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PT 3 Publication 529 (2009), Miscellaneous Deduc
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Publication 529 (2009), Miscellaneous Deductions

http://www.irs.gov/publications/p529/index.html

Loss on Deposits

If you can reasonably estimate the amount of your loss on money you have on deposit in a financial institution that becomes insolvent or bankrupt, you can generally choose to deduct it in the current year even though its exact amount has not been finally determined. Once you make this choice, you cannot change it without IRS approval.

If none of the deposit is federally insured, you can deduct the loss in either of the following ways.

  • As a miscellaneous itemized deduction subject to the 2% limit. Write the name of the financial institution and “Insolvent Financial Institution” beside the amount on Schedule A (Form 1040), line 23, or Schedule A (Form 1040NR), line 11. This deduction is limited to $20,000 ($10,000 if you are married filing separately) for each financial institution, reduced by any expected state insurance proceeds.

  • As a casualty loss. See Publication 547 for details.

If any part of the deposit is federally insured, you can deduct the loss only as a casualty loss.

Exception. You cannot make this choice if you are a 1%-or-more-owner or an officer of the financial institution, or are related to such owner or officer. For a definition of “related,” see Deposit in Insolvent or Bankrupt Financial Institution in chapter 4 of Publication 550.

Actual loss different from estimated loss. If you make this choice and your actual loss is less than your estimated loss, you must include the excess in income. See Recoveries in Publication 525. If your actual loss is more than your estimated loss, treat the excess loss as explained under Choice not made, next.

Choice not made. If you do not make this choice (or if you have an excess actual loss after choosing to deduct your estimated loss), treat your loss (or excess loss) as a nonbusiness bad debt (deductible as a short-term capital loss) in the year its amount is finally determined. See Nonbusiness Bad Debts in chapter 4 of Publication 550.

Loss on IRA

If you have a loss on your traditional IRA (or Roth IRA) investment, you can deduct the loss as a miscellaneous itemized deduction subject to the 2% limit, but only when all the amounts in all your traditional IRA (or Roth IRA) accounts have been distributed to you and the total distributions are less than your unrecovered basis. For more information, see Publication 590, Individual Retirement Arrangements (IRAs).

Repayments of Income

If you had to repay an amount that you included in income in an earlier year, you may be able to deduct the amount you repaid. If the amount you had to repay was ordinary income of $3,000 or less, the deduction is subject to the 2% limit. If it was more than $3,000, see Repayments Under Claim of Right under Deductions Not Subject to the 2% Limit, later.

Repayments of Social Security Benefits

If the total of the amounts in box 5 (net benefits for 2009) of all your Forms SSA-1099, Social Security Benefit Statement, and Forms RRB-1099, Payments By the Railroad Retirement Board, is a negative figure (a figure in parentheses), you may be able to take a miscellaneous itemized deduction subject to the 2% limit. The amount you can deduct is the part of the negative figure that represents an amount you included in gross income in an earlier year.

The amount in box 5 of Form SSA-1099 or RRB-1099 is the net amount of your benefits for the year. It will be a negative figure if the amount of benefits you repaid in 2009 (box 4) is more than the gross amount of benefits paid to you in 2009 (box 3).

If the deduction is more than $3,000, you will have to use a special computation to figure your tax. See Publication 915, Social Security and Equivalent Railroad Retirement Benefits, for additional information.

Safe Deposit Box Rent

You can deduct safe deposit box rent if you use the box to store taxable income-producing stocks, bonds, or investment-related papers and documents. You cannot deduct the rent if you use the box only for jewelry, other personal items, or tax-exempt securities.

Service Charges on Dividend Reinvestment Plans

You can deduct service charges you pay as a subscriber in a dividend reinvestment plan. These service charges include payments for:

  • Holding shares acquired through a plan,

  • Collecting and reinvesting cash dividends, and

  • Keeping individual records and providing detailed statements of accounts.

Trustee's Administrative Fees for IRA

Trustee's administrative fees that are billed separately and paid by you in connection with your IRA are deductible (if they are ordinary and necessary) as a miscellaneous itemized deduction subject to the 2% limit.

