Subscribe nowCustomer Service

Register Now

• Sign In
• E-mail preferences

MiddletownJournal.com

With tax deductions, sometimes creativity doesn't count

By HANK EZELL

Cox News Service

February 13, 2005

You name it and somebody has probably tried to claim a tax deduction for it.

But don't try this at home: Each of these was disallowed by the IRS or a tax court judge.

More tax tips: This year's basics  Making the most of deductions   Do-it-yourself tax preparation   Software to speed the process   Resources for quick help   Filing for free   Choosing a tax preparer  1.7 million unclaimed refunds  Recent Hank columns: Prompt filers will receive tax refunds quicker than ever  A new year calls for a new financial plan  Now's the time to assess spending, saving habits  More "Bank on Hank"

•  Payments to prostitutes, claimed as a research expense.

•  Veterinary fees. "A family's dog is part of the family," the taxpayer claimed. "The IRS is simply playing on semantics in disallowing this expense."

•  Haircuts and razor blades, claimed as business expenses by an airline pilot who said he shaves for his job.

•  Broken vase, a casualty loss. The cat broke it.

•  Pet food, because the animals provided security and rodent control services.

•  A $10,000 fine — paid to the IRS for filing a false return eight years before.

•  Erotic tapes, claimed as a business expense.

•  Family memories, claimed as a casualty loss after the landlord threw out taxpayer's possessions.

Source: Neil Allen of CCH, a tax information and analysis provider.

Read more "Bank on Hank" columns