Instructions for Schedules A & B (Form 1040) (Revised 2004) |
2004 Tax Year |
Itemized Deductions and Interest and Dividend Income
Instructions for Schedule A, Itemized Deductions
Table of Contents
Introduction
Use Schedule A (Form 1040) to figure your itemized deductions. In most cases, your federal income tax will be less if you
take the larger of your
itemized deductions or your standard deduction.
If you itemize, you can deduct a part of your medical and dental expenses and unreimbursed employee business expenses, and
amounts you paid for
certain taxes, interest, contributions, and miscellaneous expenses. You can also deduct certain casualty and theft losses.
Do not include on Schedule A items deducted elsewhere, such as on Form 1040 or Schedule C, C-EZ, E, or F.
What's New
You can elect to deduct state and local general sales taxes instead of state and local income taxes as an itemized deduction
on Schedule A.
Generally, you can use either your actual expenses or the Optional State Sales Tax Tables to figure your state and local general
sales tax deduction.
See the instructions for line 5 that begin on page A-2 for details.
Medical and Dental Expenses
You can deduct only the part of your medical and dental expenses that exceeds 7.5% of the amount on Form 1040, line 37.
Pub. 502 discusses the types of expenses that you can and cannot deduct. It also explains when you can deduct capital expenses
and special care
expenses for disabled persons.
If you received a distribution from a health savings account or a medical savings account in 2004, see Pub. 969 to figure
your
deduction.
Examples of Medical and Dental Payments You Can Deduct
To the extent you were not reimbursed, you can deduct what you paid for:
- Insurance premiums for medical and dental care, including premiums for qualified long-term care contracts as defined in Pub.
502. But see
Limit on long-term care premiums you can deduct on this page. Reduce the insurance premiums by any self-employed health insurance deduction
you claimed on Form 1040, line 31.
Note.
If, during 2004, you were an eligible trade adjustment assistance (TAA) recipient, alternative TAA recipient, or Pension Benefit
Guaranty
Corporation pension recipient, you must reduce your insurance premiums by any amounts used to figure the health coverage tax
credit. See the
instructions for line 1 on page A-2.
You cannot deduct insurance premiums paid with pretax dollars because the premiums are not included in box 1 of your Form(s)
W-2.
- Prescription medicines or insulin.
- Acupuncturists, chiropractors, dentists, eye doctors, medical doctors, occupational therapists, osteopathic doctors, physical
therapists,
podiatrists, psychiatrists, psychoanalysts (medical care only), and psychologists.
- Medical examinations, X-ray and laboratory services, insulin treatment, and whirlpool baths your doctor ordered.
- Nursing help (including your share of the employment taxes paid). If you paid someone to do both nursing and housework, you
can deduct only
the cost of the nursing help.
- Hospital care (including meals and lodging), clinic costs, and lab fees.
- Qualified long-term care services (see Pub. 502).
- The supplemental part of Medicare insurance (Medicare B).
- A program to stop smoking and for prescription medicines to alleviate nicotine withdrawal.
- A weight-loss program as treatment for a specific disease (including obesity) diagnosed by a doctor.
- Medical treatment at a center for drug or alcohol addiction.
- Medical aids such as eyeglasses, contact lenses, hearing aids, braces, crutches, wheelchairs, and guide dogs, including the
cost of
maintaining them.
- Surgery to improve defective vision, such as laser eye surgery or radial keratotomy.
- Lodging expenses (but not meals) while away from home to receive medical care in a hospital or a medical care facility related
to a
hospital, provided there was no significant element of personal pleasure, recreation, or vacation in the travel. Do not deduct
more than $50 a night
for each eligible person.
- Ambulance service and other travel costs to get medical care. If you used your own car, you can claim what you spent for gas
and oil to go
to and from the place you received the care; or you can claim 14 cents a mile. Add parking and tolls to the amount you claim
under either
method.
Note.
Certain medical expenses paid out of a deceased taxpayer's estate can be claimed on the deceased taxpayer's final return.
See Pub. 502 for details.
Limit on long-term care premiums you can deduct.
The amount you can deduct for qualified long-term care contracts (as defined in Pub. 502) depends on the age, at the
end of 2004, of the person for
whom the premiums were paid. See the chart on page A-2 for details.
