Standard Deduction for 2018 is $24,000 for married filing jointly. My usual federal itemized deductions are $17,000. I guess next year will be easy to file?

[gw-surprise]

If I usually only have $17K of itemized deductions, for 2018 I guess tracking every receipt is not needed anymore?  My charitable contributions and the amounts wont help me any more with a $24,000 standard deduction.  Does this sound correct?

[Opus 17]

Assuming your statement is accurate, then it sounds like you will use the standard deduction next year (married filing jointly?) and you won't need receipts.

However (and this comment is a product of my personal history plus caution and cynicism) if something happens in 2018 and you ended up needing to file as single or as married filing separately, the standard deduction will be $12,000 and you will still benefit from those itemized deductions.  So you might not want to entirely abandon your receipts.

And of course, there are other things that could bump you over $24,000 such as sudden massive medical expenses.

Although note: the miscellaneous itemized deduction for work expenses is eliminated completely even if you itemize, so those receipts aren't needed either way.  The main deductions in 2018 will be mortgage, property taxes and state and local taxes, medical expenses, and charitable contributions.

[bbwill]

2018 tax will not include Exemptions so if your 2017 Deduction + Exemptions = $24,000 filing joint you break even. If both of you are over 65 the it's $26,600.

[SweetieJean]

Your state tax deductions may be different, though

[SweetieJean]

@bbwill
2017 Standard deduction for MFJ (under age 65) is $12,700.  Two personal exemptions  are 4,050 x 2. So total is $20,800. That's not breakeven with $24,000 for 2018..

[Opus 17]

Actually it's a good point about state tax deductions.  New York has previously used the IRS schedule A as the starting point for NY itemized deductions but they are discussing "uncoupling" NY itemized deductions from federal deductions.  So your receipts and expenses may still be deductible on a state return.  It's probably too early to know for sure.

[SweetieJean]

I'm in NJ, and (for example) the floor for Medical is 2% of AGI.