Technologies
Extending the 2017 Trump Tax Cuts? Here’s Who Might and Might Not Benefit
Republicans in both chambers of Congress have passed plans to extend the 2017 Trump tax cuts, which continue to face fierce criticism for favoring the wealthy.
It’s not just the tariffs. President Donald Trump’s economic plans also call for an extension of his 2017 tax overhaul before it expires. These changes — commonly known as the «Trump tax cuts» — lowered tax rates and increased the value of certain tax incentives but also have been a political lightning rod over the years because of their benefits for corporations and the wealthy. It’s the sort of heated discourse that can leave the basic facts of the bill a bit murky.
That 2017 tax plan, officially known as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, was one of the signature legislative accomplishments of Trump’s first term, and passing an extension has been a priority for the president since he entered his second term. While extending the cuts carries a big estimated price tag, Trump administration officials have suggested that newly imposed tariffs could raise enough money to cover the cost of extending the tax cuts, an important consideration in the budget reconciliation process. But the clock is ticking: Many of its provisions are set to expire by the end of 2025 without action from Congress.
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That action is getting underway. As of April 10, the House and Senate have passed separate versions of a plan that would extend Trump’s tax cuts and slash more government spending to pay for them. The situation remains contentious, as shown by the slim margins by which the bills passed: 216-212 in the House, and 51-48 in the Senate. With two bills passed, they will now be merged in a process known as «reconciliation,» which can help Republicans bypass the 60-vote limit usually needed to overcome a filibuster. While the GOP has characterized extending the tax cuts as a bid for stability that will benefit everyone, Democrats have long countered that the benefits of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are overly weighted toward the wealthiest taxpayers.
For all the details about why there might be some truth to both statements, keep reading, and stick around to the end to find out how much it might cost. For more, find out if Trump could actually abolish the Department of Education.
What would extending the Trump tax cuts mean?
While the phrase «Trump tax cuts» has become a common media shorthand for the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, the current conversation around it might suggest that new cuts could be on the way. Although Trump has floated ideas for additional cuts, it’s important to note that extending the 2017 provisions would for the most part keep tax rates and programs at the levels they’ve been at since then.
So while it may be a better option than having the provisions expire — which would increase certain tax rates and decrease certain credits — extending the tax cuts most likely won’t change how you’ve been taxed the past eight years. However, some estimates have predicted that extending the cuts would boost income in 2026, with the conservative-leaning Tax Foundation in particular predicting a 2.9% rise on average, based on a combination of other economic predictions combined with tax rates staying where they are.
What would change if the Trump tax cuts expire?
Republicans contend that the tax cuts helped a wide swath of Americans, and the Tax Foundation predicted that 60% of tax filers would see higher rates in 2026 without an extension.
A big part of that has to do with tax bracket changes. The 2017 provisions lowered the income tax rates across the seven brackets, aside from the first (10%) and the sixth (35%). If the current law expires, those rates would go up 1% to 3%.
Income limits for each bracket would also revert to pre-2017 levels. Lending credence to the Democrats’ counterarguments, these shifts under the Trump tax cuts appeared to be more beneficial to individuals and couples at higher income levels than to those making closer to the average US income.
If you’re interested in the nitty-gritty numbers, you can check out the Tax Foundation’s full breakdown. Another point in Democrats’ favor? The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act also cut corporate tax rates from 35% to 21%, and unlike many of its other provisions, this one was permanent and won’t expire in 2026.
The cuts also capped the total amount that taxpayers can deduct based on «state and local property, income, and sales tax,» otherwise known as SALT, at $10,000. There was previously no limit, and as Lisa Greene-Lewis, a tax prep expert and analyst for TurboTax, told CNET in an email correspondence, this is a policy that could be detrimental to certain taxpayers if the TCJA is extended.
