Fear of an IRS audit leads some taxpayers to leave thousands of dollars in legitimate deductions unclaimed. It may not be their fault.
Houston CPA Joe Mastriano says -- in many cases --this happens because your tax preparer urged you to be conservative.
“So, a lot of times it's preparers doing people out of deductions,” Mastriano says, “because they're afraid that the taxpayer will get audited and they'll blame the tax preparer.”
You can deduct job search expenses in your career field, and even weight-loss aids -- write them off.
“People have to understand the rules and do it right,” he says, “so, office in home, driving to doctors and dentists, employee business expense” – all are legitimate.