Key Financial Data for 2022

By Debra Taylor, CPA/PFS, JD, CDFA | Jan 3, 2022

Coronavirus relief changes in 2021

The more liberal 2020 rules for borrowing and taking distributions from retirement plans and the waiver of RMDs disappeared starting in the 2021 tax year. Specifically, CARES Act relief, including penalty-free withdrawals and larger loan amounts, will no longer be available. However, those who took coronavirus related distributions (CRDs) in 2020 still have three years to pay back those distributions and then can claim a tax refund of any tax collected.

Parents who gave birth to a child in 2021 will be eligible in 2022 to receive payments up to $1,400 from the final round of stimulus payments that were issued in March. In order to qualify for the funds, parents of children born this year must meet the income requirements that have dictated previous stimulus payments—$150,000 for married couples who file joint tax returns or $75,000 for individual tax filers.

In addition, people will need to pay taxes on their unemployment benefits—definitely federal and possibly state. However, their stimulus checks are being treated as refundable tax credits.

Tax brackets, tax rates and standard deductions

Tax brackets and tax rates for 2022 are the big news this year; there remain seven tax brackets in 2022 along with a 0% tax rate. Table 1 shows how they break out by filing status, and the trust and estates schedule is shown at the end of the table.

Table 1: 2022 Tax Rate Schedule Same tax rates but higher brackets
Taxable income ($)	Base amount of tax ($)	Plus	Marginal tax rate	Of the amount over ($)
Single
0–10,275	0	+	10	0
10,276–41,775	1,027.50	+	12	10,275.00
41,776–89,075	4,807.50	+	22	41,775.00
89,076–170,050	15,213.50	+	24	89,075.00
170,051–215,950	34,647.50	+	32	170,050.00
215,951–539,900	49,335.50	+	35	215,950.00
Over 539,900	162,718.00	+	37	539,900.00
Married filing jointly and surviving spouses
0–20,550	0	+	10	0
20,551–83,550	2,055.00	+	12	20,550.00
83,551–178,150	9,615.00	+	22	83,550.00
178,151–340,100	30,427.00	+	24	178,150.00
340,101–431,900	69,295.00	+	32	340,100.00
431,901–647,850	98,671.00	+	35	431,900.00
Over 647,850	174,253.50	+	37	647,850.00
Head of household
0–14,650	0	+	10	0
14,651–55,900	1,465.00	+	12	14,650.00
55,901–89,050	6,415.00	+	22	55,900.00
89,051–170,050	13,708.00	+	24	89,050.00
170,051–215,950	33,148.00	+	32	170,050.00
215,951–539,900	47,836.00	+	35	215,950.00
Over 539,900	161,218.50	+	37	539,900.00
Married filing separately
0–10,275	0	+	10	0
10,276–41,775	1,027.50	+	12	10,275.00
41,776–89,075	4,807.50	+	22	41,775.00
89,076–170,050	15,213.50	+	24	89,075.00
170,051–215,950	34,647.50	+	32	170,050.00
215,951–323,925	49,335.50	+	35	215,950.00
Over 323,925	87,126.75	+	37	323,925.00
Estates and trusts
0–2,750	0	+	10	0
2,751–9,850	275.00	+	24	2,750.00
9,851 to 13,450	1,979.00	+	35	9,850.00
Over 13,450	3,239.00	+	37	13,450.00

Source: IRS

Standard deduction. The standard deduction, shown in Table 2, increases slightly from $25,100 in 2021 to $25,900 in 2022, for married-filing-jointly filers; from $12,550 to $12,950, for single and married-filing-separately filers; and from $18,800 to $19,400, for head-of-household filers.

Personal exemption. Remember that the ability to take personal exemptions has been eliminated, a change which to some degree tempers the benefit of the higher standard deduction.

Table 2: 2022 Standard Deductions and Child Tax Credit
Filing status	Standard deduction
Married filing jointly and qualifying widow(er)s	$25,900
Single or married filing separately	$12,950
Head of household	$19,400
Dependent filing own tax return	$1,150*
Additional deductions for non-itemizers
Blind or over 65	Add $1,400
Blind or over 65, unmarried and not a surviving spouse	Add $1,750
Child Tax Credit
Credit per child under 17	$2,000 ($1,500 refundable)
Income phaseouts begin at AGI of:	$400,000 joint $200,00 all other

*Cannot exceed greater of $1,150 or $400 plus the individual’s earned income
Source: IRS

The additional standard deduction amounts went up slightly from 2021. Thus, people who are blind or over age 65 receive an extra deduction of $1,400 each in 2022 up from $1,350 in 2021. The additional deduction also increases from $1,700 in 2021 to $1,750 in 2022 for unmarried taxpayers.