«Filers living in states with high state and property taxes are capped at a $10,000 deduction for total state and local property, income and sales tax — even when many of them may pay way beyond that amount,» Greene-Lewis explained. «If this part of the provision went back to the way it was prior to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) without caps, filers in states with high state and property taxes would be able to deduct the full amounts paid.»
Greene-Lewis also noted that there is talk about removing the SALT cap from the plan to extend the TCJA.
What would happen to the standard deduction?
This is another area in which a lot of people would be hit hard. The standard deduction lets taxpayers lower their taxable income, as long as they forgo itemizing any deductions.
For the 2025 tax year, the standard deduction is $15,000 for individual filers, and $30,000 for joint filers. If the tax cuts expire, these numbers will drop by nearly half, down to $8,350 for individuals and $16,700 for joint filers.
What would happen to the child tax credit?
The child tax credit is one of the most popular credits out there. Its current levels — $2,000 per qualifying child, which phases out starting at a gross income of $200,000 for single filers and $400,000 for joint filers — were actually set by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
If an extension or new bill isn’t passed, next year the child tax credit would revert to its old levels: $1,000 per child, which starts phasing out at $75,000 for single filers and $110,000 for joint filers.
Do the Trump tax cuts really favor the wealthy?
As mentioned above, higher-income individuals and couples made out notably better with the changes the Trump tax cuts made to tax brackets. Overall, numerous estimates have predicted that the wealthiest Americans would experience a greater proportion of the benefits, with the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center specifically estimating that households making more than $450,000 a year would reap around 45% of the tax cut benefits.
How much would extending the tax cuts cost?
Tax cuts more favorable to the wealthy are a big part of why some analysts say extension of the Trump tax cuts would add trillions of dollars to the national debt. An early estimate from the Tax Policy Center in 2018 found that extending the provisions through 2038 would add $3.8 trillion to the US deficit. A 2024 estimate from the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget predicted that it would add $3.9 trillion to $4.7 trillion to the deficit through 2035, depending on which provisions were included.
The blueprint passed by the House last week included about $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, to be supported by $1.5 trillion in further government spending cuts. The rest would either go to the deficit or have to be made up for with additional cuts, adding fuel to the concerns that Republicans intend to substantially cut funding for Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security to pay for their tax plans.
For more, find out if IRS layoffs will hurt your tax return.
Technologies
Could iPhones Really Cost $3,500 With Trump’s Tariffs? We Do the Math
Trump blinked on ‘reciprocal tariffs,’ but prices will still rise. Experts advise against panic-buying if it puts you in debt.
President Donald Trump backed down from his sweeping «reciprocal tariffs» this week, but he upped the tax on goods from China to 125% and left the 10% tariff on other imports from other countries. Experts say you should expect to pay more for your next iPhone.
Trump announced the 90-day pause on his social media platform for all countries except China because «these countries have not, at my strong suggestion, retaliated in any way, shape or form.» China, where Apple produces most of its products, has responded to each of Trump’s tariff hikes this year by increasing tariffs on US products. The White House said Thursday that the 125% tariff is on top of the 20% tariffs imposed since February, bringing the total tariff on China to 145%.
«Trump is playing hardball with China, which is unsettling on many levels,» Patti Brennan, a certified financial planner and CEO of Key Financial, said in an email. «As for Apple, expect the prices to double for their products.»
If Apple passed the China tariff costs on to customers, the iPhone 16 Pro Max with 1TB of storage could increase from $1,599 to nearly $3,600 — that’s assuming that the previously imposed20% tariff was already incorporated into the current price.
Apple has started to move some of its manufacturing to other countries, including India and Vietnam. Those countries were originally hit with their own «reciprocal tariffs» yesterday — Vietnam with a 46% hike and India a 26% increase — but were among the reprieved. However, they still face the 10% baseline tariff that went into effect last week.
And though experts don’t expect costs to rise on a 1-to-1 basis with tariffs on goods from China — and other countries — you should expect increases. It’s unclear, however, exactly how much of an impact the tariffs will actually have on prices. If rising prices cause demand to plummet, experts note that Apple and other producers could reduce their prices to stay competitive.
