TCJA webinar for First Year - Questions Flashcards

1
Q

Has the marginal tax bracket system changed in 2018?

A

No. Marginal tax bracket system still in place.

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2
Q

What is a good analogy for marginal tax bracket system?

A

Buckets. We fill the first one. Then if money left, we fill the next one, and the next, until income allocated.

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3
Q

What areas are changing in the marginal tax brackets?

A

The brackets are same, only amounts and rates have changed.

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4
Q

Will most taxpayers have lower taxes with the new rules.

A

Yes, although this is specific to cases.

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5
Q

How will the decision to itemize be made under the new tax rules?

A

Same - compare the standard deduction to itemized deductions and pick most beneficial.

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6
Q

What are the standard deductions for 2017 and 2018?

A

Single 2017: $6350 2018: $12000
HOH 2017: $9350 2018: $18000
MFJ 2017: $12700 2018: $24000

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7
Q

How is preferential treatment of cap gains and qualified dividends changing?

A

Brackets that determine the rates are no longer related to income tax brackets. They have their own brackets.

Tax on cap gains is still computed on separate worksheet.

Cap gains rates remain the same

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8
Q

What are the steps for computing cap gains?

A
Compute taxable income. 
Subtract cap gains income. 
Compute tax on remaining income.
Compute tax on capital gain income
Add two tax amounts to get total tax.
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9
Q

Have there been changes to the tax rules for Unemployment Compensation in 2018?

A

No

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10
Q

Have there been changes to the Taxable Scholarships and Grants rules for 2018

A

No

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11
Q

Have there been changes to the Child and Dependent Care credit rules for 2018

A

No

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12
Q

Have there been changes to the Saver’s Credit rules for 2018?

A

No

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13
Q

Have there been changes to the Student Loan Interest Adjustment rules for 2018?

A

No

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14
Q

Have there been changes to Educator Expense Adjustment rules for 2018

A

No

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15
Q

Have there been changes to the taxable scholarships and grants tax rules for 2018?

A

No

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16
Q

Have there been changes to the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend tax rules for 2018?

A

No

17
Q

Have there been changes to the Credit for the Elderly tax rules for 2018

A

No

18
Q

Have there been changes to the tax rules for LongTerm Disability for 2018

A

No

19
Q

Have there been changes to the ACA tax rules, including the penalty for 2018?

A

No

20
Q

Have tax rules about retirement income and/or social security income changed for 2018?

A

No

21
Q

Have tax rules about retirement contributions changed for 2018?

A

Only the usual adjustments for inflation.

22
Q

What is changed with the Child Tax Credit for 2018?

A

Amount of credit changed from $1000 to $2000 per eligible child.

Increased eligibility due to higher phase out amounts

Max amount of the Additional Child Tax Credit gone up from $1000 to $1400, so people who do not have a tax liability and are eligible may have more money from credit.

23
Q

What is changed in the tuition and fees adjustment to income?

A

It is expired.

24
Q

What is changed with the moving expense adjustment?

A

It is eliminated for all non-military personnel.

25
Q

Biggest impact of the changes?

A

People may have different outcomes than expected.

26
Q

How can you tell how the changes will affect the taxpayer?

A

Examine case studies in Blockworks and look at the impact estimator which will show the impacts for 2018.

27
Q

Be aware of what issue with the Blockworks impact estimator?

A

It assumes withholding will be the same for 2018 as for 2017, but this is not the case. W4 withholding tables were adjusted in Jan 2018 to account for the tax law changes.

28
Q

Are the new tax forms ready to be used?

A

The IRS has only published draft forms to date (end of 2018), so they are not finalized.

29
Q

Are the new forms a big overhaul?

A

No, more of a rearrangement.

30
Q

How start working with new forms?

A

Do case studies. First 10 available end of Oct.