For 2022, the standard deduction amount for an individual who may be claimed as a dependent by another taxpayer cannot exceed the greater of $1,150 or the sum of $400 and the individual’s earned income (not to exceed the regular standard deduction amount).

Capital gains and qualified dividends

Capital gains and dividends. Tax rates on long-term capital gains and qualified dividends generally are unchanged at 0%, 15% and 20%—but the brackets for the rates will change. For 2022, the 15% rate applies to capital gains or dividends that push taxable income above $83,350 for joint returns and surviving spouses, $55,800 for heads of household, $41,675 for single and married-filing-separately taxpayers and $2,800 for estates and trusts.

The 20% rate applies to long-term capital gains or qualified dividends that propel taxable income past $517,200 for joint filers and surviving spouses, $488,500 for heads of household, $459,750 for single filers, $258,600 for married-filing-separately, and $13,700 for estates and trusts.

Remember that exceptions also apply for art, collectibles and section 1250 gains (related to depreciation).

Itemized Deductions

Deduction for medical expenses. Taxpayers who itemize can claim a deduction for medical expenses if those expenses exceed 7.5% of adjusted gross income. Consider decreasing taxable income and bunching medical expenses to exceed the floor.

SALT and sales tax deduction is capped. The tax law limits the total deduction for property taxes, state and local income taxes, and state and local sales taxes to $10,000 a year. This amount is not adjusted for inflation and applies to single and married filing jointly, although married taxpayers filing separately only get $5,000.

Long-term care premiums. Taxpayers who are paying for long-term care generally can deduct a portion of their premiums as a qualified medical expense. The deductible varies based on the taxpayer’s age and is subject to the 7.5% floor for medical expenses. See Table 3 below for the specific amounts, which remain the same from 2021.

Table 3: 2022 Deductibility of Long-Term-Care Premiums on Qualified Policies
Age before close of tax year	Amount of LTC premiums that qualify as medical expenses in 2022
40 or younger	$450
41 to 50	$850
51 to 60	$1,690
61 to 70	$4,510
Over 70	$5,640

Source: IRS

Limitations on deductions. Before the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the Pease and PEP provisions reduced the value of itemized deductions for wealthy taxpayers. The law ends the limitation on deductions, but only until the end of 2025.

Additional taxes

Alternative minimum tax. The AMT has been adjusted for inflation and will continue to affect fewer and fewer taxpayers under the TCJA. In 2022, the exemption amounts rise to $118,100 for married filing jointly taxpayers, up from $114,600 in 2021; $75,900 for single filers, up from $73,600 in 2021; and $59,050 for filers who are married filing separately, up from $7,300 in 2021. The exemption amount for estates and trusts rises to $26,500 from $25,700 in 2021.

Kiddie tax. The law was changed again to return to pre-TCJA Rules. The kiddie tax applies to unearned income for children under the age of 19 and college students under the age of 24. Unearned income is income from sources other than wages and salary, like dividends and interest. The exemption from the kiddie tax will be $2,300 for 2022 (up from $2,200 in 2021). A parent will be able to elect to include a child’s income on the parent’s return for 2022 if the child’s income is more than $1,150 and less than $11,500.

Tax on net investment income. Some high-income taxpayers owe the net investment income tax (NIIT) of 3.8%, which is levied on the lesser of net investment income or modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) over $200,000 for single or $250,000 for married filing joint (see thresholds in Table 4). These amounts remain unchanged from 2021. Net investment income includes taxable interest, ordinary dividends, capital gains and other income categories, and some expenses can be subtracted.

Table 4: 2022 Tax Rates on Long-Term Capital Gains and Qualified Dividends
Taxable income	Tax rate
If taxable income falls below $40,400 (single/married-filing separately), $80,800 (joint), $54,100 (head of household), $2,700 (estates)	0%
If taxable income falls at or above $40,400 (single/married-filing separately), $80,800 (joint), $54,100 (head of household), $2,700 (estates)	15%
If taxable income falls at or above $445,850 (single) $250,800 (married-filing separately), $501,600 (joint), $473,750 (head of household), $13,250 (estates)	20%
3.8% tax on lesser of net investment income or excess of MAGI over
Married, filing jointly	$250,000
Single	$200,000
Married, filing separately	$125,000

Source: IRS

Gifting and estates

Estate tax. Estate, gift and GST exclusions rise from $11,580,000 in 2021 to $12,060,000 in 2022. The top federal estate-tax rate remains 40%. The IRS has issued final regulations that there will be no “clawback” at sunset, so you should discuss potential gifting strategies with all high-net-worth clients. Remember that these higher amounts are due to “sunset” at the end of 2025.

