Determining sales tax paid from credit card statements.

[uptpilot]

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/2566624-how-much-did-i-pay-in-sales-taxes-last-year

Regarding this article, what are considered valid receipts?  Can I use my credit card statements and use the individual item amounts (or grand total), knowing the sales tax percentage, to calculate the sales tax paid?  Since the deduction is a grand total of sales taxes paid, is it really required to have receipts that break out each individual expense (e.g. grocery expenses) since sales tax is sales tax?

[Belling]

Yes. You can use the total off of your credit card statements. There is no need to individually list each occurrence of sales tax being applied.  For further information on this election method review the IRS publication I have posted below. <a rel="nofollow" target="_blank" href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040sca.pdf">https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040sca.pdf</a>

[brianly-ucla]

On page A-4 of the link you provided, it mentioned that if you wanted to use actual expenses for the sales tax deduction that "You must keep your actual receipts showing general sales taxes paid to use this method." That seems to imply that you can't use credit card end of the year statements to ballpark/estimate the sales tax paid. If that's true, seems like a lot of work to keep every single receipt and to add them all up... you would think at least this is a good estimate though in an audit and the IRS would just tell you the difference of what they think is deductible from your credit card statements or will they demand the receipts and if you don't have it, you can't take any sales tax deductions at all?

[adams2900]

So yes or no to credit card end of year statements for sales tax deduction

[destradatx11]

The recommended answer does not provide supporting information in the IRS link. I do not see where the example of using a credit card statement is acceptable to determine sales tax paid.

[shannontxag]

You better be careful if using your credit card statement amounts.  For example, what if you go to a restaurant, the bill is $40, you tip $10, your credit card statement will show $50.  Only $40 worth was taxed, though.  Same with grocery stores - most food isn't even taxed, so you can't use the total amount from your credit card.  Some online purchases don't charge tax, just a flat amount.  To be safe, most drive thrus, home goods, hardware, furniture, etc... you can use the whole amount.

[Belling · Accepted solution]

Yes. You can use the total off of your credit card statements. There is no need to individually list each occurrence of sales tax being applied. 

 For further information on this election method review the IRS publication I have posted below. https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040sca.pdf