I had major purchases of bathroom improvement, major appliances, and furniture. Also a shipping container. Can I deduct the sales tax on all these?

[barby-miller55]

What categories would apply?

[rjs]

The deduction for additional sales tax is not for "major purchases" in general, even though TurboTax uses that term. The IRS says it's for "specified items." The specified items are:

1. A motor vehicle.
2. An aircraft or boat.
3. A home or substantial addition to or major renovation of a home.

(This is a very simplified list. See the IRS instructions for Schedule A for details of the limitations and restrictions.)

The IRS does not give a precise definition of "substantial addition or major renovation." Your bathroom improvement probably qualifies as a major renovation. Appliances would not qualify unless they are built in (i.e. part of the home). Even then, just installing a few built-in appliances might not be considered a "substantial addition or major renovation." But if new appliances were installed as part of remodeling the kitchen, you could certainly include the sales tax on the appliances. Furniture and a shipping container are not in the list of specified items, so you cannot deduct the sales tax on those.

[fanfare]

Consider: you can use the actual sales tax figure for any and all  items for which you have a receipt showing the amount of sales tax. In that case, you don't use the "default" sales tax amount.

For these "un-major" purchases that might be enough of a deduction for you.