[bombcar]

That second part is huge and people don't account for it correctly. It really hasn't mattered much in the era of super-low loan rates, but the amount that your mortgage is deductible is only the difference between the standard deduction and the itemized deduction.

My mortgage interest became "worthless" for that when the standard deduction was raised. I'm still better off than before, but that particular part of the benefit is gone.