Examples of Medical and Dental Payments You Cannot Deduct
- The basic cost of Medicare insurance (Medicare A).
If you were age 65 or older but not entitled to social security benefits, you can deduct premiums you voluntarily paid for
Medicare A coverage.
- The cost of diet food.
- Cosmetic surgery unless it was necessary to improve a deformity related to a congenital abnormality, an injury from an accident
or trauma,
or a disfiguring disease.
- Life insurance or income protection policies.
- The Medicare tax on your wages and tips or the Medicare tax paid as part of the self-employment tax or household employment
taxes.
- Nursing care for a healthy baby. But you may be able to take a credit for the amount you paid. See the instructions for Form
1040, line
47.
- Illegal operations or drugs.
- Imported drugs not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). This includes foreign-made versions of U.S.-approved
drugs
manufactured without FDA approval.
- Nonprescription medicines (including nicotine gum and certain nicotine patches).
- Travel your doctor told you to take for rest or a change.
- Funeral, burial, or cremation costs.
Line 1
Medical and Dental Expenses
Enter the total of your medical and dental expenses (see page A-1), after you reduce these expenses by any payments received
from insurance or
other sources. See Reimbursements on this page.
Do not forget to include insurance premiums you paid for medical and dental care. But if you claimed the self-employed health
insurance deduction
on Form 1040, line 31, reduce the premiums by the amount on line 31.
Note.
If, during 2004, you were an eligible trade adjustment assistance (TAA) recipient, alternative TAA recipient, or Pension Benefit
Guaranty
Corporation pension recipient, you must complete Form 8885 before completing Schedule A, line 1. When figuring the amount
of insurance premiums you
can deduct on Schedule A, do not include any health coverage tax credit advance payments shown in box 1 of Form 1099-H. Also,
subtract the amount
shown on Form 8885, line 4 (reduced by any advance payments shown on line 6 of that form), from the total insurance premiums
you paid.
Whose medical and dental expenses can you include?
You can include medical and dental bills you paid for:
- Yourself and your spouse.
- All dependents you claim on your return.
- Your child whom you do not claim as a dependent because of the rules explained in Pub. 501 for children of divorced or separated
parents.
- Any person you could have claimed as a dependent on your return if that person had not received $3,100 or more of gross income
or had not
filed a joint return.
Example.
You provided over half of your mother's support but cannot claim her as a dependent because she received wages of $3,100 in
2004. You can include
on line 1 any medical and dental expenses you paid in 2004 for your mother.
Reimbursements.
If your insurance company paid the provider directly for part of your expenses, and you paid only the amount that
remained, include on line 1 only
the amount you paid. If you received a reimbursement in 2004 for medical or dental expenses you paid in 2004, reduce your
2004 expenses by this
amount. If you received a reimbursement in 2004 for prior year medical or dental expenses, do not reduce your 2004 expenses
by this amount. But if you
deducted the expenses in the earlier year and the deduction reduced your tax, you must include the reimbursement in income
on Form 1040, line 21. See
Pub. 502 for details on how to figure the amount to include.
Cafeteria plans.
Do not include on line 1 insurance premiums paid by an employer-sponsored health insurance plan (cafeteria plan) unless
the premiums are included
in box 1 of your Form(s) W-2. Also, do not include any other medical and dental expenses paid by the plan unless the amount
paid is included in box 1
of your Form(s) W-2.
Taxes You Paid
Taxes You Cannot Deduct
- Federal income and excise taxes.
- Social security, Medicare, federal unemployment (FUTA), and railroad retirement (RRTA) taxes.
- Customs duties.
- Federal estate and gift taxes. But see the instructions for line 27 on page A-6.
- Certain state and local taxes, including: tax on gasoline, car inspection fees, assessments for sidewalks or other improvements
to your
property, tax you paid for someone else, and license fees (marriage, driver's, dog, etc.).
Line 5
State and Local Income or General Sales Taxes
You can elect to deduct state and local general sales taxes instead of state and local income taxes. You cannot deduct both.
State and local income taxes.
If you deduct state and local income taxes, check box a on line 5. Include on this line the state and local income taxes listed below.
- State and local income taxes withheld from your salary during 2004. Your Form(s) W-2 will show these amounts. Forms W-2G,
1099-G, 1099-R,
and 1099-MISC may also show state and local income taxes withheld.
