Taiwan's legislature passed income tax changes that cut the tax bill for families with children — good news for parents, and for workers paying social insurance premiums.

• The tax exemption for each minor child goes up 50%, to NT$151,500.
• Labor insurance, farmers' health and pension insurance, and military/civil servant insurance premiums no longer count toward the NT$24,000 deduction cap.
• Only national health insurance was exempt from that cap before, so the change widens the break to most social insurance.
• Both ruling and opposition parties backed the measure, and it passed without a fight.
• Lawmakers also told the finance ministry to study further relief for salaried workers and report back by the end of the year.

Outlook: The new rules apply when people file this year's income next year, and more relief for wage earners is on the table.