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An itemized deduction is an eligible expense that individual taxpayers in the United States can report on their federal income tax returns in order to decrease their taxable income. Most taxpayers are allowed a choice between the itemized deductions and the standard deduction. After computing their adjusted gross income (AGI), taxpayers can itemize their deductions (from a list of allowable items) and subtract those itemized deductions (and any applicable personal exemption deductions) from their AGI amount to arrive at their taxable income amount. Alternatively, they can elect to subtract the standard deduction for their filing status (and any applicable personal exemption deduction) to arrive at their taxable income. In other words, the taxpayer may generally deduct the total itemized deduction amount, or the standard deduction amount, whichever is greater. The choice between the standard deduction and itemizing involves a number of factors: * Only a taxpayer eligible for standard deduction can choose it. * U.S. citizens and resident aliens (for tax purposes) are eligible to take the standard deduction. Nonresident aliens are not eligible. * If the taxpayer is filing as "married, filing separately", and his or her spouse itemizes, then the taxpayer cannot take the standard deduction. In other words, a taxpayer whose spouse itemizes deductions must either itemize as well, or claim "0" (zero) as the amount of the standard deduction.〔http://www.irs.gov/app/vita/basic_module.jsp〕 * The taxpayer must have maintained the records required to substantiate the itemized deductions. * If the amounts of the itemized deductions and the standard deduction do not differ much, the taxpayer may take the standard deduction to reduce the possibility of adjustment by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The amount of standard deduction cannot be changed upon audit unless the taxpayer's filing status changes. * If the taxpayer is otherwise eligible to file a shorter tax form such as 1040EZ or 1040A, he would prefer not to prepare (or pay to prepare) the more complicated Form 1040 and the associated Schedule A for itemized deductions. * The standard deduction is not allowed for calculating the Alternative Minimum Tax. If the taxpayer chooses to take the standard deduction for regular income tax, he or she cannot itemize deductions for the AMT. Thus, for a taxpayer who pays the AMT (i.e. their AMT is higher than regular tax), it may be better to itemize deductions, even if it is less than the standard deduction. Deductions are reported in the tax year in which the eligible expenses were paid. For example, an annual membership fee for a professional association paid in December 2009 for year 2010 is deductible in year 2009. ==Examples of allowable itemized deductions== There are a number of allowable deductions: * Medical expenses, to the extent that the expenses exceed 10% of the taxpayer's AGI (changed from 7.5% as of January 1, 2013 except for individuals 65 and over, who will use the 7.5% floor until January 1, 2017).〔http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/2013-changes-to-itemized-deduction-for-medical-expenses〕 (e.g., a taxpayer with an AGI of $20,000 and medical expenses of $5,000 would be eligible to deduct $3000 of their medical expenses ( 20,000 X .10 = 2000; 5000 - 2000 = 3000 ).) The 10% floor means that most taxpayers are unable to take advantage of the medical expense deduction. Allowable medical expenses include: * * Capital expenditures that are advised by a physician, where the facility is used primarily by the patient alone and the expense is reasonable (e.g. a swimming pool for someone with degenerative spinal disorder, an elevator for someone with heart disease) * * Payments to doctors, dentists, surgeons, chiropractors, psychologists, counselors, physical therapists, osteopaths, podiatrists, home health care nurses, cost of care for chronic cognitive impairment * * Premiums for medical insurance (but not if paid by another, or with pre-tax money) * * Premiums for qualifying long-term-care insurance, depending on the taxpayer's age * * Payments for prescription drugs and insulin * * Payments for devices needed to treat or compensate for a medical condition (crutches, wheelchairs, prescription eyeglasses, hearing aids) * * Mileage for travel to and from doctors and medical treatment * * Necessary travel expenses * *Non-deductible medical expenses include: * * * Over-the-counter medications * * * Health club memberships (to improve general health & fitness) * * * Cosmetic surgery (except to restore normal appearance after an injury or to treat a genetic deformity) * State and local taxes paid, including: * * Income taxes (or, alternatively, state and local general sales taxes) * * Property taxes, including vehicle registration fee, if assessed by reference to the value of the property. * * but not including: * * * Use taxes * * * Excise taxes * * * Fines or penalties * Mortgage interest expense on debt incurred in connection with up to two homes, subject to limits (up to $1,000,000 in purchase debt, or $100,000 in home equity loans) * * also, points paid to discount the interest rate on up to two homes; points paid upon acquisition are immediately deductible, but points paid on a refinance must be amortized (deducted in equal parts over the lifetime of the loan) * * also private mortgage insurance premiums through 2010 * Investment interest, up to the amount of income reported from investments (the balance is deferred until more investment income is declared) * Charitable contributions to allowable recipients; this deduction is limited to either 30% or 50% of AGI, depending on the characterization of the recipient. Donations can be made as money, or in the form of goods. The value of donated services cannot be deducted as a contribution. Reasonable expenses necessary to provide donated services can, however, be deducted (such as mileage, special uniforms, or meals). Non-cash donations valued at more than $500 require special substantiation on a separate form. Non-cash donations are deductible at the lesser of the donor's cost or the current fair market value, unless the non-cash donation has been held for greater than a year (Long term), in which case it can be deducted at fair market value. * *Eligible recipients for charitable contributions include: * * * Churches, synagogues, mosques, other houses of worship * * * Federal, state, or local government entities * * * Fraternal or veterans' organizations * *Non-eligible recipients include: * * * Individuals * * * Political campaigns or political action committees (PACs) * Casualty and theft losses, to the extent that they exceed 10% of the taxpayer's AGI (in aggregate), and $100 (per event, $500 starting tax year 2009) * * After Hurricane Sandy many areas of Connecticut, New Jersey and New York have been declared disaster areas. This facilitates amendments to 2011 tax returns to claim a casualty tax deduction.〔http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/columnist/waggoner/2012/11/01/waggoner-investing-tax-deduction-catastrophe/1674479/〕 * Gambling losses, but only to the extent of gambling income (For example, a person who wins $1,000 in various gambling activities during the tax year and loses $800 in other gambling activities can deduct the $800 in losses, resulting in net gambling income of $200. By contrast, a person who wins $3,000 in various gambling activities during the year and loses $3,500 in other gambling activities in that year can deduct only $3,000 of the losses against the $3,000 in income, resulting in a break-even gambling activity for tax purposes for that year—with no deduction for the remaining $500 excess loss.) Worth noting to this rule is that unused non-professional gambling losses may not be carried forward to subsequent tax years. In contrast, however, this rule does not apply to professional gamblers, who are allowed to deduct losses from other income. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「itemized deduction」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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