- State and local income taxes paid in 2004 for a prior year, such as taxes paid with your 2003 state or local income tax return.
Do not
include penalties or interest.
- State and local estimated tax payments made during 2004, including any part of a prior year refund that you chose to have
credited to your
2004 state or local income taxes.
- Mandatory contributions you made to the California, New Jersey, or New York Nonoccupational Disability Benefit Fund, Rhode
Island Temporary
Disability Benefit Fund, or Washington State Supplemental Workmen's Compensation Fund.
Do not reduce your deduction by any:
- State or local income tax refund or credit you expect to receive for 2004, or
- Refund of, or credit for, prior year state and local income taxes you actually received in 2004. Instead, see the instructions
for Form
1040, line 10.
State and local general sales taxes.
If you elect to deduct state and local general sales taxes, you must check box b on line 5. To figure your deduction, you can
use either of the following methods.
- The actual state and local general sales taxes (including compensating use taxes) you paid plus any selective sales taxes
if the tax rate
was the same as the general sales tax rate. For selective sales taxes on food, clothing, medical supplies, and motor vehicles,
the tax is deductible
even if the tax rate was less than the general sales tax rate. For selective sales taxes on motor vehicles for which the tax
rate was more than the
general sales tax rate, the tax is deductible only up to the amount of tax that would have been imposed at the general sales
tax rate. Do not include
sales taxes paid on items used in your trade or business.
- The Optional State Sales Tax Tables, which are available in Pub. 600. If you use the Optional State Sales Tax Tables, you
can add to the
table amount any state and local general sales taxes you paid on motor vehicles, boats, and any other items specified in Pub.
600. The deductible
amount of tax on motor vehicles cannot exceed the tax that would have been imposed at the general sales tax rate. For boats,
the tax is deductible
only if it was imposed at the general sales tax rate. See Pub. 600 for details. Do not include sales taxes paid on items used
in your trade or
business.
Line 6
Real Estate Taxes
Include taxes (state, local, or foreign) you paid on real estate you own that was not used for business, but only if the taxes
are based on the
assessed value of the property. Also, the assessment must be made uniformly on property throughout the community, and the
proceeds must be used for
general community or governmental purposes. Pub. 530 explains the deductions homeowners may take.
Do not include the following amounts on line 6.
- Itemized charges for services to specific property or persons (for example, a $20 monthly charge per house for trash collection,
a $5 charge
for every 1,000 gallons of water consumed, or a flat charge for mowing a lawn that had grown higher than permitted under a
local
ordinance).
- Charges for improvements that tend to increase the value of your property (for example, an assessment to build a new sidewalk).
The cost of
a property improvement is added to the basis of the property. However, a charge is deductible if it is used only to maintain
an existing public
facility in service (for example, a charge to repair an existing sidewalk, and any interest included in that charge).
If your mortgage payments include your real estate taxes, you may deduct only the amount the mortgage company actually paid
to the taxing authority
in 2004.
If you sold your home in 2004, any real estate tax charged to the buyer should be shown on your settlement statement and in
box 5 of any Form
1099-S you received. This amount is considered a refund of real estate taxes. See Refunds and rebates on this page. Any real estate taxes
you paid at closing should be shown on your settlement statement.
Refunds and rebates.
If you received a refund or rebate in 2004 of real estate taxes you paid in 2004, reduce your deduction by the amount
of the refund or rebate. If
you received a refund or rebate in 2004 of real estate taxes you paid in an earlier year, do not reduce your deduction by
this amount. Instead, you
must include the refund or rebate in income on Form 1040, line 21, if you deducted the real estate taxes in the earlier year
and the deduction reduced
your tax. See Recoveries in Pub. 525 for details on how to figure the amount to include in income.
Line 7
Personal Property Taxes
Enter personal property tax you paid, but only if it is based on value alone and it is charged on a yearly basis.
Example.
You paid a yearly fee for the registration of your car. Part of the fee was based on the car's value and part was based on
its weight. You can
deduct only the part of the fee that was based on the car's value.
Line 8
Other Taxes
If you had any deductible tax not listed on line 5, 6, or 7, list the type and amount of tax. Enter only one total on line
8. Include on this line
income tax you paid to a foreign country or U.S. possession.
