10 Ways to Maximize Your Tax Deductions Without Itemizing

Kelly Phillips Erb
Updated
You can file for standard deductions and still benefit from these non-itemized deductions
You can file for standard deductions and still benefit from these non-itemized deductions

With all the emphasis on itemized deductions at tax time, taxpayers tend to believe that claiming the standard deduction limits the potential to reduce the amount of tax due.

While it's true that many taxpayers rely on popular itemized deductions, those aren't the only deductions available. Taxpayers who file a form 1040 may also opt to claim a number of what the IRS calls "adjustments to income" -- that's another way of saying non-itemized deductions. Since deductions reduce your taxable income, they're a relatively painless way to chip away at your tax bill. Following are 10 ways to maximize your tax deductions -- without going through the trouble of itemizing:

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