Introduction
Every year, the IRS adjusts more than forty tax provisions for inflation. This is done to prevent what is called “bracket creep.” This is the phenomenon by which people are pushed into higher income tax brackets or have reduced value from credits or deductions due to inflation instead of any increase in real income. The IRS uses the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to calculate the past year’s inflation and adjusts income thresholds, deduction amounts, and credit values accordingly.
Income Tax Brackets and Rates
In 2014, the income limits for all brackets and all filers will be adjusted for inflation and will be as follows. The top marginal income tax rate of 39.6 percent will hit taxpayers with an adjusted gross income of $406,751 and higher for single filers and $457,601 and higher for married filers.

Source: Internal Revenue Service

Standard Deduction and Personal Exemption
The standard deduction will increase by $100 from $6,100 to $6,200
for singles . For married couples filing jointly, it will increase by $200 from $12,200 to $12,400.
Next year’s personal exemption will increase by $50 to $3,950.

Source: Internal Revenue Service

PEP and Pease
PEP (personal exemption phase-out) and Pease are two provisions in the tax code that increase taxable income for high-income earners. PEP is the phase out of the personal exemption and Pease (named after former Senator Donald Pease) reduces the value of most itemized deductions once a taxpayer’s adjusted gross income reaches a certain point. The income threshold for both PEP and Pease will be $254,200 for single filers and $305,050 for married filers. PEP will end at $376,700 for singles and $427,550 for couples filing jointly, meaning these taxpayers will no longer have a personal exemption.

Source: Internal Revenue Service

Source: Internal Revenue Service

Alternative Minimum Tax
The AMT exemption amount for 2014 is $52,800 for singles and $82,100 for married couple filing jointly

Source: Internal Revenue Service

Earned Income Tax Credit
The 2014 maximum Earned Income Tax Credit for singles, heads of households, and joint filers is $496 if the filer has no children. For one child the credit is $3,305, two children is $5,460, and three or more children is $6,143.