This week’s map shows the percentage of federal tax returns in each state claiming Schedule A itemized deductions, the biggest of which are for charitable contributions, state and local taxes, and mortgage interest. Because every taxpayer is able to claim a minimum standard deductionThe standard deduction reduces a taxpayer’s taxable income by a set amount determined by the government. It was nearly doubled for all classes of filers by the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) as an incentive for taxpayers not to itemize deductions when filing their federal income taxes. (currently $5,950 for single filers and $12,200 for joint filers) these deductions only provide a benefit if they add up to be more; they therefore benefit mainly higher-income taxpayers, and wealthier states have a higher percentage of itemizers.
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View previous maps here.
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