How to squeeze the most out of your income tax refund

TAMPA - Tax experts say the biggest mistakes they see people making involve lost documents and forgotten deductions.  Here is some advice for getting the most out of your tax refund.
 
Unclaimed deductions translate into smaller refunds.  Here are some that get overlooked. If you volunteer, you can not itemize your time but you can write off things like mileage and uniforms for boy scouts.  If you have to buy a uniform, uniforms are deductible.

Clearwater financial planner John Bryan points out the tax code is always changing so it is hard to keep up with all that taxpayers can claim.

Other often overlooked items include health insurance costs for the self-employed, moving expenses and medical bills that add up to more than 7.5 percent of your annual income.

Even if you work a 9 to 5 type job and draw a W-2, you still might be able to claim some job-related expenses. "They still pay out of their pocket for things like business cards, uniform cleaning, and some have to buy their uniforms," said Jackson Hewitt preparer Bernie Smith.

Smith also finds that clients don't realize they can claim exemptions for grown children or parents who have moved in.  You can file an exemption for those you care for if you are providing over 50 percent of their needs.

John Bryan also advises his clients on deductions he classifies as audit triggers such as mortgage deductions of over $50,000, large non-cash charitable contributions and large deductions in relation to income.

As of last year, all paid preparers must have a preparer tax identification number from the IRS before preparing any returns.  Make sure you ask your preparer to see proof they are registered with the IRS before they touch your taxes.