United States Federal Income Tax Dependent Deduction
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A personal exemption amount for each of the taxpayer, their spouse, and their child or dependent for purposes of calculating one's federal income tax was instituted in the 1950s.
The amount of this deduction has been increased, but only slowly. It is said that if the original deduction for each dependent was translated to current dollars adjusted for inflation, the deduction would be much higher and much of the middle class would not pay any federal taxes at all.
| Tax Year | Deduction Amount |
|---|---|
| 2002 | $3000 |
| 2001 | $2900 |
| 2000 | $2800 |
| 1999 | $2750 |
| 1998 | $2700 |
| 1997 | $2650 |
| ... |
The personal exemption is reduced (in some cases totally eliminated) for taxpayers with income above approximately $130,000.