If you’re in the market for a new Apple device or an imported gaming system, like the Nintendo Switch 2 or PlayStation 5 Pro, here’s how tariffs could raise prices, and what you should do to prepare.
How much could iPhone prices go up with tariffs? We do the math
If the full cost of tariffs were passed on to shoppers, we’d see a 125% increase in prices on Apple products produced in China. Apple has moved some of its production to other countries, but most iPhones are still manufactured in China.
Here’s how it could affect the cost of an iPhone if the full tariffs were applied:
How could tariffs increase iPhone prices?
| Current price | China (125%) | Other country (10%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| iPhone 15 (128GB) | $699 | $1,573 | $769 |
| iPhone 15 Plus (128GB) | $799 | $1,798 | $879 |
| iPhone 16e (128GB) | $599 | $1,348 | $659 |
| iPhone 16 (128GB) | $799 | $1,798 | $879 |
| iPhone 16 Plus (128GB) | $899 | $2,023 | $989 |
| iPhone 16 Pro (128GB) | $999 | $2,248 | $1,099 |
| iPhone 16 Pro Max (256GB) | $1,199 | $2,698 | $1,319 |
| iPhone 16 Pro Max (1TB) | $1,599 | $3,598 | $1,759 |
But there’s a lot more that goes into the price of an iPhone than simply where it’s manufactured. Apple sources components for its products from a long list of countries, which could face higher tariffs after the pause. And a tariff on goods doesn’t necessarily mean prices will go up by the same amount. If companies want to stay competitive, they could absorb some of the costs to keep their prices lower.
«It won’t be as high as one-to-one in terms of the tariff increases,» said Ryan Reith, group vice president for IDC’s Worldwide Device Tracker suite, which includes mobile phones, tablets and wearables. «The math isn’t as clear cut as that on the tariffs.»
Will other tech products also see price hikes?
Smartphones aren’t the only devices expected to increase prices because of tariffs. Best Buy and Target warned consumers last month to expect higher prices for everything after the latest round of tariffs went into effect. February’s tariff hike had already prompted Acer to announce that it was raising prices on its laptops.
Apple announced a $100 price cut on its new MacBook Air last month, a day after the last round of tariffs took effect. In what was widely viewed as an attempt to persuade Trump to «carve out» an exemption from the latest tariffs, Apple announced in February that it would spend more than $500 billion in the next four years to expand manufacturing operations in the US.
«They already committed $500 billion to US manufacturing, and there was no carve out for Apple,» Brennan said. «They will have to pass along most of these costs to consumers.»
However, regardless of the exact amount, expect tariffs on goods from China and other countries to translate into higher prices for consumers. That means the tech you use daily, like imported smartphones, tablets, laptops, TVs and kitchen appliances, could get even more expensive this year.
What’s going on with tariffs?
Trump announced a 10% baseline tariff on all imports plus «reciprocal tariffs» on imports from more than 180 countries on April 2, which he dubbed «Liberation Day.» He’s long touted tariffs as a way to even the trade deficit and raise revenue to offset tax cuts, although many economists say that tariffs could lead to higher prices and may end up hurting the US economy. Stock prices plummeted after Trump’s announcement as markets reacted poorly to the sweeping tariffs.
Trump has taken an especially hard stance on China, which was already subject to tariffs that Trump ordered during his first term in office. He started in February, imposing 20% in tariffs, then announced last week a 34% tariff on goods from China. Earlier this week, he added another 50% tariff before landing yesterday on the 125% tariff against China. China has responded with its own tariffs after each of Trump’s announcements.
Tariffs, in theory, are designed to financially impact other countries because their goods are being taxed. Tariffs are paid by the US company importing the product, and this upcharge is usually — but not always — passed on to the consumer in the form of higher prices.
Should you buy tech now to avoid tariffs later?
If you were planning to buy a new iPhone, gaming console, MacBook or other tech, buying it now could save you money.
