Florida Estate Planning: Federal Tax Laws Revised for 2012

Posted on Jan 27, 2012
Now that 2012 is upon us, be aware that there have been some changes in tax laws. Many changes have risen from inflation adjustments, which may affect your income tax bracket. Since the changes apply to 2012, they will not affect your 2011 tax returns.

Revised Tax Laws for 2012

A Wall Street Journal article outlines some of the changes. 
  • The tax bracket thresholds have increased for all filing statuses. For example, if you are married and filing jointly, $70,700 acts as the demarcation line between the 15 percent and 25 percent bracket. That’s an increase from $69,000.
  • There has been a slight increase in your standard deduction. If you are single, your basic deduction is $5,950; for 2011 it was $5,800. If you’re married, your standard deduction is $11,900; in 2011 it was $11,600. Different amounts apply for those who are blind, older than 65, or both.
  • Each dependent and personal exemption is now $3,800, an increase of $100.
  • The earned income tax credit maxes out at $5,891, changed from $5,751.
  • The exclusion amount for foreign earned income is $95,100, an increase over $92,900 in 2011. 
If you have any legal concerns about your taxes, you can schedule a consultation with a Fort Myers tax litigation attorney.

Help from a Fort Myers Tax Litigation Attorney is Just a Phone Call Away

Fort Myers tax litigation attorney Matthew A. Linde understands firsthand the importance of careful estate planning and the complexities of financial legal matters, such as probate, tax litigation and guardianship. For help with your tax litigation concerns, contact our Fort Myers office to schedule a one-on-one meeting with a professional who can answer your questions – 239-939-7100.

Terms and Conditions for Use of Website: Matthew A. Linde, Esq., a Florida Bar Board Certified expert in Wills, Trusts and Estates, and Elder law and a shareholder at Matthew A. Linde, P.A. (the "Firm") makes available the information and materials on this website, http://www.floridaprobatelitigator.com/ (the "Materials") for informational purposes only to the user ("You.”). While Matthew A. Linde, Esq., hopes the Materials will be helpful as general information, Matthew A. Linde, Esq., does not warrant that the Materials are accurate or complete. Moreover, the Materials are general in nature, and may not apply to your legal issue. Under no circumstance do the Materials constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. Furthermore, Matthew A. Linde, Esq., accepts clients only in accordance with mutually agreed upon procedures and renders legal advice only after completion of those procedures and when it is legally permissible for Matthew A. Linde, Esq., to do so.  Any usage of this website and Materials is provided with no warranties or guarantees of any kind.  The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask Matthew A. Linde, Esq., to send you free written information about his qualifications and experience. Matthew A. Linde, Esq., regularly handles cases in Fort Myers, North Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, (Lee County) Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, (Charlotte County) and Naples including Marco Island (Collier County) and occasionally throughout the State of Florida.  The Firm provides legal services in probate litigation and administration, trust lawsuits, will contests, estate litigation, fiduciary litigation, guardianship administration, estate planning, tax litigation and planning and elder law.   

Terms and Conditions for Use of Website: Matthew A. Linde, Esq., a Florida Bar Board Certified expert in Wills, Trusts and Estates, and Elder law and a shareholder at Matthew A. Linde, P.A. (the "Firm") makes available the information and materials on this website, http://www.floridaprobatelitigator.com/ (the "Materials") for informational purposes only to the user ("You.”). While Matthew A. Linde, Esq., hopes the Materials will be helpful as general information, Matthew A. Linde, Esq., does not warrant that the Materials are accurate or complete. Moreover, the Materials are general in nature, and may not apply to your legal issue. Under no circumstance do the Materials constitute legal advice and should not be relied on as such. Furthermore, Matthew A. Linde, Esq., accepts clients only in accordance with mutually agreed upon procedures and renders legal advice only after completion of those procedures and when it is legally permissible for Matthew A. Linde, Esq., to do so.  Any usage of this website and Materials is provided with no warranties or guarantees of any kind.  The hiring of a lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely upon advertisements. Before you decide, ask Matthew A. Linde, Esq., to send you free written information about his qualifications and experience. Matthew A. Linde, Esq., regularly handles cases in Fort Myers, North Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Bonita Springs, (Lee County) Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, (Charlotte County) and Naples including Marco Island (Collier County) and occasionally throughout the State of Florida.  The Firm provides legal services in probate litigation and administration, trust lawsuits, will contests, estate litigation, fiduciary litigation, guardianship administration, estate planning, tax litigation and planning and elder law.