Gift tax. The value of gifts one person can give another without reporting it on a gift tax return increases to $16,000 in 2022 from $15,000 in 2021. Unlimited payments for tuition and medical expenses are permitted.

Education and other credits

Education credits and deductions. As in 2021, the law continues to allow up to $10,000 a year in 529-plan distributions to pay for qualified private-school K-12 education costs (excluding homeschooling), a provision that might encourage taxpayers to focus on 529 plans rather than Coverdells. (Previously, for a 529 distribution to be qualified, it had to be used for higher-education costs, whereas K-12 expenses have been a qualified expense for Coverdell plans.)

The law also allows rollovers from 529 plans to ABLE accounts for disabled beneficiaries until December 31, 2025. But, make sure to check with the specific state, because some states are decoupling from the federal and not treating the 529 plan withdrawal for K-12 expenses as a qualified distribution, and they will also have specific rules in connection with ABLE account rollovers.

American opportunity tax credit. The same as in 2021, in 2022, taxpayers with qualified education expenses can reduce their tax bill by up to $2,500 (of which $1,000 is refundable) thanks to the AOTC, if their modified adjusted gross income doesn’t exceed $80,000 ($160,000 for married-filing-jointly filers). At that income level, the credit starts to phase out.

Lifetime learning credit. This nonrefundable credit is worth up to $2,000. In 2022, the credit starts to phase out for taxpayers with a modified adjusted gross income of $59,000–$69,000 ($118,000–$138,000 for married-filing-jointly filers). The lifetime learning credit offers two main advantages over the American opportunity tax credit. First, the LLC can be claimed for an unlimited number of tax years while the AOTC is limited to four tax years per eligible student. Second, the student doesn’t need to be pursuing a degree, while the AOTC requires the student to be pursuing a degree or other credential.

Child tax credits and alimony

Child tax credit. The child tax credit remains the same as in 2021. It stays at $2,000 per qualifying child and is refundable up to $1,500, subject to phaseouts. There is a temporary $500 nonrefundable credit for other qualifying dependents, such as adult children, mothers and other relatives. Phaseouts will begin with adjusted gross income of more than $400,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly and more than $200,000 for all other taxpayers (also unchanged from 2021).

Alimony. Alimony is no longer taxable to the recipient nor is it deductible for the pay or after 2018 as a result of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Reconsider property settlements and alimony for all divorces going forward.

Education incentives and accounts

Student loan interest deduction. The student loan interest deduction allows an above-the-line deduction of up to $2,500. The deduction starts to phase out once modified adjusted gross income reaches $70,000 ($140,000 for married-filing-jointly filers) and is unavailable to taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income higher than $85,000 ($170,000 for joint filers).

Tax-free savings bond interest. In 2022, the ability to enjoy tax-free interest from savings bonds that are redeemed to pay for higher-education costs starts to phase out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income of $85,800 ($128,650 for joint filers). This is higher than in 2021, when income phaseouts began at $83,200 ($124,800 for joint filers).

Coverdell education savings accounts. Parents and others who want to save for a student’s education costs can contribute a maximum of $2,000 to these accounts (contributions are after-tax, like a Roth IRA), and then withdraw the contributions and investment earnings tax-free if the funds are used to pay qualified education expenses. The maximum contribution stays the same in 2022 as in 2021, and starts to phase out for taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income of $95,000 ($190,000 for married-filing-jointly filers).

Business income and QBI

Schedule C and pass-through business income, aka, QBI deduction. Don’t forget about the 20% deduction against qualified business income for pass-through entities and business owners who file a Schedule C. Phaseouts for those in a specified trade or business begin at $340,100 for married filing jointly (or $170,050 for single).

Retirement plan rules

Retirement plan contribution limits. Retirement plans (see Table 5) continue to remain in the news and are the subject of much debate. The total amount that employers and employees combined can contribute to a 401(k) or similar defined-contribution plan rises to $61,000 in 2022, up from $58,000 in 2021. The maximum annual employee contribution increases to $20,500 in 2022, up from $19,500 in 2021. The catch-up contribution for people aged 50 and older remains the same at $6,500. The limit on how much compensation can be counted under a qualified plan rose to $305,000, from $290,000. Meanwhile, the basic annual benefit limit for defined-benefit increased to $245,000 from $230,000. As a reminder, RMDs do not start until age 72. Following the birth or adoption of a child, a new parent (or parents) may now withdraw up to $5,000 each from his or her account without incurring the usual 10% penalty on early withdrawals. Parents can make this withdrawal up to one year after the birth of the child and may put the money back into the retirement fund at a later date.