You may want to take a credit for the foreign tax instead of a deduction. See the instructions for Form 1040, line 46, for
details.
Interest You Paid
Whether your interest expense is treated as investment interest, personal interest, or business interest depends on how and
when you used the loan
proceeds. See Pub. 535 for details.
In general, if you paid interest in 2004 that applies to any period after 2004, you can deduct only amounts that apply for
2004.
Lines 10 and 11
Home Mortgage Interest
A home mortgage is any loan that is secured by your main home or second home. It includes first and second mortgages, home
equity loans, and
refinanced mortgages.
A home may be a house, condominium, cooperative, mobile home, boat, or similar property. It must provide basic living accommodations
including
sleeping space, toilet, and cooking facilities.
Limit on home mortgage interest.
If you took out any mortgages after October 13, 1987, your deduction may be limited. Any additional amounts borrowed
after October 13, 1987, on a
line-of-credit mortgage you had on that date are treated as a mortgage taken out after October 13, 1987. If you refinanced
a mortgage you had on
October 13, 1987, treat the new mortgage as taken out on or before October 13, 1987. But if you refinanced for more than the
balance of the old
mortgage, treat the excess as a mortgage taken out after October 13, 1987.
See Pub. 936 to figure your deduction if either (1) or (2) below applies. If you had more than one home at the same time,
the dollar amounts in (1)
and (2) apply to the total mortgages on both homes.
- You took out any mortgages after October 13, 1987, and used the proceeds for purposes other than to buy, build, or improve
your home, and
all of these mortgages totaled over $100,000 at any time during 2004. The limit is $50,000 if married filing separately. An
example of this type of
mortgage is a home equity loan used to pay off credit card bills, buy a car, or pay tuition.
- You took out any mortgages after October 13, 1987, and used the proceeds to buy, build, or improve your home, and these mortgages
plus any
mortgages you took out on or before October 13, 1987, totaled over $1 million at any time during 2004. The limit is $500,000
if married filing
separately.
If the total amount of all mortgages is more than the fair market value of the home, additional limits apply. See Pub. 936.
Line 10
Enter on line 10 mortgage interest and points reported to you on Form 1098. If this form shows any refund of overpaid interest,
do not reduce your
deduction by the refund. Instead, see the instructions for Form 1040, line 21.
If you paid more interest to the recipient than is shown on Form 1098, see Pub. 936 to find out if you can deduct the additional
interest. If you
can, attach a statement explaining the difference and enter “See attached” to the right of line 10.
If you are claiming the mortgage interest credit (see the instructions for Form 1040, line 53), subtract the amount shown
on Form 8396, line 3,
from the total deductible interest you paid on your home mortgage. Enter the result on line 10.
Line 11
If you did not receive a Form 1098 from the recipient, report your deductible mortgage interest on line 11.
If you bought your home from the recipient, be sure to show that recipient's name, identifying no., and address on the dotted
lines next to line
11. If the recipient is an individual, the identifying no. is his or her social security number (SSN). Otherwise, it is the
employer identification
number. You must also let the recipient know your SSN. If you do not show the required information about the recipient or
let the recipient know your
SSN, you may have to pay a $50 penalty.
If you and at least one other person (other than your spouse if filing jointly) were liable for and paid interest on the mortgage,
and the other
person received the Form 1098, attach a statement to your return showing the name and address of that person. To the right
of line 11, enter “See
attached.”
Line 12
Points Not Reported on Form 1098
Points are shown on your settlement statement. Points you paid only to borrow money are generally deductible over the life
of the loan. See Pub.
936 to figure the amount you can deduct. Points paid for other purposes, such as for a lender's services, are not deductible.
Refinancing.
Generally, you must deduct points you paid to refinance a mortgage over the life of the loan. This is true even if
the new mortgage is secured by
your main home.
If you used part of the proceeds to improve your main home, you may be able to deduct the part of the points related
to the improvement in the year
paid. See Pub. 936 for details.
If you paid off a mortgage early, deduct any remaining points in the year you paid off the mortgage.
Line 13
Investment Interest
Investment interest is interest paid on money you borrowed that is allocable to property held for investment. It does not
include any interest
allocable to passive activities or to securities that generate tax-
exempt income.
Complete and attach Form 4952 to figure your deduction.
