14 Expenses You May Be Tempted to Claim as Tax Deductions — but Shouldn’t

Thinking of padding your federal tax return by deducting these expenses? Find out why that could be a costly mistake.

Maryalene LaPonsie • March 8, 2019

Person hiding piggybank behind back — Robert Kneschke / Shutterstock.com

No one wants to pay more in taxes than they have to. Fortunately, numerous deductions and credits can help lower your final tax bill.

However, don’t make the mistake of trying to claim one of the following 14 things. Why? Some of these deductions were wiped out by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. Others were never real deductions in the first place, or are not real deductions unless you closely follow certain rules.

Claiming the following “deductions” could come back to haunt you if you are audited.

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