after Dec. 15 of last year. The limit is still $1 million for mortgages that were established prior to Dec. 15, 2017.
Contribution limits for retirement savings
Employees who participate in certain retirement plans ‒ 401(k), 403(b) and most 457 plans, and the Thrift Savings Plan – can now contribute as much as $18,500 this year, a $500 increase from the $18,000 limit for 2017.
State and local taxes
The itemized deduction is limited to $10,000 for both income and property taxes paid during the year.
Contributions to Roth IRAs
For individuals who are single or the heads of their households, the income phaseout has been raised to $120,000 to $135,000. For married couples who file jointly, the range climbs to $189,000 to $199,000.
The phaseout was not adjusted for married individuals who file a separate return. That is $0 to $10,000.
Savings in IRAs
Savers who contribute to individual retirement accounts will have higher income ranges following cost-of-living adjustments. Note that the deduction phases out for individuals and their spouses who are covered by workplace retirement plans.
For single taxpayers, the limit will be $63,000 to $73,000.
For married couples, the phaseout range will vary depending on whether the IRA contributor is covered by a workplace retirement plan or not. When the spouse who is investing has access to an employer plan, the range is $101,000 to $121,000. For individuals who don't have a retirement plan but are married to someone who does, the phaseout has been raised to $189,000 to $199,000.
The phaseout was not adjusted for married individuals who file a separate return and who are covered by a workplace retirement plan. That range is $0 to $10,000.