The standard deduction increased for 2025 and 2026, and a new temporary “bonus” deduction for adults 65 and older begins in 2025. The child tax credit increased to $2,200 for the 2025 and 2026 tax years; retirement plan contribution limits for IRAs and 401(k)s also increased for 2026.
Changes that might affect the most common 2025 tax returns include: no tax on tips - deduction of up to $25,000 per taxpayer with phaseout for Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) over $150,000 (over $300,000 for Married Filing Jointly filers)
Under the law, there were numerous changes to the individual income tax, including changing the income level of individual tax brackets, lowering tax rates, and increasing the standard deductions and family tax credits while itemized deductions are reduced and the personal exemptions are eliminated.
If the individual tax cuts expire, taxpayers in all income groups would face higher and more complicated taxes. Machinery and equipment expensing is a key provision that, if allowed to expire, would especially harm capital-intensive industries like manufacturing.
Does the Trump Tax Plan Affect Capital Gains Tax Rates? Trump's tax law leaves existing capital gains tax rates and income tax brackets unchanged. Capital gains remain a key consideration for investors, especially those with taxable brokerage accounts, real estate holdings or long-term investment portfolios.
A new deduction for qualifying overtime pay is now available, effective in the 2025 tax year. You can deduct up to $12,500 if you're a single filer or up to $25,000 if you're married filing jointly. The deduction begins to phase out once your MAGI hits $150,000 for single filers or $300,000 for joint filers.
Income Tax Act, 2025 to be effective from April 1, 2026. The Act simplifies language, removes obsolete provisions and consolidates and restructures provisions. It Introduces concept of 'Tax Year' replacing 'Assessment Year' and 'Previous Year'.
The 2025 Federal Tax Debate
Much like the 2017 tax law, the new law favors the richest taxpayers. More than 70 percent of the net tax cuts will go to the richest fifth of Americans in 2026, only 10 percent will go to the middle fifth of Americans, and less than 1 percent will go to the poorest fifth.
President-elect Donald Trump campaigned on lowering the US corporate income tax rate to 15 percent. He made the same request in 2017 when Republicans passed their tax cuts, but Congress only cut the federal rate to 21 percent—down from the worldwide high of 35 percent.
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) or the Big Beautiful Bill (P.L. 119-21), is a U.S. federal statute passed by the 119th United States Congress containing tax and spending policies that form the core of President Donald Trump's second-term agenda. The bill was signed into law by Trump on July 4, 2025.
Multiple other analyses have found that higher debt and deficits lead to upward pressure on interest rates. Paying for the cost of extending and expanding tax cuts will directly lead to lower interest rates than extension without offsets. Lower interest rates mean lower borrowing costs throughout the economy.
No Tax on Overtime is a provision that was included in a larger tax reform bill that passed in July 2025. It allows certain workers to deduct up to $12,500 in qualified overtime compensation from their taxable income on their federal income tax return. Joint filers can deduct up to $25,000.
The three tax breaks Trump referenced are all temporary and in effect from 2025 through 2028. They are federal breaks; state and local taxes may still apply.
The proposed tax policies include eliminating taxes on specific income items such as tips, overtime and Social Security benefits. Additionally, they suggest creating an itemized deduction for auto loan interest and imposing taxes on large private university endowments.
The standard deduction increased for 2025 and 2026, and a new temporary “bonus” deduction for adults 65 and older begins in 2025. The child tax credit increased to $2,200 for the 2025 and 2026 tax years; retirement plan contribution limits for IRAs and 401(k)s also increased for 2026.
How Does The OBBB Change Estate Planning? The federal budget bill increases the federal estate and gift tax exemption to $15 million per individual, starting January 1, 2026, up from $13.99 million in 2025. For married couples, this creates a combined exemption of $30 million when properly structured.
Each year, payment for taxes you owe is due by the filing deadline even if you get a filing extension. The filing deadline for 2025 tax returns is April 15, 2026. If you have self-employment income or other income that doesn't have taxes withheld, you may need to make quarterly estimated tax payments.
Some of the major tax changes effective from April 1, 2025, are revised tax slabs, rebate of up to Rs. 60,000, revised ITRU deadlines, calculation of partner's remuneration allowable as a deduction and revised TDS/TCS threshold limits. What is the Rebate available under section 87A?
It allowed sellers to claim CGT exemption for the final 36 months of ownership, even if they had moved out. However, this was reduced to 18 months in 2014 and further to 9 months in 2020, which remains the rule today. This general law is in place as it prevents short-term transaction benefits concerning taxation.