The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that Republicans introduced Thursday represents a tremendous opportunity for the Congress and the President to take the U.S. economy to a new level of prosperity and improve the lives of hundreds of millions of Americans.
As I wrote earlier this week, the Trump effect has already brought gross domestic product (GDP) growth up to 3 percent for two straight quarters – which so-called experts insisted for months was nearly impossible.
At the same time, Pew Research Center reported on Tuesday that 82 percent of Americans now say they have either achieved their definition of the American Dream or are on their way to achieving it. The Washington Examiner points out that this is a stark contrast to 2014, when a similar CNN project found that 60 percent of Americans thought the American Dream was unattainable.
The tax relief and job creating provisions included in the Republican plan will continue to grow the GDP and help even more Americans realize their dreams.
If passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump, Americans will get to keep more of their hard-earned money. The Republican bill roughly doubles the standard deduction, increasing it from $12,000 to $24,000 for families and from $6,350 to $12,000 for individuals. This means families who earn the median household income ($59,000 a year) will only pay taxes on $35,000 of their income, which translates into a $1,182 tax cut for these families.
Further, the bill includes a Family Credit, which expands tax credits for families with children, as well as those caring for older relatives. The tax cut bill increases the current Child Tax Credit from $1,000 to $1,600 and provides a $300 credit for elderly parents and adult-dependents. Keep in mind, these are not deductions, these are dollar-for-dollar tax credits.