New Tax Bill

its also because of student loans.

Start putting some money in the stock market......and if you already are, put more in. 

now isn't the time, stocks are artificially high. i'll be waiting until they drop first.

Actually, no they aren't.  And you're missing a huge run that doesn't show any sign of dropping off.  Of course there will be a correction at some point, but if you're waiting to invest in a falling market, that's a fools game.

Assuming we don't fight North Korea

None of those things is a reason not to get in the market right now.  I don't even want to say how much I have made since 2009.....it's obscene.  I make a six figure income, and my yearly gains are greater than my salary over the last 4 years alone.

if we go to war with N. Korea i won't touch a dime of it.......the market will ALWAYS come back.  A young man like Dave needs to invest every penny he can, every day he can.

The only real losers among young people who invest are those who think they can predict the market.  Invest early and often......and stay with it.

right, and now i'll have about 100,000 fewer pennies this year to invest.

So why do I have to subsidize someone else's graduate school tuition?

I haven't done the math yet, but I'm probably in the same boat (also living in MD). 

Meh, we'll adjust. 

should football players have to pay taxes on their scholarship? if i get good grades, should i have to pay taxes on that scholarship?

What you're basically saying is, if you're poor, you can't go to college.

It's taxes.....if you have a good, successful life, you will always pay more from year to year......it's a good thing.   Yeah, I know, this is supposed to be a "tax cut".....you might as well get over that too if you plan on making some decent money.

My wife and I paid over $50,000 in taxes last year.  We feel blessed and fortunate every single day.

We're middle class.....that's life.

LB, i would be ok with a tax increase, i feel similarly.

HOWEVER.  It is supposed to be a tax cut.  It is a tax cut for corporations and rich people, again shifting the burden onto the middle class.  Then, they are going to make cuts to cover it.  Where will these cuts come from?  Medicare, Social Security, etc.  The things that the middle class and lower class depend on to LIVE. 

Understood - thanks for clarifying.  Does the source of the tuition break matter (i.e. stipend vs. scholarship vs. corporate tuition reimbursement vs. Pell grant vs. etc...)?

I'm really good with tax cuts for corporations.  Just keep the economy moving forward and it'll be fine.....and you'll get 4 more years of Trump. LOL

I'm curious how it actually pans out for you in real dollars Dave.  I'm sure there are places where your taxes will go up, such as the state income tax going away, but the doubling of the standard deduction is also huge and offsets most, if not all of that.

I will say thought that it really sucks when other people come after your hard earned money.  The feeling you're feeling is no different than the feeling anyone else gets when the tax man comes at you disproportionately.  At this rate, you'll be a fiscal conservative in no time.  

i dont take the standard deduction, i itemize my deductions