Personal exemptions
You can no longer claim a deduction for yourself, your spouse or any of your dependents. Each personal exemption in 2017 provided a $4,050 tax deduction. For example, a family of four could deduct a total of $16,200 in addition to a standard deduction, itemized deductions and any adjustments to income. The loss of this deduction greatly minimizes the tax benefit of the increased standard deduction.
To make up for the loss of this deduction, the child tax credit for qualifying children under the age of 17 has been increased by $1,000 and made available to more taxpayers. Additionally, there is a new $500 credit for all other dependents, though there is no credit for the taxpayer and spouse.