Understanding long-term care options
Relatively few Americans itemize deductions on their tax return. You can either claim the standard deduction or itemized deductions on your return — but not both. And, of course, you always want to pick the higher amount, which is the standard deduction for the vast majority of people.
That means most Americans can't claim some very well-known tax breaks. No deduction for medical expenses. Zero tax savings for mortgage interest payments. Nothing for state and local taxes, either. If you claim the standard deduction, you can't claim any of these popular write-offs.
But there are several other popular tax deductions that people taking the standard deduction can still claim on their tax return. Most of these so-called "above-the-line" deductions have no income limits, so anybody can claim them on Schedule 1 of their Form 1040. Plus, because these deductions will lower your adjusted gross income (AGI), you may be able to claim other tax breaks that have AGI-based income limits. (They're called "above-the-line" deductions because you record them on the 1040 form above the line showing your AGI.) So, if you're claiming the standard deduction and want to lower your tax bill, keep reading to see if you qualify for any of these common money-saving write-offs.