Deductions Not Subject to the 2% Limit

You can deduct the items listed below as miscellaneous itemized deductions. They are not subject to the 2% limit. Report these items on Schedule A (Form 1040), line 28, or Schedule A (Form 1040NR), line 16.

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.

  • Loss from other activities from Schedule K-1 (Form 1065-B), box 2.

  • Losses from Ponzi-type investment schemes.

  • Repayments of more than $3,000 under a claim of right.

  • Unrecovered investment in an annuity.

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. The amortization of the premium is generally an offset to interest income on the bond rather than a separate deduction item.

Pre-1998 election to amortize bond premium. Generally, if you first elected to amortize bond premium before 1998, the above treatment of the premium does not apply to bonds you acquired before 1988.

Bonds acquired after October 22, 1986, and before 1988. The amortization of the premium on these bonds is investment interest expense subject to the investment interest limit, unless you chose to treat it as an offset to interest income on the bond.

Bonds acquired before October 23, 1986. The amortization of the premium on these bonds is a miscellaneous itemized deduction not subject to the 2% limit.

Deduction for excess premium. On certain bonds (such as bonds that pay a variable rate of interest or that provide for an interest-free period), the amount of bond premium allocable to a period may exceed the amount of stated interest allocable to the period. If this occurs, treat the excess as a miscellaneous itemized deduction that is not subject to the 2% limit. However, the amount deductible is limited to the amount by which your total interest inclusions on the bond in prior periods exceed the total amount you treated as a bond premium deduction on the bond in prior periods. If any of the excess bond premium cannot be deducted because of the limit, this amount is carried forward to the next period and is treated as bond premium allocable to that period.

Pre-1998 choice to amortize bond premium. If you made the choice to amortize the premium on taxable bonds before 1998, you can deduct the bond premium amortization that is more than your interest income only for bonds acquired during 1998 and later years.

More information. For more information on bond premium, see Bond Premium Amortization in chapter 3 of Publication 550.

Casualty and Theft Losses of Income-Producing Property

You can deduct a casualty or theft loss as a miscellaneous itemized deduction not subject to the 2% limit if the damaged or stolen property was income-producing property (property held for investment, such as stocks, notes, bonds, gold, silver, vacant lots, and works of art). First report the loss in Section B of Form 4684. You may also have to include the loss on Form 4797 if you are otherwise required to file that form. To figure your deduction, add all casualty or theft losses from this type of property included on Form 4684, lines 36 and 42b, or Form 4797, line 18a. For more information on casualty and theft losses, see Publication 547.

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 Publication 559 for information about figuring the amount of this deduction.

Gambling Losses Up to the Amount of Gambling Winnings

You must report the full amount of your gambling winnings for the year on Form 1040, line 21. You deduct your gambling losses for the year on Schedule A (Form 1040), line 28. You cannot deduct gambling losses that are more than your winnings. Generally, nonresident aliens cannot deduct gambling losses on Schedule A (Form 1040NR).

You cannot reduce your gambling winnings by your gambling losses and report the difference. You must report the full amount of your winnings as income and claim your losses (up to the amount of winnings) as an itemized deduction. Therefore, your records should show your winnings separately from your losses.

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.

  • The amount(s) you won or lost.

Proof of winnings and losses. In addition to your diary, you should also have other documentation. You can generally prove your winnings and losses through Form W-2G, Certain Gambling Winnings, Form 5754, Statement by Person(s) Receiving Gambling Winnings, wagering tickets, canceled checks, substitute checks, credit records, bank withdrawals, and statements of actual winnings or payment slips provided to you by the gambling establishment.

For specific wagering transactions, you can use the following items to support your winnings and losses.

These recordkeeping suggestions are intended as general guidelines to help you establish your winnings and losses. They are not all-inclusive. Your tax liability depends on your particular facts and circumstances.

Keno. Copies of the keno tickets you purchased that were validated by the gambling establishment, copies of your casino credit records, and copies of your casino check cashing records.

Slot machines. A record of the machine number and all winnings by date and time the machine was played.

