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posted Jun 1, 2019 1:22:11 AM

I am a police officer and have job-related expenses totaling about $7,000. It would make sense to use the standard deduction correct?

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1 Best answer
Level 1
Jun 1, 2019 1:22:13 AM

Yes, you should take the standard deduction unless you have significant itemized deductions for mortgage and medical expenses. 

Unfortunately, your job related expenses are no longer deductible. Job related expenses for W2 earners were eliminated by the new tax laws.

For more information, follow these links:

Should You Itemize

Misc Deductions 2018

Thank you for your service!

2 Replies
Level 1
Jun 1, 2019 1:22:13 AM

Yes, you should take the standard deduction unless you have significant itemized deductions for mortgage and medical expenses. 

Unfortunately, your job related expenses are no longer deductible. Job related expenses for W2 earners were eliminated by the new tax laws.

For more information, follow these links:

Should You Itemize

Misc Deductions 2018

Thank you for your service!

Level 15
Jun 1, 2019 1:22:14 AM

cristianaguirre1
EDITED:
I had pointed out that while employee job expenses are no longer deductible on a Federal Schedule A, they may still be deductible for state tax purposes on a state return in a handful of states.  So when entered, the Federal return will ignore the entries, but a state where they are allowed such deduction will still pick them up along with other miscellaneous deductions subject to the 2% threshold.   I mention in case other users see this thread.  Here are the known states that we were informed of by TurboTax, but there could be more:
Arkansas, California, Hawaii, Iowa, Minnesota and New York

In any case, user reported in another thread he is actually a statutory employee filing Schedule C.    Someone else will have to help user there on that subject of statutory employee.
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