The historic Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) provides tax breaks to individuals but also repeals or reduces certain cherished deductions. As a result, the 2017 return you file this year may be your last chance to claim these five write-offs:
- Mortgage interest: Currently, you can deduct mortgage interest paid on a qualified residence for acquisition debt of up to $1 million and home equity debt of up to $100,000. The new law reduces the acquisition debt level to $750,000 on new loans and eliminates the deduction for home equity debt after 2017, except if the home equity loan is used to buy, build or substantially improve the taxpayer’s home that secures the loan.
- Miscellaneous expenses: On your 2017 return, you can deduct miscellaneous expenses above 2 percent of your adjusted gross income (AGI). This includes unreimbursed employee business expenses and income-production expenses like investment and tax advisory fees. The TCJA eliminates all itemized miscellaneous deductions for 2018 and subsequent years.
- State and local taxes: You can still deduct the full amount of your property taxes on your 2017 return, in addition to either your sales taxes or state and local income taxes. The new TCJA law effective in 2018 limits the annual deduction for state and local taxes (SALT) to $10,000.
- Casualty and theft losses: For 2017 returns, you may deduct unreimbursed casualty and theft losses above 10 percent of your AGI, after subtracting $100 per event. The TCJA repeals this deduction, except for losses in federally declared disaster areas, beginning in 2018.
- Moving expenses: If you moved in 2017 for job-related reasons, you may be able to deduct your moving expenses (special rules apply). However, this deduction is repealed by the new law beginning in 2018, except for expenses of active duty military personnel.
Other tax deductions have been modified or repealed. Give us a call to learn how the TCJA affects your situation.