Exception.
You do not have to file Form 4952 if all three of the following apply.
- Your investment interest expense is not more than your investment income from interest and ordinary dividends minus any qualified
dividends.
- You have no other deductible investment expenses.
- You have no disallowed investment interest expense from 2003.
Alaska Permanent Fund dividends, including those reported on Form 8814, are not investment income.
For more details, see Pub. 550.
Gifts to Charity You can deduct contributions or gifts you gave to organizations that are religious, charitable, educational, scientific, or
literary in purpose.
You can also deduct what you gave to organizations that work to prevent cruelty to children or animals. Examples of these
organizations are:
- Churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, etc.
- Boy Scouts, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, CARE, Girl Scouts, Goodwill Industries, Red Cross, Salvation Army, United Way,
etc.
- Fraternal orders, if the gifts will be used for the purposes listed above.
- Veterans' and certain cultural groups.
- Nonprofit schools, hospitals, and organizations whose purpose is to find a cure for, or help people who have, arthritis, asthma,
birth
defects, cancer, cerebral palsy, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, heart disease, hemophilia, mental illness or retardation, multiple
sclerosis, muscular
dystrophy, tuberculosis, etc.
- Federal, state, and local governments if the gifts are solely for public purposes.
To verify an organization's charitable status, you can:
- Check with the organization to which you made the donation. The organization should be able to provide you with verification
of its
charitable status.
- See Pub. 78 for a list of most qualified organizations. You can access Pub. 78 on the IRS website at www.irs.gov under
Charities and Non-Profits.
- Call our Tax Exempt/Government Entities Customer Account Services at 1-877-829-5500. Assistance is available Monday through
Friday from 8:00
a.m. to 6:30 p.m. EST.
Contributions You Can Deduct
Contributions can be in cash (keep canceled checks, receipts, or other reliable written records showing the name of the organization
and the date
and amount given), property, or out-of-pocket expenses you paid to do volunteer work for the kinds of organizations described
earlier. If you drove to
and from the volunteer work, you can take 14 cents a mile or the actual cost of gas and oil. Add parking and tolls to the
amount you claim under
either method. But do not deduct any amounts that were repaid to you.
Gifts from which you benefit.
If you made a gift and received a benefit in return, such as food, entertainment, or merchandise, you can generally
only deduct the amount that is
more than the value of the benefit. But this rule does not apply to certain membership benefits provided in return for an
annual payment of $75 or
less. For details, see Pub. 526.
Example.
You paid $70 to a charitable organization to attend a fund-raising dinner and the value of the dinner was $40. You can deduct
only $30.
Gifts of $250 or more.
You can deduct a gift of $250 or more only if you have a statement from the charitable organization showing the information
in (1) and (2) below.
In figuring whether a gift is $250 or more, do not combine separate donations. For example, if you gave your church
$25 each week for a total of
$1,300, treat each $25 payment as a separate gift. If you made donations through payroll deductions, treat each deduction
from each paycheck as a
separate gift. See Pub. 526 if you made a separate gift of $250 or more through payroll deduction.
- The amount of any money contributed and a description (but not value) of any property donated.
- Whether the organization did or did not give you any goods or services in return for your contribution. If you did receive
any goods or
services, a description and estimate of the value must be included. If you received only intangible religious benefits (such
as admission to a
religious ceremony), the organization must state this, but it does not have to describe or value the benefit.
You must get the statement by the date you file your return or the due date (including extensions) for filing your return,
whichever is earlier. Do
not attach the statement to your return. Instead, keep it for your records.
Limit on the amount you can deduct.
See Pub. 526 to figure the amount of your deduction if any of the following apply.
- Your cash contributions or contributions of ordinary income property are more than 30% of the amount on Form 1040, line 37.
- Your gifts of capital gain property are more than 20% of the amount on Form 1040, line 37.
- You gave gifts of property that increased in value or gave gifts of the use of property.
Contributions You Cannot Deduct
- Travel expenses (including meals and lodging) while away from home, unless there was no significant element of personal pleasure,
recreation, or vacation in the travel.
- Political contributions.
- Dues, fees, or bills paid to country clubs, lodges, fraternal orders, or similar groups.
- Cost of raffle, bingo, or lottery tickets. But you may be able to deduct these expenses on line 27. See page A-6 for details.
