Income tax overhaul prompts year-end tips Accountants and tax preparers always advise taxpayers to look for ways to maximize their deductions at year’s end. That’s especially the case this year because of the tax reform package Congress just passed. Among its many provisions is one that increases the standard deduction from $6,350 to $12,000 for single taxpayers and from $12,700 to $24,000 for couples filing joint returns. “It may be a lot tougher for individual taxpayers to itemize now because the standard deduction is so high,” said Jordan Moran, office manager at Stadler & Company Tax Service on Terre Haute’s south side. It’s been estimated that 70 percent of Americans will benefit from the higher standard deduction in 2018 and beyond, but Moran said that figure will likely be higher in Indiana. With so little time left in the calendar year, pre-payment of next year’s property taxes offers one of the few opportunities many taxpayers may have to load up on deductions for 2017 – if they have some extra money. Most county treasurer’s offices accept advance payments as credits against 2018 property tax bills. Officials caution they don’t know yet how much those bills will be for next year but taxpayers can use this year’s bill as a guide. They also advise anyone who may be pre-paying for income tax purposes to consult a tax professional for advice on whether doing so would actually save them money. But Scott Whittenburg, chief deputy treasurer for Vigo County, said it’s not just people who might be trying to maximize deductions that take advantage of pre-payment options. “Some make weekly or monthly payments; it’s sort of a budgeting thing,” he said. “It’s often folks who may not have a bank account.” It’s best if taxpayers can provide their property ID number “but an address is enough,” Whittenburg said. Among Terre Haute area counties, only Clark County, Illinois, is not in the practice of accepting advance property tax payments. “We haven’t done that,” ...