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Simple English definitions for legal terms

Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA)

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A quick definition of Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA):

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) is a big change to the tax rules that was signed into law by President Trump in 2017. It made many changes to how individuals and businesses are taxed. For individuals, it changed the tax rates, increased the standard deduction, and limited some deductions. For businesses, it reduced the corporate tax rate, gave a deduction for pass-through income, and made changes to how international income is taxed. Some of the changes are permanent, but many will expire by the end of 2025.

A more thorough explanation:

The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (TCJA) is a set of changes to the tax code that were signed into law by President Trump in 2017. The changes affected many areas of the tax code, including corporate tax rates, standard deductions, and estate taxes. Some of the changes were permanent, while others will expire by the end of 2025.

For individual tax deductions, the TCJA reduced some tax rates and changed many deductions. The seven tax brackets were reduced, and the income levels for the brackets were slightly increased. The standard deduction was greatly increased, which reduced the number of people who benefit from itemizing deductions. The deduction for interest on home mortgages and equity was altered, and the state and local tax (SALT) deductions became capped at $10,000. Miscellaneous tax deductions for things like workplace expenses for employees were completely eliminated. All of these changes will revert back to their pre-TCJA provisions after 2025.

  • Before the TCJA, the highest tax bracket for individuals was 39.6%. After the TCJA, the highest tax bracket was reduced to 37%.
  • Before the TCJA, the standard deduction for individuals was $6,500. After the TCJA, the standard deduction was increased to $12,000.
  • Before the TCJA, there was no cap on the SALT deduction. After the TCJA, the SALT deduction was capped at $10,000.

These examples illustrate how the TCJA changed individual tax deductions by reducing tax rates, increasing the standard deduction, and capping the SALT deduction.

For businesses and investors, the TCJA greatly reduced the corporate tax rate, changed flow-through taxation, increased depreciations, and made fundamental changes to taxing international income. The corporate tax rate was permanently reduced to a 21% flat tax rate from 35%. Individuals were given a deduction of 20% from pass-through income from business entities like partnerships and LLCs. The TCJA enacted a 100% bonus deduction for business assets purchased through the end of 2022 and increased many expensing provisions that phase out after 2022. Lastly, the TCJA implemented major changes to how corporations were taxed for international income, including exempting foreign earned dividends from U.S. income tax for those owning over 10% of the foreign corporation and other provisions to tackle base erosion.

  • Before the TCJA, the corporate tax rate was 35%. After the TCJA, the corporate tax rate was permanently reduced to 21%.
  • Before the TCJA, there was no deduction for pass-through income. After the TCJA, individuals were given a deduction of 20% from pass-through income from business entities like partnerships and LLCs.
  • Before the TCJA, there was no 100% bonus deduction for business assets purchased. After the TCJA, a 100% bonus deduction was enacted for business assets purchased through the end of 2022.

These examples illustrate how the TCJA changed business and investor taxes by reducing the corporate tax rate, providing a deduction for pass-through income, and enacting a 100% bonus deduction for business assets purchased.

tax credit | tax deduction

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16:14
Justice as Fairness!
16:14
also wow I didn’t consider that about immigration policy. hmmm
16:17
@Law-Guy: you get it
16:19
@baddestbunny: oh yeah definitly. Idk how any system of government would work if you can't distribute social goods to everyone.
MildChiller
16:33
does anyone know if the Yale webinars are cameras on?
1a2b3c4d26z
16:35
Justice as deez!
17:49
Quentin Tarantino is interested in watching somebody’s ear getting cut off; David Lynch is interested in the ear.
18:03
Quentin Tarantino can't resist putting a gay scene with a black guy participating in the gay act in his movies.
18:05
David Lynch is just gay.
18:18
Lynch is more in touch with his unconscious/dream state than the average person
18:42
Probably. I just dont know. All I know is he did a good job with Dune.
18:45
You should watch Blue Velvet
18:46
How’s your LSAT studying been going?
18:49
It is good. I have about two more weeks and I broke the 90 level on LSAT Demon which is good last night. My goal is 95 so I can probably get it before I test. It is scaled our of 100. This is for LR. My RC is below that but I know the more I get better at MBT questions the better my RC becomes.
18:50
I watched the trailer for that movie. The run time is 2 hours. May watch it on 2x the speed. Just watched se7en and thats like as graphic as I get so I kinda need a break from weird bodyhorror stuff. The sloth guy in that movie scared me.
18:51
I do like psychological horror though.
18:53
Oh jesus don’t watch the movie at all if you’re gonna watch it on 2x speed
18:54
I have never used lsat demon; how do their levels relate to actual lsat scoring?
18:56
kinda go in 20 point intervals. 20 points if you have mastered lvl 1 difficulty questions, 100 points if you have mastered lvl 5.
18:56
Getting 100 points is incredibly difficult though. anything baout 95 is pushing the 175-180 range. 90-95 is like 170-174 or so. etc.
18:56
yeah but if you’re getting a 95 on all sections what LSAT score is that? how is that calculated?
18:56
oh okay
18:57
so 100 would be a 180?
18:57
Yeah, 100 is like you would get a 180 and there's nothing more to teach you. I have only seen someone with a 100 like 2/3 times.
18:57
are you taking practice tests that are being scored though?
18:57
or just drills
18:57
Yep, they get factored into it.
18:58
I do drilling essentially every day. A timed section every 3, and a test every 2 weeks.
1a2b3c4d26z
20:06
re: WashU's URM lsat differential - fair to chalk that up to LSAT redaction weirdness messing w the scale or are they generally starved for URMs
1a2b3c4d26z
20:07
And an (albeit negligible) inverse URM GPA differential
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