Playing the All-New 1040 Game

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Now that Congress has decided on most details of the new tax law, the big question is how will it all work out on April 15. In consultation with the accounting firm of Coopers & Lybrand, TIME has created a board game to help those who file joint returns arrive at an approximation of the slice the Federal Government will be taking from their annual income.

To play this game, begin by assuming that your income will not change, then retrieve your 1985 AGI (adjusted gross income: line 32 on your last 1040). Plug that figure into the first box. In the first part of the game, add back items that were previously deductible to arrive at your probable 1988 AGI. Then subtract the deductions still permitted. This will yield your new taxable income. Multiply that by 15% or 28%. Like any game, this one has both winners and losers.