I'm single...and poor..and right now i'm only working part time until i get this other job. So i'm trying to figure out what i can claim on my taxes to get the most back. I'm trying to search the internet, but not having much luck. Does anyone here know what i can do?

educational expenses, or expenses for your job, I believe...

donations to charity

Eat at McDonald's, save all your receipts and try to claim that they were "business meetings."

superspaceboy said:

Okay. Well, i've let my job take money out my checks for charity. That would count i guess.

depending on how much you've made in 2004, you maybe eligible for earned income. it's not just for people with kids.http://www.bankrate.com/b...10130a.asp

CarrieMpls said:

Student loans and job releated expenses are a most for me.

Hotlegs said:

that to.

Ramen noodles?

glamslamkid said:

you don't need receipt...but make sure to have them if you get audited.

Here's the thing about that...they don't normally audit people who don't make that much...but will if they see something goofy going on...like if someone is poor and contributes a LOT of money to charity. Just have proof to back you up. But you can claim almost ANY donation...to good will, thru work, salvation army...etc. Just have a receipt.

Now this won't help you get necessarily more money back...it'll just make less what you have to claim. I also don't think that you can use the E-Z form if you have claims. Cuz then it goes beyond E-Z.

superspaceboy said:

Right. Unless you've donated a ton of money or paid more interest on a home than you've paid in taxes or something like that, you're probably better of not claiming anything (ie. not itemizing) and taking the earned income credit (ie. using the EZ form).


What I'm trying to figure out is if I should file seperately from my husband. My employer probably didn't take enough out of my checks, but on my own I made an insanely small amount of money ( ), so we're wondering if we should file seperately to avoid my income being taxed at his higher rate and causing us to owe money on it. . .does it work that way?

tackam said:



A general rule of thumb is that you'll be better off itemizing if you own your home (and thus can take the mortgage interest deduction); otherwise, taking the standard deduction is better. But everyone's situation is different.



The Internal Revenue Code is set up in such a way that you're generally discouraged from filing under the "married filing separately" status. However, that's just a general rule, and the fact that your income was significantly less than your husband's may create an exception. Come to think of it, my Income Tax professor might have discussed this very situation... I'm not sure though, as my memory of that class is pretty fuzzy.

My advice: crunch the numbers under both methods and see which one produces the better result. In fact, if you use tax preparation software, it might do the comparison automatically.

Taxes - I remember those.

Fauxie said:

is that because you don't pay them?

superspaceboy said:

There are a few "above the line" deductions that one can take in addition to the standard deduction, but at a minimum, you'll have to file Form 1040A (which was the "short form" before they introduced the 1040EZ) to claim them. One example is the student loan interest deduction.

Natisse said:

I'd forgotten what they were until I saw this thread.

Fauxie said:

bastard

Natisse said:

Fauxie said:

Natisse said: