Miscellaneous Itemized Deductions
It is important to distinguish miscellaneous itemized deductions from other “normal” itemized deductions. The reason for this is because miscellaneous itemized deductions are subject to a 2% floor, a.k.a. the "2% Haircut." A taxpayer can only deduct the amount of miscellaneous itemized deductions that exceed 2% of their adjusted gross income. For example, if a taxpayer has adjusted gross income of $50,000 with $4,000 in miscellaneous itemized deductions, the taxpayer can only deduct $3,000, since the first $1,000 is below the 2% floor.
There are 12 deductions listed in 26 U.S.C. § 67(b). These are NOT miscellaneous itemized deductions, and thus not subject to the 2% floor (although they may have their own rules). Any deduction not found in section 67(b) is a miscellaneous itemized deduction. Examples include:
- Job-related clothing or equipment, such as steel-toed boots, hardhats, uniforms (if they are not suited for social wear: suits and tuxedoes are not deductible, even if the taxpayer does not like to wear them, but nurses' and police uniforms are), tools and equipment required for work
- Union dues
- Unreimbursed work-related expenses, such as travel or education (so long as the education does not qualify the taxpayer for a new line of work; law school, for example, is not deductible.)
- Fees paid to tax preparers, or to purchase books or software used to determine and calculate taxes owed
- Subscriptions to newspapers or other periodicals directly relating to one's job
Read more about this topic: Itemized Deduction
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