Wonder how your itemized deductions compare with those of other filers? Check the averages in this table. It compares several key write-offs claimed by filers at various income levels, using IRS preliminary data from 2011 returns
Some things to keep in mind about the data: The Total Itemized Deductions column of the table includes miscellaneous itemized deductions plus any casualty and theft losses. The averages for taxes paid include taxpayers in states without an income tax who elect to deduct state sales tax, so the amount in the table may seem a bit low. The averages also include personal property taxes and real estate taxes.
And only medical expenses over 7.5% of AGI were deductible, so relatively few filers ended up taking the write-off. The figures above are the averages for those taxpayers.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
You won’t automatically be audited for having above-average deductions. The IRS knows that people living in states with high individual income tax rates claim larger state tax deductions than folks in states with low tax rates or no tax. And the agency matches mortgage interest deductions with 1098 forms from lenders.
But if your deductions are disproportionately large when compared with your income, your audit risk can go up because that’s a key factor in IRS’ return selection formula.
-
Stock Market Today: Have We Seen the Bottom for Stocks?Solid first-quarter earnings suggest fundamentals remain solid, and recent price action is encouraging too.
-
Is the GOP Secretly Planning to Raise Taxes on the Rich?Tax Reform As high-stakes tax reform talks resume on Capitol Hill, questions are swirling about what Republicans and President Trump will do.
-
Ask the Editor: Reader Questions, April 25 — 529 plansIn our latest Ask the Editor round-up, Joy Taylor, The Kiplinger Tax Letter Editor, answers questions related to 529 plans.
-
Ten Cheapest Places To Live in FloridaProperty Tax Make your Florida vacation spot daily living — these counties have the lowest property tax bills in the state.
-
Missed Tax Day? Nearly One Million Taxpayers Still Can File and Claim Valuable Tax RefundsTax Refunds As many as one million taxpayers could be missing out on a significant tax refund.
-
Ask the Editor: Reader Questions, April 18 — Amended ReturnsIn our Ask the Editor: Taxes, April 18, round-up — Joy Taylor, The Kiplinger Tax Letter Editor, answers questions on amended returns, mortgages and deductions.
-
How Many IRS Commissioners Have We Gone Through This Year?IRS Who were the former IRS commissioners, and why did they resign? Find out how IRS turnover can impact your taxes.
-
Which Generation Pays the Most Tax in the US?Tax Burden Polls show that most people feel like taxes are unfair. But which age group bears the brunt of the tax burden in the United States?
-
Tax Day 2025: Don’t Miss These Freebies, Food Deals and DiscountsTax Day You can score some sweet deals on April 15 in some select restaurants like Burger King, Shake Shack, and more.
-
Tax Time: Does Your Kid Influencer Owe Taxes?State Tax Some minors are making big money on social media. Here’s how to know if they need to file taxes.
