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Have you filed your taxes? If not, you only have until April 15 to do so. Before you file a return, it's good to know about some overlooked tax deductions that might reduce what you owe.
While many of these write-offs are rather niche and won't apply to many people, you never know what obscure tax deduction you could be overlooking. Here are some odd but legal deductions to consider if you want to get ahead financially.
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A swimming pool
If you have a swimming pool at your home, it might offer a tax write-off.
Those with medical conditions can sometimes snag a tax deduction if their pool helps boost their health. Both the cost to install the pool and the expense of operating and maintaining it might qualify for the tax break.
You will likely need a doctor's note or similar proof to qualify for the deduction, and the pool must be used primarily to boost your health.
Tutoring services
If you hire a tutor to help your child, the cost could be deductible. For example, if your child has a learning disability, the expense of hiring a tutor might qualify for a tax break.
However, to qualify as a medical expense, it is likely that the tutor would have to specialize in treating children who have the specific medical condition in question.
Organic food
If you have a medical condition and believe that organic food is necessary to promote your health, it's possible you can write off the cost of such food — if a doctor agrees, of course.
The deduction would fall under the heading of a medical expense, so the bar for getting the tax break can be high. Taxpayers can only deduct unreimbursed medical expenses that exceed 7.5% of their adjusted gross income.
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Clarinet lessons
According to the tax pros at H&R Block, there is at least one documented example of a household getting a deduction for their child's clarinet lessons.
Apparently, the parents insisted the lessons were intended to straighten out the child's overbite. The authorities agreed that the deduction was legitimate.
Food for pets
There is at least one instance where taxpayers were allowed to deduct the cost of pet food, according to the professionals at TurboTax.
Two people with a junkyard set out pet food for wild cats. The goal was to woo the cats, who then set about eliminating rats and snakes in the junkyard.
The couple contended that the cost of the pet food was deductible because they were trying to make their property safer for customers. The feds agreed.
Breast implants
An adult entertainer wanted to significantly boost the size of her bosom, so she underwent breast augmentation and tried to deduct the cost of the procedure as a business expense.
When the case reached a tax court, the judge ruled that the woman's deduction was legitimate, according to TurboTax.
Body oil
If you are merely trying to keep your skin soft and healthy, odds are good that you cannot deduct the cost of body oil at tax time.
However, professional body-builders who use oil can legitimately write off the cost of body oil as a business expense, according to AARP. Models also might be able to deduct the cost of body oil and other cosmetics.
Landscaping
Today, more people work out of their homes than was true in the recent past. If you entertain clients at home as part of your business, you might be able to write off part of the cost of landscaping services at your property.
TurboTax notes that similar costs, such as lawn care and driveway repairs, have qualified for deductions in the past.
An elevator
If you have a disability and install an elevator in your home, the cost might qualify for a tax deduction.
According to AARP, if the new elevator pushes your property's value higher, you will have to subtract that gain from your deduction.
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Weight loss drugs
Today, more doctors are prescribing medicines to help patients lose weight. If your medical insurance covers all of the cost of such drugs, you will not qualify for a deduction.
However, if you pay some of the cost out of pocket, you might be able to nab a tax deduction.
Travel and meals
Deducting the cost of travel and meals has long been a well-known deduction, so it might not seem to fit on this list of "odd" deductions.
However, there has been a surge of people working for themselves in recent years. And those folks might not realize that they can deduct many expenses associated with travel and meals.
For example, if you're a content creator who takes to the road to record and post your adventures online for profit, it is likely that many of your travel costs will be deductible come tax time.
Bottom line
These deductions prove that there are plenty of overlooked deductions that can save people money when taxes come due.
The 11 deductions on this list are just a fraction of the many tax breaks available to taxpayers, even if those folks are unaware of the opportunity to save cash.
If you want to put extra cash in your pocket this tax season, consider sitting down with a tax professional who can suggest other overlooked deductions that can save you money.
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