Here's a link to the IRS itemized deductions at the end of my post. If you figure it out let me know too!! I heard a comedian the other night talking about the IRS. He said we as taxpayers should just get a final bill telling us how much more we owe or what our refund will be.
The IRS knows what we make and what taxes have been withheld. Just tell us how much more or less we owe without having to pay someone to figure it out for us. And then the expert we pay to do our taxes makes us sign paperwork saying we understand they aren't us liable if they are wrong!! The IRS knows the answer, but wants us to tell them how much we owe or how much we overpaid and if we are wrong we can go to jail. Maybe you had to see the comedian to think it was funny.
Seriously though, I do know your itmeized deductions must be more than the standard deduction allowed. The standard deduction depends on your filing status, ie. single, married filing jointly, head of household, etc.
You can deduct certain moving expenses if they are for a job within certain distance guidelines set forth by the IRS and if your employer doesn't reimburse.
Deductions are so complex to me. For example, under allowable medical deductions: You may deduct only the amount by which your total medical care expenses for the year exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income. You do this calculation on Form 1040 Schedule A in computing the amount deductible.
Also, "Medical expenses include insurance premiums paid for medical care or qualified long-term care insurance. You may not deduct insurance premiums for life insurance, for policies providing for loss of wages because of illness or injury, or policies that pay you a guaranteed amount each week for a sickness. In addition, the deduction for a qualified long-term care insurance policy's premium is limited. Refer to Publication 502 , Medical and Dental Expenses," according to the IRS
Sorry to ramble, but I've been working on our taxes and I plead temporary insanity....B.K.
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc500.html