To itemize, you list out all your qualified medical costs when you file your taxes. In that case, you might want to think about itemizing your deductions. That might happen if you have a lot of medical costs. 4īut sometimes the standard deduction may be less. According to the IRS, more than 8 out of 10 tax filers take the standard deduction. And for many people, the standard deduction is more than the total costs they can deduct. Taking the standard deduction is much simpler. For married couples filing jointly, it goes up to $27,700. For 2023, deductions for individuals go up to $13,850. It’s $25,900 for married couples filing jointly. For 2022, the standard deduction was $12,950 for individuals. Your other choice is to simply take the standard deduction. You’ll need them in case the IRS audits your taxes.

Keep this paperwork for at least 3 years. That includes things like receipts and canceled checks. You’ll need paperwork for any costs you deduct. If your income tax rate is 22%, deducting that $2,000 will lower your tax bill by $440. Let’s say you donated $2,000 to charity last year. You can lower your taxes by reducing your income through deductions. Other taxes you pay, like state, local and property taxes.(This is a bank account that lets people put money aside, tax-free, to save and pay for health care costs.)

Money you put into retirement accounts and health savings accounts.Interest you pay on loans, such as mortgages or student loans.Certain medical costs (more on this below).

Deductions are certain costs that lower your taxable income. You can also make deductions to your income. That includes wages and interest and dividends earned on investments. You’ll need to report all your income from the year before. Every year you need to file your taxes with the Internal Revenue Service or the IRS.

Write off medical expenses