Tax Law Changes

The AGI phase-out range for tax payers making contributions to their Roths is between $173,000 and $183,000 for jointly filing couples, a $3,000 increase from 2011. The same increase is true for singles filing. The range is $110,000 to $125,000.
Married individual who file separately and have been actively participating in an employer-sponsored retirement plan should see no changes in the phase-out range. It stayed the same as the previous year: $0 to $10,000.

Bonus Depreciation In order to stimulate the economy Congress has enacted special bonus depreciation in the year of acquisition for certain purchases of new tangible personal property.
For qualified property acquired and placed in service in 2016, a 50% bonus first-year depreciation allowance applies under Code Sec. 168(k).

Beginning on January 1, 2012, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car (also vans, pickups or panel trucks) will be:
55.5 cents per mile for business miles driven
23 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes
14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations
The rate for business miles driven is unchanged from the mid-year adjustment that became effective on July 1, 2011.
The medical and moving rate has been reduced by 0.5 cents per mile.

The credit of $1,000 per eligible child.

The American Opportunity Tax Credit remains in effect through 2016.
A credit is available up to $2,500 per student for the first 4 years of higher education for tuition, course related books, activity fees and any equipment that must be purchased from the educational institution as a condition of enrollment. Room & Board expenses do not qualify.
The credit begins to phase out for single taxpayers who have adjusted gross income between $80,000 and $90,000 and for joint tax filers when adjusted gross income is between $160,000 and $180,000. The credit is unavailable to taxpayers whose adjusted gross income exceeds the $90,000 and $180,000 thresholds.

For tax year 2016, the maximum earned income tax credit (EITC) for low- and moderate- income workers and working families Maximum Credit Amounts The maximum amount of credit for Tax Year 2016 is: $6,269 with three or more qualifying children
$5,572 with two qualifying children,
$3,373 with one qualifying child
$506 with no qualifying children

The foreign earned-income exclusion amount under tax code Section 911(b)(2)(D)(i) will increase in 2016 to $101,300 from $100,800,

A $2,000 credit is available for qualified expenses paid for post-secondary degree programs or for a non-degree program to acquire or improve job skills.
It is not limited to the first 4 years of postsecondary education.
Qualified expenses include tuition, course related books, activity fees and any equipment that must be purchased from the educational institution as a condition of enrollment. Room & Board expenses do not qualify.
The modified adjusted gross income threshold at which the lifetime learning credit begins to phase out is $107,000 for joint filers, up from $104,000, and $53,000 for singles and heads of household, up from $52,000.

The $2,500 maximum deduction for interest paid on student loans begins to phase out for a married taxpayers filing a joint returns at $125,000 and phases out completely at $155,000,
For single taxpayers, the phase out is $60,000-$75,000.