Table games (twenty-one (blackjack), craps, poker, baccarat, roulette, wheel of fortune, etc.). The number of the table at which you were playing. Casino credit card data indicating whether the credit was issued in the pit or at the cashier's cage.

Bingo. A record of the number of games played, cost of tickets purchased, and amounts collected on winning tickets. Supplemental records include any receipts from the casino, parlor, etc.

Racing (horse, harness, dog, etc.). A record of the races, amounts of wagers, amounts collected on winning tickets, and amounts lost on losing tickets. Supplemental records include unredeemed tickets and payment records from the racetrack.

Lotteries. A record of ticket purchases, dates, winnings, and losses. Supplemental records include unredeemed tickets, payment slips, and winnings statements.

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.

Example.

You are blind. You must use a reader to do your work. You use the reader both during your regular working hours at your place of work and outside your regular working hours away from your place of work. The reader's services are only for your work. You can deduct your expenses for the reader as impairment-related work expenses.

See Impairment-related work expenses, later under How To Report.

Loss From Other Activities From Schedule K-1 (Form 1065-B), Box 2

If the amount reported in Schedule K-1 (Form 1065-B), box 2, is a loss, report it on Schedule A (Form 1040), line 28, or Schedule A (Form 1040NR), line 16 (only if effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business). It is not subject to the passive activity limitations.

Officials Paid on a Fee Basis

If you are a fee-basis official, you can claim your expenses in performing services in that job as an adjustment to income rather than as a miscellaneous itemized deduction. See Publication 463 for more information.

Performing Artists

If you are a qualified performing artist, you can deduct your employee business expenses as an adjustment to income rather than as a miscellaneous itemized deduction. If you are an employee, complete Form 2106 or Form 2106-EZ. See Publication 463 for more information.

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 Publication 525 for more information.

Unrecovered Investment in Annuity

A retiree who contributed to the cost of an annuity 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 tax free, any unrecovered investment can be deducted on the retiree's final income tax return. See Publication 575, Pension and Annuity Income, for more information about the tax treatment of pensions and annuities.

Nondeductible Expenses

You cannot deduct the following expenses.

List of Nondeductible Expenses

  • Adoption expenses.

  • Broker's commissions that you paid in connection with your IRA or other investment property.

  • Burial or funeral expenses, including the cost of a cemetery lot.

  • Campaign expenses.

  • Capital expenses.

  • Check-writing fees.

  • Club dues.

  • Commuting expenses.

  • Fees and licenses, such as car licenses, marriage licenses, and dog tags.

  • Fines and penalties, such as parking tickets.

  • Health spa expenses.

  • Hobby losses—but see Hobby expenses, earlier.

  • Home repairs, insurance, and rent.

  • Home security system.

  • Illegal bribes and kickbacks—see Bribes and kickbacks in chapter 11 of Publication 535.

  • Investment-related seminars.

  • Life insurance premiums.

  • Lobbying expenses.

  • Losses from the sale of your home, furniture, personal car, etc.

  • Lost or misplaced cash or property.

  • Lunches with co-workers.

  • Meals while working late.

  • Medical expenses as business expenses.

  • Personal disability insurance premiums.

  • Personal legal expenses.

  • Personal, living, or family expenses.

  • Political contributions.

  • Professional accreditation fees.

  • Professional reputation, expenses to improve.

  • Relief fund contributions.

  • Residential telephone line.

  • Stockholders' meeting, expenses of attending.

  • Tax-exempt income, expenses of earning or collecting.

  • The value of wages never received or lost vacation time.

  • Travel expenses for another individual.

  • Voluntary unemployment benefit fund contributions.

  • Wristwatches.

Adoption Expenses

You cannot deduct the expenses of adopting a child but you may be able to take a credit for those expenses. For details, see Form 8839, Qualified Adoption Expenses.

Campaign Expenses

You cannot deduct campaign expenses of a candidate for any office, even if the candidate is running for reelection to the office. These include qualification and registration fees for primary elections.

Legal fees. You cannot deduct legal fees paid to defend charges that arise from participation in a political campaign.

