IRS Pub. 17, Your Federal Income Tax
You can deduct the expenses listed below as miscellaneous itemized
deductions. They are not subject to the 2% limit. Report these
expenses on line 27, Schedule A (Form 1040).
List of Deductions
- Amortizable premium on taxable bonds.
- Casualty and theft losses from income-producing
property.
- Federal estate tax on income in respect of a
decedent.
- Gambling losses up to the amount of gambling
winnings.
- Impairment-related work expenses of persons with
disabilities.
- Repayments of more than $3,000 under a claim of
right.
- Unrecovered investment in a pension.
Amortizable Premium
on Taxable Bonds
In general, if the amount you pay for a bond is greater than its
stated principal amount, the excess is bond premium. You can elect to
amortize the premium on taxable bonds.
Part of the premium on some bonds may be a miscellaneous deduction
not subject to the 2% limit. For more information, see
Amortizable Premium on Taxable Bonds in Publication 529,
and Bond Premium Amortization in chapter 3 of Publication 550,
Investment Income and Expenses.
Federal Estate Tax on Income
in Respect of a Decedent
You can deduct the federal estate tax attributable to income in
respect of a decedent that you as a beneficiary include in your gross
income. Income in respect of the decedent is gross income that the
decedent would have received had death not occurred and that was not
properly includible in the decedent's final income tax return. See
chapter 4
for more information.
Gambling Losses Up to the
Amount of Gambling Winnings
You must report the full amount of your gambling winnings on line
21, Form 1040. You deduct your gambling losses on line 27, Schedule A
(Form 1040). You cannot deduct gambling losses that are more than your
winnings.
You cannot reduce your gambling winnings by your gambling losses.
You must report the full amount of your winnings as income and claim
your losses as an itemized deduction. Therefore, your records should
show your winnings separately from your losses. Only gambling losses
incurred during the year can be deducted on Schedule A (Form 1040).
Diary of winnings and losses. You must keep an accurate
diary or similar record of your losses and winnings. Your diary should
contain at least the following information:
- The date and type of your specific wager or wagering
activity,
- The name and address or location of the gambling
establishment,
- The names of other persons present with you at the gambling
establishment, and
- The amount(s) you won or lost.
See Publication 529
for more information.
Impairment-Related
Work Expenses
If you have a physical or mental disability that limits your being
employed, or substantially limits one or more of your major life
activities, such as performing manual tasks, walking, speaking,
breathing, learning, and working, you can deduct your
impairment-related work expenses.
Impairment-related work expenses are ordinary and necessary
business expenses for attendant care services at your place of work
and other expenses in connection with your place of work that are
necessary for you to be able to work.
Where to report.
If you are an employee, you enter impairment-related work expenses
on Form 2106 or Form 2106-EZ. Enter on line 27, Schedule A (Form
1040) that part of the amount on line 10 of Form 2106, or line 6 of
Form 2106-EZ that is related to your impairment. Enter the
amount that is unrelated to your impairment on line 20, Schedule A
(Form 1040).
Repayments Under
Claim of Right
If you had to repay more than $3,000 that you included in your
income in an earlier year because at the time you thought you had an
unrestricted right to it, you may be able to deduct the amount you
repaid, or take a credit against your tax. See Repayments
in chapter 13
for more information.
Unrecovered Investment
in Pension
If a retiree had contributed to the cost of a pension or annuity,
the retiree can exclude from income a part of each payment received as
a tax-free return of the retiree's investment. If the retiree dies
before the entire investment is recovered, any unrecovered investment
can be deducted on the retiree's final income tax return. See chapter 11
for more information about the tax treatment of pensions and
annuities.
Officials Paid on a Fee Basis
You generally deduct employee business expenses as a miscellaneous
itemized deduction on Schedule A (Form 1040). If you are a fee-basis
official, you may be able to claim your expenses in performing
services in that job as an adjustment to gross income. This means you
can deduct those expenses whether or not you itemize your other
deductions.
To qualify as a fee-basis official, you must be employed by a state
or local government and be paid in whole or in part on a fee basis.
See the instructions for Form 2106 for information on how to report
these expenses on your tax return.
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