Certain taxes you have paid can be allowable as itemized deductions. To be deductible, these taxes must have been imposed on you personally, and you must have paid them during the year.
The following taxes you paid during the year are deductible on Schedule A:
• State and local income taxes (from your W-2).
• Real estate taxes (deductible in the year you paid them).
• Personal property taxes charged on the value of personal property.
• Foreign income taxes paid.
Note carefully, however, that the following taxes are not deductible:
• Federal income taxes.
• Employee contributions to private or voluntary disability plans.
• Trash or pickup fees.
• Federal excise taxes.
• Homeowner’s association fees.
• Rent increase due to higher real estate taxes.
• Social Security and other employment taxes for household workers.
• Taxes for local benefits (e.g. property improvements).
• Transfer taxes.
• Gift taxes.
• Estate or inheritance taxes.
• Fines and penalties.
The primary objective of this article is to empower taxpayers to learn to do their own taxes. For more detailed information on all your deductible expenses, grab yourself a copy of “Doing Your Own Taxes is as Easy as 1, 2, 3,” ($6.98) on TaxConnections.com.
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