Capital Expenses

You cannot currently deduct amounts paid to buy property that has a useful life substantially beyond the tax year or amounts paid to increase the value or prolong the life of property. If you use such property in your work, you may be able to take a depreciation deduction. See Publication 946. If the property is a car used in your work, also see Publication 463.

Check-Writing Fees on Personal Account

If you have a personal checking account, you cannot deduct fees charged by the bank for the privilege of writing checks, even if the account pays interest.

Club Dues

Generally, you cannot deduct the cost of membership in any club organized for business, pleasure, recreation, or other social purpose. This includes business, social, athletic, luncheon, sporting, airline, hotel, golf, and country clubs.

You cannot deduct dues paid to an organization if one of its main purposes is to:

  • Conduct entertainment activities for members or their guests, or

  • Provide members or their guests with access to entertainment facilities.

Dues paid to airline, hotel, and luncheon clubs are not deductible.

Commuting Expenses

You cannot deduct commuting expenses (the cost of transportation between your home and your main or regular place of work). If you haul tools, instruments, or other items in your car to and from work, you can deduct only the additional cost of hauling the items, such as the rent on a trailer to carry the items.

Fines or Penalties

You cannot deduct fines or penalties you pay to a governmental unit for violating a law. This includes an amount paid in settlement of your actual or potential liability for a fine or penalty (civil or criminal). Fines or penalties include parking tickets, tax penalties, and penalties deducted from teachers' paychecks after an illegal strike.

Health Spa Expenses

You cannot deduct health spa expenses, even if there is a job requirement to stay in excellent physical condition, such as might be required of a law enforcement officer.

Home Security System

You cannot deduct the cost of a home security system as a miscellaneous deduction. However, you may be able to claim a deduction for a home security system as a business expense if you have a home office. See Home Office under Unreimbursed Employee Expenses, earlier, and Publication 587.

Investment-Related Seminars

You cannot deduct any expenses for attending a convention, seminar, or similar meeting for investment purposes.

Life Insurance Premiums

You cannot deduct premiums you pay on your life insurance. You may be able to deduct, as alimony, premiums you pay on life insurance policies assigned to your former spouse. See Publication 504, Divorced or Separated Individuals, for information on alimony.

Lobbying Expenses

You generally cannot deduct amounts paid or incurred for lobbying expenses. These include expenses to:

  1. Influence legislation,

  2. Participate, or intervene, in any political campaign for, or against, any candidate for public office,

  3. Attempt to influence the general public, or segments of the public, about elections, legislative matters, or referendums, or

  4. Communicate directly with covered executive branch officials in any attempt to influence the official actions or positions of those officials.

Lobbying expenses also include any amounts paid or incurred for research, preparation, planning, or coordination of any of these activities.

Covered executive branch official. A covered executive branch official, for the purpose of (4) above, is any of the following officials.
  • The President.

  • The Vice President.

  • Any officer or employee of the White House Office of the Executive Office of the President, and the two most senior level officers of each of the other agencies in the Executive Office.

  • Any individual serving in a position in Level I of the Executive Schedule under section 5312 of Title 5, United States Code, any other individual designated by the President as having Cabinet-level status, and any immediate deputy of one of these individuals.

Dues used for lobbying. If a tax-exempt organization notifies you that part of the dues or other amounts you pay to the organization are used to pay nondeductible lobbying expenses, you cannot deduct that part.

Exceptions. You can deduct certain lobbying expenses if they are ordinary and necessary expenses of carrying on your trade or business.
  • You can deduct expenses for attempting to influence the legislation of any local council or similar governing body (local legislation). An Indian tribal government is considered a local council or similar governing body.

  • You can deduct in-house expenses for influencing legislation or communicating directly with a covered executive branch official if the expenses for the tax year are not more than $2,000 (not counting overhead expenses).

  • If you are a professional lobbyist, you can deduct the expenses you incur in the trade or business of lobbying on behalf of another person. Payments by the other person to you for lobbying activities cannot be deducted.

