This is where I am.
I want to point out that I would have a totally different outlook if my taxable income went UP due to me making more money or something *I* caused. My gross income DECREASED due to my husband working much less overtime this year. Based on my deductions being the same as last year (donations, property taxes, state taxes), common sense would tell me that my taxable income would also have decreased. Due to the changes in the tax law for 2018, my taxable income shot up quite a bit even though I made about $11,000 less this year. How is this not a factor? Living in the high CoL area, it was clear through Turbotax that much I what I used to claim, was disallowed. Last year I was able to item and deduct $38,000 off my income, making taxable less. This year, I got $24,000. I was disallowed most of my state taxes and then my charitable contributions.
I 100% understand that my effective tax rate (or my bracket) decreased this year. I can see that, it's plain as day, but I can also see that the new law made MORE of my income taxable. Again, it would be different if I caused the increase by making more money or having less deductions, but I didn't.