Table 5: 2022 Retirement Plan Contribution Limits
Plan type	Contribution limit
Annual compensation used to determine contribution for most plans	$305,000
Defined-contribution plans, basic limit	$61,000
Defined-benefit plans, basic limit	$245,000
401(k), 403(b), 457(b), Roth 401(k) plans, elective deferral limit	$20,500
Catch-up provision for individuals 50 and over, 401(k), 403(b), 457(b), Roth 401(k) plans	$6,500
SIMPLE plans, elective deferral limit	$14,000
SIMPLE plans, catch-up contribution for individuals 50 and over	$3,000

Source: IRS

Individual retirement accounts. In 2022 as in 2021, taxpayers who save for retirement in a traditional IRA or Roth IRA are limited to a $6,000 contribution, plus a $1,000 catch-up for those 50 and older. However, there is no age limit on your ability to contribute to an IRA, as long as you have earned income.

Deductible IRA. Taxpayers who aren’t participating in a retirement plan at work generally can fully deduct their contributions to a traditional IRA. However, income thresholds limit the deductibility of such contributions for taxpayers who are participating in a workplace plan (or if their spouse participates). Table 6 details the income thresholds, which are slightly higher in 2022, due to IRS inflation adjustments.

Table 6: Individual Retirement Accounts—2022 Income Limits for Deduction of Contributions
IRA type	Contribution limit	Catch-up at 50+	Income limits
Traditional nondeductible	$6,000	$1,000	None
Traditional deductible	$6,000	$1,000	If covered by a plan: $109,000–$129,000 joint $68,000–$78,000 single, HOH $0–$10,000 married filing separately If one spouse is covered by a plan: $204,000–$214,000 joint
Roth	$6,000	$1,000	$204,000–$214,000 joint $129,000–$144,000 single, HOH $0–$10,000 married filing separately
Roth conversion			No income limit

Source: IRS

IRA contributions. As stated in Table 6, income thresholds limit who can contribute directly to a Roth IRA (there are no such income limits on Roth conversions). Consider “back-door” Roth conversions or partial conversions if your client doesn’t qualify, and assuming they are still available.

Tax-free IRA distributions to charity, or qualified charitable distributions (QCDs).People aged 70½ or older can make tax-free distributions of up to $100,000 from an IRA directly to a charity. The distribution will decrease taxable income and, with limited exceptions, should be used by all those over 70½ who plan to make charitable contributions.

Health savings accounts

Health savings accounts offer the rare tax trifecta: Contributions are made pretax, enjoy tax-free investment returns, and money comes out tax-free if used for qualified medical expenses. The downside is that such accounts currently are available only to those who are enrolled in a high-deductible health plan, which can pose steep up-front costs for consumers. For 2022 as in 2021, the minimum annual deductible for a qualifying health plan is $1,400 for an individual plan and $2,800 for family coverage. The maximum deductible contribution to an HSA in 2022 is $3,650 for individuals. For family coverage, the maximum deductible contribution is $7,300, and there is a $1,000 catch-up contribution available for age 55 and older.

Table 7: Health Savings Accounts
Annual limit	Maximum deductible contribution	Expense limits (deductibles and co-pays)	Minimum annual deductible
Individuals	$3,650	$7,050	$1,400
Families	$7,300	$14,100	$2,800
Catch-up for 55 and older	$1,000	N/A	N/A

Source: IRS

Medicare

As in 2021, in 2022 the income brackets used to determine Medicare premium surcharges for high-income retirees will be indexed to inflation. As a result, some retirees may experience an increase in their Medicare surcharge costs next year. The standard premium amount in 2022 is $170.10, though some Part B beneficiaries pay less due to the “hold harmless” provision that protects them if Social Security benefits rise slower than Medicare premiums. The people who pay the higher figure include: those signing up for Part B for the first time, those who don’t receive Social Security benefits, those who don’t have their Part B benefits automatically deducted from their Social Security benefits and others. Meanwhile, some higher-income beneficiaries will pay more than the standard premium, as shown in Table 8. Remember that Medicare premiums apply to income from two years prior, and that decisions that are made today will have a future impact.