Lost or Mislaid Cash or Property

You cannot deduct a loss based on the mere disappearance of money or property. However, an accidental loss or disappearance of property can qualify as a casualty if it results from an identifiable event that is sudden, unexpected, or unusual. See Publication 547.

Example.

A car door is accidentally slammed on your hand, breaking the setting of your diamond ring. The diamond falls from the ring and is never found. The loss of the diamond is a casualty.

Lunches With Co-workers

You cannot deduct the expenses of lunches with co-workers, except while traveling away from home on business. See Publication 463 for information on deductible expenses while traveling away from home.

Meals While Working Late

You cannot deduct the cost of meals while working late. However, you may be able to claim a deduction if the cost of the meals is a deductible entertainment expense, or if you are traveling away from home. See Publication 463 for information on deductible entertainment expenses and expenses while traveling away from home.

Personal Legal Expenses

You cannot deduct personal legal expenses such as those for the following.

  • Custody of children.

  • Breach of promise to marry suit.

  • Civil or criminal charges resulting from a personal relationship.

  • Damages for personal injury (except certain whistleblower claims and unlawful discrimination claims), for more information about unlawful discrimination claims, see Deductions Subject to the 2% Limit, earlier.

  • Preparation of a title (or defense or perfection of a title).

  • Preparation of a will.

  • Property claims or property settlement in a divorce.

You cannot deduct these expenses even if a result of the legal proceeding is the loss of income-producing property.

Political Contributions

You cannot deduct contributions made to a political candidate, a campaign committee, or a newsletter fund. Advertisements in convention bulletins and admissions to dinners or programs that benefit a political party or political candidate are not deductible.

Professional Accreditation Fees

You cannot deduct professional accreditation fees such as the following.

  • Accounting certificate fees paid for the initial right to practice accounting.

  • Bar exam fees and incidental expenses in securing initial admission to the bar.

  • Medical and dental license fees paid to get initial licensing.

Professional Reputation

You cannot deduct expenses of radio and TV appearances to increase your personal prestige or establish your professional reputation.

Relief Fund Contributions

You cannot deduct contributions paid to a private plan that pays benefits to any covered employee who cannot work because of any injury or illness not related to the job.

Residential Telephone Service

You cannot deduct any charge (including taxes) for basic local telephone service for the first telephone line to your residence, even if it is used in a trade or business.

Stockholders' Meetings

You cannot deduct transportation and other expenses you pay to attend stockholders' meetings of companies in which you own stock but have no other interest. You cannot deduct these expenses even if you are attending the meeting to get information that would be useful in making further investments.

Tax-Exempt Income Expenses

You cannot deduct expenses to produce tax-exempt income. You cannot deduct interest on a debt incurred or continued to buy or carry tax-exempt securities.

If you have expenses to produce both taxable and tax-exempt income, but you cannot identify the expenses that produce each type of income, you must divide the expenses based on the amount of each type of income to determine the amount that you can deduct.

Example.

During the year, you received taxable interest of $4,800 and tax-exempt interest of $1,200. In earning this income, you had total expenses of $500 during the year. You cannot identify the amount of each expense item that is for each income item. Therefore, 80% ($4,800/$6,000) of the expense is for the taxable interest and 20% ($1,200/$6,000) is for the tax-exempt interest. You can deduct, subject to the 2% limit, expenses of $400 (80% of $500).

Travel Expenses for Another Individual

You generally cannot deduct travel expenses you pay or incur for a spouse, dependent, or other individual who accompanies you (or your employee) on personal or business travel. See Publication 463 for more information on deductible travel expenses.

Voluntary Unemployment Benefit Fund Contributions

You cannot deduct voluntary unemployment benefit fund contributions you make to a union fund or a private fund. However, you can deduct contributions as taxes if state law requires you to make them to a state unemployment fund that covers you for the loss of wages from unemployment caused by business conditions.

Wristwatches

You cannot deduct the cost of a wristwatch, even if there is a job requirement that you know the correct time to properly perform your duties.

How To Report

You must itemize deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040 or Form 1040NR) to claim miscellaneous deductions.

