Many federal, state, and local government taxes are not deductible because they do not fall within the categories discussed earlier. Other taxes and fees, such as federal income taxes, are not deductible because the tax law does not allow a deduction for them.

Taxes and fees that are generally not deductible include the following items.

• Estate, inheritance, legacy, or succession taxes. These taxes are generally not deductible. However, you can deduct the estate tax attributable to income in respect of a decedent if you must include that income in gross income. In that case, deduct the estate tax as a miscellaneous deduction that is not subject to the 2%-of-adjusted- gross-income limit. For more information, see Estate Tax Deduction in Publication 559, Survivors, Executors, and Administrators.
• Federal income taxes. This includes taxes withheld from your pay.
• Fines. You can not deduct penalties for violation of any law, including forfeiture of related collateral deposits.
• Gift taxes.
• License fees. You cannot deduct fees for personal purposes (such as marriage, driver's, dog, etc.).
• Social security. This includes social security, Medicare, or railroad retirement taxes withheld from your pay.
• Social security and other employment taxes for household workers. You generally cannot deduct the social security or other employment taxes you pay on the wages of a household worker. However, you may be able to include them in medical or child care expenses. For more information, see chapters 23 and 33.

Many taxes and fees other than those listed above are also nondeductible, unless they are ordinary and necessary expenses of a business or income-producing activity. For other nondeductible items, see Real Estate Items You Cannot Deduct, earlier.

Previous | First | Next

Publication 17 | 1998 Tax Year Archives | Tax Help Archives | Home