But if you don’t have the cash on hand and need to use a credit card or buy now, pay later plan just to avoid tariffs, experts say to make sure you have the money to cover the costs before you start accruing interest. With credit cards’ average interest rates currently more than 20%, the cost of financing a big purchase could quickly wipe out any savings you’d get by buying before prices go up because of tariffs.
«If you finance this expense on a credit card and can’t pay it off in full in one to two months, you’ll likely end up paying way more than a tariff would cost you,» said Alaina Fingal, an accountant, founder of The Organized Money and a CNET Money Expert Review Board member. «I would recommend that you pause on any big purchases until the economy is more stable.»
One way to save on Apple products, even if prices go up, is to buy last year’s model instead of the newest release.
«If you aren’t planning to upgrade in the next year, there is no need to rush out to buy a new smartphone,» Shawn DuBravac, chief economist at IPC, a manufacturing trade association, said in an email. «Technology is naturally deflationary, meaning that over time performance goes up and prices generally go down for products of similar quality.»
Technologies
Why Chicken Jockey Chaos Is Taking Over Minecraft Movie Screenings
Teens are going absolutely wild over a surprise Minecraft movie cameo.
A Minecraft Movie, based on the popular game, is generating more than laughs. It’s unleashing full-blown chaos in theaters, thanks to one unexpected star: the Chicken Jockey.
While fans have embraced the absurd performances from Jack Black and Jason Momoa, it’s a split-second cameo featuring a baby zombie riding a chicken that’s sending teen audiences into absolute mayhem. The Chicken Jockey, a rare and obscure Minecraft mob, has become the unlikely center of a viral eruption.
Across social media, and increasingly inside theaters, teens are reacting with wild enthusiasm-chanting, throwing popcorn, filming reenactments and, in some cases, prompting theaters to issue warnings or cancel showings altogether. What started as a deep-cut reference has exploded into a cultural flashpoint.
In just days, the Chicken Jockey has gone from niche in-game trivia to a full-blown pop culture icon and the source of real-world havoc. But what exactly is this strange little character, where did it come from, and how did it become the chaotic heartbeat of the movie?
What is a Minecraft Chicken Jockey?
A Minecraft Chicken Jockey is a rare hostile mob (Minecraft lingo for monster) in the game, formed when a baby zombie appears riding a chicken. It’s one of the stranger and less common creatures in Minecraft, and because of its rarity, it’s a fan-favorite Easter egg for veteran players.
In the 2025 Minecraft movie, the Chicken Jockey makes a brief but memorable appearance. The film references its rarity, and that relatively small scene has exploded online, especially among fans who recognize the deep-cut reference.
What is the Chicken Jockey scene in the Minecraft movie?
The Chicken Jockey scene in the Minecraft movie isn’t very long or important. In reality, it’s probably worth little more than a chuckle. But people absolutely love it. And it’s easily understood without having seen the movie. For context, at one point, Garrett «The Garbage Man» Garrison (played by Momoa) is forced into a boxing ring with a chicken.
«They want me to fight the chicken,» he states, while a baby zombie drops down from a crate lowered from the ceiling. The grinning zombie lands on the chicken while giggling.
«Chicken Jockey!» a wary Steve (played by Jack Black) warns, as the baby zombie coos and charges at Garrison, knocking him into the ropes. And scene.
Why did the Chicken Jockey scene go viral?
For Minecraft fans, this is a rare and oddly satisfying Easter egg. This mob isn’t seen often in-game, so it was a fun, tongue-in-cheek nod to those in the know.
Moviegoers have reported rather rowdy experiences at screenings, with fans singing and chanting along with the characters, especially with this scene. We’ve seen stories of spontaneous applause, kids chanting «Chicken Jockey!» and makeshift cosplay. But it’s only escalated from there.
