What “middle class tax cut”?

[IconoClast]

I'm a retired blue collar worker whose

Federal income tax bill increased by 0.618%!

Income tax 2024 = 8.547%

Income tax 2025 = 9.165%

[Tonster521]

IconClast, tax rates have decreased since 2018. Also, the Standard deduction and tax brackets are adjusted each year for inflation. Has your taxable income increased?

[GailL1]

@IconoClast 

Did you forget to take the extra $6000 in senior deductions to save yourself some Social Security taxes on benefits?

[IconoClast]

I find the question insulting!
An additional $6000 deduction for us old people does little to mitigate the cost imposed by Ronald Reagan increasing our taxes by eliminating the exemptions from Social Security and unemployment insurance income.

[Tonster521]

IconClast, it appears you do not understand the value of the Enhanced Deduction for Seniors which is $6,000/$12,000 Single/Married Filing Jointly. It is estimated that approximately 80% or more folks age 65 and older will not pay any federal income tax on their SS Benefits. The deduction is available for folks with Adjustable Gross Income below $75,000/$150,000 Single/Married Filing Jointly. If above this threshold, the deduction is reduced and is phased out at $175,000/$250,000 Single/Married Filing Jointly. 

FYI, if Single, qualifying for the $6,000 enhanced deduction is equivalent to a $50,000 deduction of taxable income if one is in the 12% tax bracket ($50,000 X .12 = $6,000). There are not many Single folks with SS Benefits that exceed $50,000. Double the math for Married Filing Jointly.

[IconoClast]

@Tonster521mused that it might appear I “do not understand the value of the Enhanced Deduction for Seniors” (my understanding is irrelevant) that's “… for folks with Adjustable Gross Income below $75,000/$150,000”.

I said nothing about amounts of income, deduction(s), or taxes. I mentioned the RATE of taxation without regard to any other thing. It matters little whether my gross or adjusted income was $100 or $100,000 from my union pension or Social Security or financial/trading income/losses or income from other sources such as rents, dividends, or interest.

@Tonster521asked “Has your taxable income increased?”
Of course the amount of tax paid on my taxable income that increased by 35% should be greater, even more than the billionaire president's $750. The RATE of taxation INcreasing by 0.618% is not a cut•←[that's an emphatic period.]

So my subject question stands: What “middle class tax cut”?

[Tonster521]

IconoClast, although you state it matters little what the amount your gross or adjusted income was, it should be abundantly clear that federal income taxes are paid on taxable income. The greater one's taxable income, the greater the taxes. It is a progressive scale, but taxes may vary from person to person even if both have the same income. For example, one person may itemize deductions since those deductions exceed the Standard Deduction. 

Generally, as one's taxable income increases, the amount of taxes paid increases. If your taxable income increased 35% and you still remain in the 12% tax bracket, you should have incurred approximately a 4.2% (35% X 12% = 4.2%) increase. If such increase placed you either partially or totally in the next 22% tax bracket, your increase should be from the above 4.2% to 7.7% (35% X 22% = 7.7%). Since your increase was only .618% or .00618 or about six/tenths of a penny on a dollar, I do not understand why you are complaining. If you use a tax preparer, that person is very good. If you calculate your own federal tax return, I suggest to double check your line by line calculations. 

[SereneSeagull]

@IconoClast  Yes.  Looking forward to righting the apple cart.