- Cost of tuition. But you may be able to deduct this expense on line 20 (see page A-6), or Form 1040, line 27, or take a credit
for this
expense (see Form 8863).
- Value of your time or services.
- Value of blood given to a blood bank.
- The transfer of a future interest in tangible personal property (generally, until the entire interest has been transferred).
- Gifts to individuals and groups that are run for personal profit.
- Gifts to foreign organizations. But you may be able to deduct gifts to certain U.S. organizations that transfer funds to foreign
charities
and certain Canadian, Israeli, and Mexican charities. See Pub. 526 for details.
- Gifts to organizations engaged in certain political activities that are of direct financial interest to your trade or business.
See Internal
Revenue Code section 170(f)(9).
- Gifts to groups whose purpose is to lobby for changes in the laws.
- Gifts to civic leagues, social and sports clubs, labor unions, and chambers of commerce.
- Value of benefits received in connection with a contribution to a charitable organization. See Pub. 526 for exceptions.
Line 15
Gifts by Cash or Check
Enter the total contributions you made in cash or by check (including out-of-pocket expenses).
Line 16
Other Than by Cash or Check
Enter your contributions of property. If you gave used items, such as clothing or furniture, deduct their fair market value
at the time you gave
them. Fair market value is what a willing buyer would pay a willing seller when neither has to buy or sell and both are aware
of the conditions of the
sale. For more details on determining the value of donated property, see Pub. 561.
If the amount of your deduction is more than $500, you must complete and attach Form 8283. For this purpose, the “amount of your deduction”
means your deduction before applying any income limits that could result in a carryover of contributions. If your total deduction
is over $5,000, you
may also have to get appraisals of the values of the donated property. See Form 8283 and its instructions for details.
Recordkeeping.
If you gave property, you should keep a receipt or written statement from the organization you gave the property to,
or a reliable written record,
that shows the organization's name and address, the date and location of the gift, and a description of the property. For
each gift of property, you
should also keep reliable written records that include:
- How you figured the property's value at the time you gave it. If the value was determined by an appraisal, keep a signed copy
of the
appraisal.
- The cost or other basis of the property if you must reduce it by any ordinary income or capital gain that would have resulted
if the
property had been sold at its fair market value.
- How you figured your deduction if you chose to reduce your deduction for gifts of capital gain property.
- Any conditions attached to the gift.
If your total deduction for gifts of property is over $500, you gave less than your entire interest in the property, or you
made a “ qualified
conservation contribution,” your records should contain additional information. See Pub. 526 for details.
Line 17
Carryover From Prior Year
Enter any carryover of contributions that you could not deduct in an earlier year because they exceeded your adjusted gross
income limit. See Pub.
526 for details.
Casualty and Theft Losses
Line 19
Complete and attach Form 4684 to figure the amount of your loss to enter on line 19.
You may be able to deduct part or all of each loss caused by theft, vandalism, fire, storm, or similar causes, and car, boat,
and other accidents.
You may also be able to deduct money you had in a financial institution but lost because of the insolvency or bankruptcy of
the institution.
You may deduct nonbusiness casualty or theft losses only to the extent that—
- The amount of each separate casualty or theft loss is more than $100, and
- The total amount of all losses during the year is more than 10% of the amount on Form 1040, line 37.
Special rules apply if you had both gains and losses from nonbusiness casualties or thefts. See Form 4684 and its instructions
for details.
Use Schedule A, line 22, to deduct the costs of proving that you had a property loss. Examples of these costs are appraisal
fees and photographs
used to establish the amount of your loss.
For information on federal disaster area losses, see Pub. 547.
Job Expenses and Most Other Miscellaneous Deductions
You can deduct only the part of these expenses that exceeds 2% of the amount on Form 1040, line 37.
Pub. 529 discusses the types of expenses that can and cannot be deducted.
Examples of Expenses You Cannot Deduct
- Political contributions.
- Personal legal expenses.
- Lost or misplaced cash or property.
- Expenses for meals during regular or extra work hours.
- The cost of entertaining friends.
- Commuting expenses. See Pub. 529 for the definition of commuting.
- Travel expenses for employment away from home if that period of employment exceeds 1 year. See Pub. 529 for an exception for
certain federal
employees.
