| Tax break | What it’s generally for |
|---|---|
| Adoption credit | Costs of adopting a child |
| American Opportunity credit | College education costs |
| Capital loss deduction | Losses on stock sales (to offset capital gains) |
| Charitable contributions | Giving money, cars, art, investments, household items or other things to charity |
| Child and dependent care credit | Day care and similar costs |
| Child tax credit | Being a parent |
| Credit for the Elderly or the Disabled | For people or their spouses who retired on permanent and total disability |
| Earned Income Tax Credit | Money for people below certain adjusted gross incomes |
| Home office expenses | A portion of your mortgage or rent; property taxes; utilities, repairs and maintenance; and similar expenses if you work from home |
| Lifetime Learning credit | Undergraduate, graduate or even non-degree courses at accredited institutions |
| Medical expenses | Unreimbursed medical costs over a certain threshold |
| Mortgage interest | The interest portion of mortgage payments on a primary home |
| Property taxes | Property taxes on real estate |
| Residential energy tax credits | Installing things that make a home energy-efficient |
| Saver’s credit | Contributions to an IRA for people with incomes below certain thresholds |
