Who Gets the Biggest Breaks Under the New Tax Law?

The richest 1 percent of Americans (annual earnings of more than $732,800) will receive on average a tax savings of about $33,000. The poorest Americans (annual earnings of less than $25,000) will save on average a whopping $40. Yes! $40! Whopping! Dollars! Interesting to say the least!

Now, the good news is that the new personal income tax provisions will reduce taxes for more than 60% of all USA residents. However, the size of the tax savings by state and by taxable income is uneven as shown by the following chart:

Average Tax Savings

UNDER          $25,000 -     $48,000 -      $86,000 - 
$25,000        $48,000        $86,000        $148,000

   $40              $320            $780            $1,500

When considering all entity tax cuts including corporate income taxes, the richest Americans receive a combined savings of $51,140 while the poorest will save only $60.

Looking at the tax savings by state – how does Ohio fare?  Not that bad. For Ohioans, 69% of its taxpayers will realize savings. North Dakota is at the top of the savings list at 75%. New York, California and New Jersey are among the states with lowest savings.

Note: Please keep in mind that the federal income tax withheld on each of your 2018 paychecks will be calculated using the new withholding tables for 2018. As a result, your federal withholding should decrease at least some so that your tax savings from the new tax law will be received on each pay check as opposed to having a larger tax refund on your 2018 income tax return. I don’t want taxpayers who receive much of their income via a Form W-2 thinking that their new tax savings will be realized instead through a larger tax refund.  

Credit given in part to Jeff Stein, Washington Post, published on Sunday, April 2, 2018 in the Dayton Daily News.

Thank you for all of your questions, comments and suggestions for future topics. As always, they are much appreciated. We may be reached in Dayton at 937-436-3133 and in Xenia at 937-372-3504. Or visit our website.  

This week's author – Mark Bradstreet, CPA