  • Report your miscellaneous deductions subject to the 2% limit on lines 21 through 23 and the total on
    line 24 for Form 1040, or lines 9 through 11 and the total on line 12 for Form 1040NR.

  • Report your miscellaneous deductions not subject to the 2% limit on line 28 for Form 1040, or line 16 for Form 1040NR.

See Instructions for Schedule A in your Form 1040 or Form 1040NR instruction booklet for more information.

Form 2106 and Form 2106-EZ. If you have deductible employee business expenses, you usually must file either Form 2106 or Form 2106-EZ.

You must file Form 2106 or Form 2106-EZ if any of the following applies to you.
  1. You are a qualified performing artist claiming performing-artist-related expenses.

  2. You are a fee-basis state or local government official claiming expenses in performing that job.

  3. You are an individual with a disability and are claiming impairment-related work expenses. See Impairment-related work expenses, later.

  4. You have travel expenses as a member of the Armed Forces reserves that you can deduct as an adjustment to gross income.

  5. You are claiming job-related vehicle, travel, transportation, meal, or entertainment expenses. This does not apply if either of the following is true.

    1. None of your expenses are deductible because of the 2% limit on miscellaneous itemized deductions.

    2. Your only entry on Form 2106 or Form 2106-EZ is on line 4. If this is true and (a) above is not true, enter the expenses directly on Schedule A (Form 1040), line 21, or Schedule A (Form 1040NR),
      line 9.

Who can use Form 2106-EZ. You can use the shorter Form 2106-EZ instead of Form 2106 if both of the following apply.
  1. You are not reimbursed by your employer for any expenses. (Amounts your employer included as wages on your Form W-2, box 1, are not considered reimbursements.)

  2. Either:

    1. You are not claiming vehicle expense, or

    2. You are using the standard mileage rate for your vehicle.

Armed Forces reservists. If you have reserve-related travel that takes you more than 100 miles from home, you should first complete Form 2106 or Form 2106-EZ. See Publication 463 for more information.

Depreciation. Use Part V of Form 4562, Depreciation and Amortization, to claim the depreciation deduction for a cell phone or for a computer that you did not use only in your home office. Complete Form 4562, Part I, if you are claiming a section 179 deduction. However, if you file Form 2106 or Form 2106-EZ, claim your depreciation deduction on that form and not on Form 4562.

Computer used in a home office. Use Form 4562, Part III, to claim the depreciation deduction for a computer you placed in service during 2009 and used only in your home office. Complete Form 4562, Part I, if you are claiming a section 179 deduction.

Do not use Form 4562 to claim the depreciation deduction for a computer you placed in service before 2009 and used only in your home office, unless you are otherwise required to file Form 4562. Instead, report the depreciation directly on the appropriate form. But if you are otherwise required to file Form 4562, report the depreciation in Part III, line 17.

Impairment-related work expenses. If you are an employee, you enter impairment-related work expenses on Form 2106 or Form 2106-EZ. Enter on Schedule A (Form 1040), line 28, or Schedule A (Form 1040NR), line 16, that part of the amount on Form 2106, line 10, or Form 2106-EZ, line 6, that is related to your impairment. Enter the amount that is unrelated to your impairment on Schedule A (Form 1040), line 21, or Schedule A (Form 1040NR), line 9.

If you are self-employed, enter your impairment-related work expenses on the appropriate Form (Schedule C, C-EZ, E, or F) used to report your business income and expenses.

Tax preparation fees. Deduct expenses of preparing tax schedules relating to profit or loss from business (Schedule C or C-EZ), rentals or royalties (Schedule E), or farm income and expenses (Schedule F) on the appropriate schedule. Deduct expenses of preparing the remainder of the return on Form 1040, Schedule A, line 22, or Form 1040NR, Schedule A, line 10.

