If your itemized deductions are higher than your standardized deduction, you’re likely in a fairly high income bracket and can have a professional do it for you.
Yeah… My wife and I together make six figures a year (if only just barely), own a home with a mortgage, and have a kid, and I’ve never had the itemized deduction exceed the standardized deduction. I think you’ve either got to specifically structure your financial life around taking deductions, or make “'It’s one banana, what could it cost” money to have itemized deductions make any sense, at which point, why are you complaining about the cost of tax prep anyway? A tax accountant doesn’t cost that much.
Interesting. What deductions do you have the government doesn’t know abut? Where I pay taxes they know how many kids do I have, they how much do I make and how much money do I save for retirement. What deductions do you have in US the government doesn’t track?
IRS doesn’t know my deductions til I tell them. I’m certainly not rich either. I just get to write off alot.
If your itemized deductions are higher than your standardized deduction, you’re likely in a fairly high income bracket and can have a professional do it for you.
Yeah… My wife and I together make six figures a year (if only just barely), own a home with a mortgage, and have a kid, and I’ve never had the itemized deduction exceed the standardized deduction. I think you’ve either got to specifically structure your financial life around taking deductions, or make “'It’s one banana, what could it cost” money to have itemized deductions make any sense, at which point, why are you complaining about the cost of tax prep anyway? A tax accountant doesn’t cost that much.
itemized was more than standardized before the bush tax cuts for me.
Yup, my income is solidly upper middle class, and my experience matches yours.
Interesting. The interest from my mortgage payments and property taxes take me above the standard deduction alone, then I have work expenses as well.
Interesting. What deductions do you have the government doesn’t know abut? Where I pay taxes they know how many kids do I have, they how much do I make and how much money do I save for retirement. What deductions do you have in US the government doesn’t track?
Work expenses and charitable donations