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No Schedule L for 2010 property taxes

February 12, 2011

I'm getting some e-mails from folks asking where on the 2010 Schedule L they should enter their property tax payments to increase their standard deduction amount.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the answer is nowhere. It's not an option for your 2010 taxes.

The ability to increase the standard deduction amount by adding up to $500 in property taxes paid by single filers or up to $1,000 in real estate taxes paid by married couples filing jointly expired at the end of 2009.

There had been some talk of continuing it, but that provision didn't make the cut when Congress finally worked out the specifics of the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act that was signed into law on Dec. 17, 2010.

The bottom line is if you claim the standard deduction, you can't add any real estate taxes to that amount when you file your 2010 returns.

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You’ll find ways to do just that on the Tax Tips page (see the More Tax Posts drop-down menu at the top of the blog), as well as the separate tax tip pages for each month, notably October through December. If you’re on the Tax Tips page, you’ll find a monthly list at the end of this column. If you’re on another blog page, you can head straight to the October tips; at the bottom of that tips page you’ll find links to all the other 11 months’ collections of tax advice.

Not to spoil what you’ll find in that tax advice, but it does cover such things as tax deductions for charitable donations, investment moves that could reduce tax due, and ways to max out your tax-favored retirement savings. 

Finally, as the year winds down, things get hectic. There are lots of other things to occupy our time, like the much more fun upcoming holidays. But don’t lose sight of taxes, since timing is key. To be of use, most tax moves must be made by the end of the tax year. That’s Thursday, Dec. 31, which also is the last business day of the year. 

So that you don’t miss that final tax year deadline, also keep an eye on the countdown clock below. It will keep you on top of just how much time is left to make important, tax-saving moves. (Note: I’m in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.)

Comments
  • Well, I just lost a my 1,000 tax deduction to pay for the republican deal to extend tax cuts for the wealthy. Being a middle class tax payer and having to pony up my grand to pay the wealth doesn’t sit to well.

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