Example

Debra Smith is employed as a salesperson. She is not a statutory employee. Her adjusted gross income is $40,000, and she did not receive any reimbursement for her expenses. She has the following qualifying miscellaneous deductions:

Entertainment expenses $ 500
Transportation expenses 500
Home office expenses 1,100
Tax return preparation 200
Investment counseling 300
Gambling losses (reported $200 as income) 200

Her filled-in Form 2106-EZ and part of her Schedule A (Form 1040) are shown. Of Debra's deductions, only gambling losses are not subject to the 2%-of-adjusted- gross-income limit. She enters the gambling losses on Schedule A, line 28. The other items are subject to the 2% limit and are shown on Schedule A, lines 21, 22, and 23.

Debra completes Form 2106-EZ, Part I. She enters the transportation expenses of $500 on line 2. The home office expenses of $1,100 are entered on line 4. The entertainment expenses of $500 are subject to the 50% limit and are entered on line 5. She then completes the rest of the form. The total expenses of $1,850, shown on line 6, are entered on Schedule A, line 21.

Debra's expenses for tax return preparation are entered on Schedule A, line 22. Her expenses for investment counseling are entered on line 23. She then totals the amounts on lines 21, 22, and 23 and enters this total of $2,350 on line 24. She enters $40,000, her adjusted gross income, on line 25. She multiplies this amount by 2% (.02) and enters the result of $800 on line 26. She subtracts the amount on line 26 from the amount on line 24 and enters $1,550, her allowable deduction, on line 27.

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Schedule A of Form 2106–EZ

How To Get Tax Help

You can get help with unresolved tax issues, order free publications and forms, ask tax questions, and get information from the IRS in several ways. By selecting the method that is best for you, you will have quick and easy access to tax help.

Contacting your Taxpayer Advocate. The Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) is an independent organization within the IRS whose employees assist taxpayers who are experiencing economic harm, who are seeking help in resolving tax problems that have not been resolved through normal channels, or who believe that an IRS system or procedure is not working as it should. Here are seven things every taxpayer should know about TAS:
  • TAS is your voice at the IRS.

  • Our service is free, confidential, and tailored to meet your needs.

  • You may be eligible for TAS help if you have tried to resolve your tax problem through normal IRS channels and have gotten nowhere, or you believe an IRS procedure just isn't working as it should.

  • TAS helps taxpayers whose problems are causing financial difficulty or significant cost, including the cost of professional representation. This includes businesses as well as individuals.

  • TAS employees know the IRS and how to navigate it. We will listen to your problem, help you understand what needs to be done to resolve it, and stay with you every step of the way until your problem is resolved.

  • TAS has at least one local taxpayer advocate in every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. You can call your local advocate, whose number is in your phone book, in Pub. 1546, Taxpayer Advocate Service—Your Voice at the IRS, and on our website at www.irs.gov/advocate. You can also call our toll-free line at 1-877-777-4778 or TTY/TDD 1-800-829-4059.

  • You can learn about your rights and responsibilities as a taxpayer by visiting our online tax toolkit at www.taxtoolkit.irs.gov.

Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITCs). The Low Income Taxpayer Clinic program serves individuals who have a problem with the IRS and whose income is below a certain level. LITCs are independent from the IRS. Most LITCs can provide representation before the IRS or in court on audits, tax collection disputes, and other issues for free or a small fee. If an individual's native language is not English, some clinics can provide multilingual information about taxpayer rights and responsibilities. For more information, see Publication 4134, Low Income Taxpayer Clinic List. This publication is available at www.irs.gov, by calling 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676), or at your local IRS office.

Free tax services. To find out what services are available, get Publication 910, IRS Guide to Free Tax Services. It contains lists of free tax information sources, including publications, services, and free tax education and assistance programs. It also has an index of over 100 TeleTax topics (recorded tax information) you can listen to on your telephone.

Accessible versions of IRS published products are available on request in a variety of alternative formats for people with disabilities.

Free help with your return. Free help in preparing your return is available nationwide from IRS-trained volunteers. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is designed to help low-income taxpayers and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program is designed to assist taxpayers age 60 and older with their tax returns. Many VITA sites offer free electronic filing and all volunteers will let you know about credits and deductions you may be entitled to claim. To find the nearest VITA or TCE site, call 1-800-829-1040.

As part of the TCE program, AARP offers the Tax-Aide counseling program. To find the ne