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A SUMMARY OF 2003 INFLATION ADJUSTMENTS IMPACTING INDIVIDUALS:
STANDARD DEDUCTIONS, EXEMPTIONS,
ITEMIZED DEDUCTION LIMIATIONS, AND TAX RATE SCHEDULES

Source: James C. Young, Ph.D., C.P.A.

Associate Professor
Department of Accountancy
Northern Illinois University
345L Barsema Hall
DeKalb, Illinois 60115



Standard Deduction Amounts. According to statute, the 1988 standard deduction amounts are used as the base. After adjustment for inflation, the 2003 standard deduction amounts will be as follows (2002 amounts for comparison):

                                            2003               2002

Single individual                            $ 4,750            $ 4,700
Married, filing joint and Surviving spouse     7,950              7,850
Head of household                              7,000              6,900
Married, filing separate                       3,975              3,925

Exemption Amounts. After adjustment for inflation, the 2003 exemption amount will be $3,050 (up from $3,000 in 2002). The 1989 exemption amount of $2,000 is used as the base.

Phase-Out of Exemptions. Since 1991, exemption deductions are phased-out as the taxpayer's AGI exceeds a threshold amount. All exemption amounts claimed on a return are reduced by 2% for each $2,500 (or fraction thereof) of AGI in excess of the appropriate threshold amount. The AGI threshold amounts for 2003 will be as follows (2002 amounts for comparison):

                                 2003                       2002
                        __________________________________________________
                        Phase-Out    Phase-Out    Phase-Out    Phase-Out
                        Begins       Completed    Begins       Completed
                        When         When         When         When
                        AGI Exceeds  AGI Exceeds  AGI Exceeds  AGI Exceeds
                        __________________________________________________
Single individual        $ 139,500    $ 262,000    $ 137,300    $ 259,800
Married, filing joint
 and Surviving spouse      209,250      331,750      206,000      328,500
Head of household          174,400      296,900      171,650      294,150
Married, filing separate   104,625      165,875      103,000      164,250

Overall Limitation on Itemized Deductions. Total itemized deductions otherwise allowable are reduced by 3% of a taxpayer's AGI in excess of specified threshold amounts [§68]. The threshold amounts for 2003 will be as follows (2002 amounts for comparison):

                                                 2003    2002
                                               ___________________
All taxpayers except Married, filing separately $ 139,500 $ 137,300
Married, filing separately                         69,750    68,650

Tax Rate Schedules. After adjustment for inflation, the 2003 Tax Rate Schedules are presented on the following page (for comparison, the 2002 Tax Rate Schedules follow).

            2003 TAX RATE SCHEDULES

Single [§1(c)]:

If taxable income is:                    The tax is:

Not over $6,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . .10% of taxable income.
Over $6,000 but not over $28,400 . . . . $600.00, plus 15% of the excess
                                        over $6,000.
Over $28,400 but not over $68,800 . . . .$3,960.00, plus 27% of the excess
                                        over $28,400.
Over $68,800 but not over $143,500 . . . $14,868.00, plus 30% of the excess
                                        over $68,800.
Over $143,500 but not over $311,950 . .  $37,278.00, plus 35% of the excess
                                        over $143,500.
Over $311,950 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$96,235.50, plus 38.6% of the excess
                                        over $311,950.

Head of Household [§1(b)]:

If taxable income is:                    The tax is:

Not over $10,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . 10% of taxable income.
Over $10,000 but not over $38,050 . . . .$1,000.00, plus 15% of the excess
                                        over $10,000.
Over $38,050 but not over $98,250 . . . .$5,207.50, plus 27% of the excess
                                        over $38,050.
Over $98,250 but not over $159,100 . . . $21,461.50 plus 30% of the excess
                                        over $98,250.
Over $159,100 but not over $311,950 . .  $39,716.50, plus 35% of the excess
                                        over $159,100.
Over $311,950 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$93,214.00, plus 38.6% of the excess
                                        over $311,950.

Married, Filing Joint and Surviving Spouse [§1(a)]:

If taxable income is:                    The tax is:

Not over $12,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . 10% of taxable income.
Over $12,000 but not over $47,450 . . . .$1,200.00, plus 15% of the excess
                                        over $12,000.
Over $47,450 but not over $114,650 . . . $6,517.50, plus 27% of the excess
                                        over $47,450.
Over $114,650 but not over $174,700 . .  $24,661.50, plus 30% of the excess
                                        over $114,650.
Over $174,700 but not over $311,950 . .  $42,676.50, plus 35% of the excess
                                        over $174,700.
Over $311,950 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$90,714.00, plus 38.6% of the excess
                                        over $311,950.

Married, Filing Separate [§1(d)]:

If taxable income is:                   The tax is:

Not over $6,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . .10% of taxable income.
Over $6,000 but not over $23,725 . . . . $600.00, plus 15% of the excess
                                        over $6,000.
Over $23,725 but not over $57,325 . . . .$3,258.75, plus 27% of the excess
                                        over $23,725.
Over $57,325 but not over $87,350 . . . .$12,330.75, plus 30% of the excess
                                        over $57,325.
Over $87,350 but not over $155,975 . . . $21,338.25, plus 35% of the excess
                                        over $87,350.
Over $155,975 . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$45,357.00, plus 38.6% of the excess
                                        over $155,975.

Estates and Trusts [§1(e)]:

If taxable income is:                    The tax is:

Not over $1,900 . . . . . . . . . . . . .15% of taxable income.
Over $1,900 but not over $4,500 . . . . .$285.00, plus 27% of the excess
                                        over $1,900.
Over $4,500 but not over $6,850 . . . . .$987.00, plus 30% of the excess
                                        over $4,500.
Over $6,850 but not over $9,350 . . . . .$1,692.00, plus 35% of the excess
                                        over $6,850.
Over $9,350 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$2,567.00, plus 38.6% of the excess
                                        over $9,350.