The viral moment hit a new level when @DiscussingFilm posted to X (formerly Twitter), reporting that police had to remove several kids from a theater during a Minecraft screening due to their response to the Chicken Jockey’s appearance. The crowd erupted into such loud cheering, shouting and laughter that the screening was disrupted, and staff called the police to restore order.
Police had to kick several kids out of the theater during a ‘MINECRAFT’ showing after their reaction to the ‘Chicken Jockey’ scene
Read our review: https://t.co/uuggEo3o94 pic.twitter.com/pZD9eywVjt— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) April 6, 2025
It appears the trend is picking up steam across the country and at various screenings, with social media evidence to show popcorn being thrown at screens, loud screaming and other disruptive behavior. Put simply, Chicken Jockey has people freaking out.
Minecraft Chicken Jockey merchandise: Popcorn buckets, Lego sets and more
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the Minecraft Chicken Jockey is driving a remarkable wave of merchandise demand. Fans are scrambling for collectibles ranging from exclusive theater popcorn buckets to McDonald’s toys.
One of the most sought-after items is the Cinemark-exclusive popcorn bucket and drink cup, which features the Chicken Jockey and is only available in limited quantities. It’s already being resold for as much as $150 on eBay. The trend extends to Lego as well. The Lego Minecraft Woodland Mansion Fighting Ring includes a Chicken Jockey minifigure, and fans have been quick to buy it following the movie’s release.
McDonald’s has also released Minecraft toys through its adult meal promotions, though the Chicken Jockey doesn’t appear in the standard Happy Meal lineup. Some adult meals come with boxed collectibles tied to the film, and photos have circulated online, but no direct retail link exists for the Chicken Jockey toy at this time. It’s clear that, at least for now, Chicken Jockey merchandise has become one of the year’s most unexpected movie collectible trends.
Technologies
A Room With a View: Check Out This Stunning Aurora From the ISS
Astronaut Don Pettit captured the footage while the ISS was flying backward.
There are some stunning views out there, like hotels that let you see the New York City skyline and resorts with gorgeous mountain or ocean views. But there are few places with a view as absurdly cool as the International Space Station. On Wednesday, astronaut Don Pettit — who is also a noted photographer and inventor of the zero-G coffee cup — took a gorgeous time-lapse video of the ISS as it flew over an aurora.
The video, viewable on X, is about 50 seconds long. It shows the ISS orbiting around Earth. It’s a cool shot all on its own, but around the 27-second mark, the aurora starts to show up from the left. A few short seconds later, viewers are greeted with what looks like a snaking, flowing mist covering part of the Earth.
Then, the Earth is awash in a green glow that looks like something out of a movie or a video game. As quickly as the aurora shows up, it leaves the camera’s view, and the POV is stretched back into space.
Despite its misty appearance, the aurora borealis is anything but. The glowing effect is caused by an interaction between the sun’s solar winds and Earth’s magnetic field. These interactions most often happen when the sun emits coronal mass ejections, which massively eject plasma into the Earth’s magnetic field.
With the sun at its solar maximum and amid aurora season, it may only be a matter of time before those green lights stretch far down into the US, like we saw last year.
Moving backward through space
Pettit was able to get the time-lapse video because the ISS is currently flying backward. It doesn’t typically do this, but the space station was expecting company. On Tuesday, the Soyuz MS-27 spacecraft launched with NASA astronaut Jonny Kim and Russian cosmonauts Sergey Ryzhikov and Alexey Zubritsky, with the final destination being the ISS. Flipping the entire space station 180 degrees helped to facilitate the docking maneuver, which was successfully completed 3 hours after launch.
In addition to flipping 180 degrees, the ISS also intentionally lowers its altitude, as hinted by Pettit in his tweet when he said «changes in altitude, changes in latitude.» While this isn’t a maneuver that the ISS performs often, it is performed virtually every time a Soyuz spacecraft launches to the ISS. With the slight drop in altitude (usually around one kilometer) and the reorientation, it allows the Soyuz to dock just a few hours after launch, instead of longer like some other spacecraft.
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