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For 2018, you are required to have minimum essential health coverage through an employer plan, a government program, or other plan, or pay a penalty. The mandate does not apply after 2018.

To help those of modest means pay premiums for coverage obtained from a government exchange (Marketplace), there’s a premium tax credit . Eligibility for this advanceable, refundable tax credit depends on your household income and other factors.

The credit continues to be available even though the individual mandate ends after 2018.

The rules relating to the exclusion of gain on the sale of a principal residence remained unchanged. $500,000 for married couples and $250,000 for the other filing status.

The $250 (as adjusted for inflation) deduction for eligible educators remains at that level.

For 2018, the limit on the adoption credit as well as the exclusion for employer-paid adoption assistance is $13,810. The benefit phaseout range is modified adjusted gross income between $207,140 to $247,140.

Two significant changes were made to the AMT for the years 2018 through 2025. All of the changes will be subject to inflation adjustment in years after 2018.

a. The exemption amounts that were scheduled to be $86,200 for joint filers (one-half of that amount for separate filers) and $55,400 for unmarried taxpayers, for 2018, have been increased to $109,400 for joint filers ($54,700 for separate filers) and $70,300 for all others.

b. The AMTI threshold, above which the exemption is phased out $1 for every $4 of excess, has been increased to $1,000,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly and $500,000 for all others. These amounts were scheduled to be $164,100 for joint filers, $82,050 for separate filers and $123,100 for all other taxpayers.

For 2018, the maximum credit amount is $3,461 for one qualifying child, $5,716 for two qualifying children, $6,431 for three or more qualifying children, and $519 for taxpayers who have no qualifying child. The phaseout ranges for the credit have been adjusted for inflation

The Act increases the base standard deduction from the inflation adjusted levels that applied in 2017 to:

$12,000 for Single, Qualifying widower and Married filing separately taxpayers.

$24,000 for married taxpayers filing Joint returns,

$18,000 for taxpayers filing as Head of Household.

The additional standard deduction available to taxpayers who are age 65 or older and or blind remain unchanged.
For 2018 the additional amount is $1,300 for married taxpayers and $1,600 for unmarried taxpayers.

Gambling losses remain deductible as a miscellaneous itemized deduction (not subject to the 2% limitation) to the extent of gambling winnings.
,br> The Act provides that all deductions for expenses incurred in carrying out wagering transactions, and not just gambling losses, are limited to the extent of gambling winnings.

100% additional first-year bonus depreciation is allowed for qualified property acquired and placed into service after September 27, 2017 and before January 1, 2023.

The new rules eliminate the requirement that the original use of the property commence with the taxpayer. As such, bonus depreciation is available for new or used property.

Taxpayers have a right to elect 50% bonus depreciation for property placed into service after September 27, 2017 during the first tax year that ends after September 27, 2017.
In the years that follow the bonus depreciation percentage will diminish. i. For property placed into service after December 31, 2022 and before January 1, 2024 bonus depreciation is 80%.
ii. For property placed into service after December 31, 2023 and before January 1, 2025 bonus depreciation is 60%.
iii. For property placed into service after December 31, 2024 and before January 1, 2026 bonus depreciation is 40%.
iv. For property placed into service after December 31, 2025 and before January 1, 2027 bonus depreciation is 20%.

The PATH Act permanently extended the enhanced $500,000 maximum amount of expensing available (along with the $2,000,000 phase-out threshold) under §179.

Under the new law, for property placed into service in tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, the maximum amount of expensing is increased to $1,000,000, and the phase-out threshold amount is increased to $2,500,000.

For tax years after 2018 these amounts will be indexed for inflation.