Table 8: 2022 Medicare Deductibles
Aspect of coverage	Deductible cost
Part B deductible	$233
Part A (inpatient services) deductible for first 60 days of hospitalization	$1,556
Part A deductible for days 61–90 of hospitalization	$389/day
Part A deductible for more than 90 days of hospitalization	$778/day

Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Table 9: 2022 Medicare Premiums and IRMAA Surcharge
2020 MAGI Income		IRMAA Surcharge
Married filing jointly	Single	Part B premium	Part D income adjustment
$182,000 or less	$91,000 or less	$170.10	–
$182,001–$228,000	$91,001–$114,000	$238.10	$12.40
$228,001–$284,000	$114,001–$142,000	$340.20	$32.10
$284,001–$340,000	$142,001–$170,000	$442.30	$51.70
$340,001–$750,000	$170,001–$500,000	$544.30	$71.30
More than $750,000	More than $500,000	$578.30	$77.90

Source: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

Social Security

Social Security beneficiaries will be glad to learn that they’re set to receive a 5.9% cost of living adjustment to their benefits, an increase from the 1.3% cost of living adjustment from 2021. The estimated maximum monthly benefit is $3,345 in 2022, up slightly from $3,148 in 2021. The maximum taxable wage base in 2022 is $147,000, up from 2021’s $142,800. The tax rate remains the same: 6.2% each for the employer and employee (12.4% for self-employed people).

Tax on Social Security benefits. Sometimes retirees are surprised to find their Social Security benefits are taxed. Table 10 below shows the income thresholds at which benefits start to be taxed. To figure their bill, beneficiaries must compute their “provisional” income, which is also known as “combined” income. Combined income = income + nontaxable interest + half of Social Security benefits. And don’t forget the Social Security tax torpedo where benefits are taxed at a significantly higher rate when a taxpayer reports additional income.

Table 10: Social Security—2022 Income Thresholds for Taxation on Benefits
Benefits
Estimated maximum monthly benefit if turning full retirement age (FRA) of 66 in 2022	$3,345
Retirement earnings exempt amounts	$19,560 under FRA $51,960 during year you reach FRA No limit after FRA
Tax on Social Security benefits: Income brackets
Filing status	Provisional income*	Amount of Social Security subject to tax
Married filing jointly	Under $32,000 $32,000–$44,000 Over $44,000	0 Up to 50% Up to 85%
Single, head of household, qualifying widow(er), married filing separately and living apart from spouse	Under $25,000 $25,000–$34,000 Over $34,000	0 Up to 50% Up to 85%
Married filing separately and living with spouse	Over 0	Up to 85%
Tax (FICA) SS tax paid on income up to $147,000	Percent withheld	Maximum payable tax
Employer pays	6.2%	$9,114.00
Employee pays	6.2%	$9,114.00
Self-employed pays	12.4%	$18,228.00
Medicare tax
Employer pays	1.45%	Varies per income
Employee pays	1.45% plus 0.9% on income over $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (joint)	Varies per income
Self-employed pays	2.90% plus 0.9% on income over $200,000 (single) or $250,000 (joint)	Varies per income

Source: Social Security Administration
*Provisional income = adjusted gross income (not including Social Security) + tax-exempt interest + 50% of Social Security benefit

Full retirement age. The so-called “full” or “normal” retirement age for claiming unreduced Social Security benefits is 66 for people who were born from 1943 through 1954. For those born after 1954 but before 1960, full retirement age is 66 plus some number of months, depending on the birth year. For those born in 1960 or later, full retirement age is 67.

The earliest anyone can claim benefits is age 62, though claiming before one’s full retirement age leads to a permanently reduced monthly benefit amount. On the other hand, delaying benefits past one’s full retirement age can lead to higher benefits—as much as 8% a year higher up to age 70. The decision of when to claim benefits is a complex one; the best answer will vary depending on an individual’s circumstances. Note that even if someone delays Social Security benefits, he or she should sign up for Medicare at age 65 to avoid a late-enrollment penalty.

Retirement earnings test. When Social Security beneficiaries earn money from working, they risk a temporary reduction in benefits if their earnings exceed a certain amount—this only applies to people who are younger than their full retirement age. For every $2 in earnings above an income threshold, $1 is withheld from their benefits. That earnings threshold is $19,560 in 2022. In the year that the beneficiary reaches full retirement age, $1 of benefits is withheld for every $3 of earnings above $51,960, up $1,440 from 2021. There is no reduction in benefits after full retirement age. Once the beneficiary reaches full retirement age, the benefit is adjusted to remove the actuarial reduction for those months in which benefits were withheld.

Our tax code has evolved from a two-page form in 1913 to over 75,000 pages of complex rules that are constantly changing. Keeping up with these changes will enable you to better advise clients in this very important area. And as we have in the past, Horsesmouth will be running side by side with you to address these tax law changes and how they impact your clients.

Key Financial Data for 2022