- Travel as a form of education.
- Expenses of attending a seminar, convention, or similar meeting unless it is related to your employment.
- Club dues. See Pub. 529 for exceptions.
- Expenses of adopting a child. But you may be able to take a credit for adoption expenses. See Form 8839 for details.
- Fines and penalties.
- Expenses of producing tax-exempt income.
Line 20
Unreimbursed Employee Expenses
Enter the total ordinary and necessary job expenses you paid for which you were not reimbursed. (Amounts your employer included
in box 1 of your
Form W-2 are not considered reimbursements.)
An ordinary expense is one that is common and accepted in your field of trade, business, or profession. A necessary expense
is one that is helpful
and appropriate for your business. An expense does not have to be required to be considered necessary.
But you must fill in and attach Form 2106 if either (1) or (2) next applies.
- You claim any travel, transportation, meal, or entertainment expenses for your job.
- Your employer paid you for any of your job expenses reportable on line 20.
If you used your own vehicle and (2) above does not apply, you may be able to file Form 2106-EZ instead.
If you do not have to file Form 2106 or 2106-EZ, list the type and amount of each expense on the dotted lines next to line
20. If you need more
space, attach a statement showing the type and amount of each expense. Enter one total on line 20.
Do not include on line 20 any educator expenses you deducted on Form 1040, line 23.
Examples of other expenses to include on line 20 are:
- Safety equipment, small tools, and supplies needed for your job.
- Uniforms required by your employer that are not suitable for ordinary wear.
- Protective clothing required in your work, such as hard hats, safety shoes, and glasses.
- Physical examinations required by your employer.
- Dues to professional organizations and chambers of commerce.
- Subscriptions to professional journals.
- Fees to employment agencies and other costs to look for a new job in your present occupation, even if you do not get a new
job.
- Certain business use of part of your home. For details, including limits that apply, use TeleTax topic 509 (see page 8 of
the Form 1040
instructions) or see Pub. 587.
- Certain educational expenses. For details, use TeleTax topic 513 (see page 8 of the Form 1040 instructions) or see Pub. 970.
Reduce your
educational expenses by any tuition and fees deduction you claimed on Form 1040, line 27.
You may be able to take a credit for your educational expenses instead of a deduction. See Form 8863 for details.
Line 21
Tax Preparation Fees
Enter the fees you paid for preparation of your tax return, including fees paid for filing your return electronically. If
you paid your tax by
credit card, do not include the convenience fee you were charged.
Line 22
Other Expenses
Enter the total amount you paid to produce or collect taxable income and manage or protect property held for earning income.
But do not include any
personal expenses. List the type and amount of each expense on the dotted lines next to line 22. If you need more space, attach
a statement showing
the type and amount of each expense. Enter one total on line 22.
Examples of expenses to include on line 22 are:
- Certain legal and accounting fees.
- Clerical help and office rent.
- Custodial (for example, trust account) fees.
- Your share of the investment expenses of a regulated investment company.
- Certain losses on nonfederally insured deposits in an insolvent or bankrupt financial institution. For details, including
limits that apply,
see Pub. 529.
- Casualty and theft losses of property used in performing services as an employee from Form 4684, lines 32 and 38b, or Form
4797, line
18a.
- Deduction for repayment of amounts under a claim of right if $3,000 or less.
Other Miscellaneous Deductions
Line 27
Only the expenses listed next can be deducted on this line. List the type and amount of each expense on the dotted lines next
to line 27. If you
need more space, attach a statement showing the type and amount of each expense. Enter one total on line 27.
- Gambling losses, but only to the extent of gambling winnings reported on Form 1040, line 21.
- Casualty and theft losses of income-producing property from Form 4684, lines 32 and 38b, or Form 4797, line 18a.
- Federal estate tax on income in respect of a decedent.
- Amortizable bond premium on bonds acquired before October 23, 1986.
- Deduction for repayment of amounts under a claim of right if over $3,000. See Pub. 525 for details.
- Certain unrecovered investment in a pension.
- Impairment-related work expenses of a disabled person.
For more details, see Pub. 529.
Total Itemized Deductions
Line 28
Use the worksheet on page B-1 to figure the amount to enter on line 28 if the amount on Form 1040, line 37, is over $142,700
($71,350 if married
filing separately).
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