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Dear Fellow Federationists: <br>
The House of Representatives, Committee on Ways and Means, favorably
reported the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act out of committee on Thursday, November
9. The bill now goes to the House floor. Please continue to call your
representative and urge him or her to demand that the additional standard
deduction for blind people be restored.<br>
A summary of the Senate companion bill, also called the Tax Cuts and Jobs
Act, was released on Thursday, November 9. The Senate bill does not
eliminate the additional standard deduction for the blind. This is
extremely good news!<br>
Please call your two senators and urge them to continue to maintain the
additional standard deduction for the blind. Please also ask them to vote
for any amendment which incorporates the Access Technology Affordability
Act (S. 732) into the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.<br>
As a quick reminder, beginning in the 1940s, as a result of NFB’s
advocacy, the IRS has included an additional standard deduction for blind
people compared to non-blind people. This deduction reduces one’s taxable
income and the corresponding amount of taxes a blind person has to pay.
In 2017, the standard deduction for a non-blind person filing as single
is $6,350 and the standard deduction for a blind person filing as single
is $7,900, an increase of $1,550. As far as the effect this deduction has
on how much in taxes one would have to pay, that depends on one’s
individual tax situation.<br>
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The deduction is not intended to pay for a specific item, but all of the
extra items that blind people have to pay for to live the lives we want.
Examples include transportation, access technology, readers, Braille
transcription, white canes, supplies for a guide dog, etc.<br>
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Your calls and emails are making a big difference so please keep them up!
The best way to contact your member of Congress is to call the Capitol
Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 and ask for the office in question.
Emailing your member of Congress is also a good idea. If you do so,
please copy me at <a href="mailto:JPare@nfb.org">JPare@nfb.org</a>.<br>
Warm regards,<br>
<br>
John<br>
<br>
John G. Paré Jr. <br>
Executive Director for Advocacy and Policy<br>
200 East Wells Street, Baltimore, MD 21230<br>
(410) 659-9314, extension 2218 |
<a href="mailto:Jpare@nfb.org">Jpare@nfb.org</a><br>
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The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and
friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every
day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.
<br><br>
<br><br>
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