Credit Score

https://www.thebalance.com/what-is-a-good-credit-utilization-ratio-960548

Your credit utilization - which is the amount of your credit card balance compared to the credit limit - plays a major role in your credit score. Making up 30% of your credit score, credit utilization the second biggest factor that influences your credit score, next to payment history.

Having a good credit utilization is important if you want to build and maintain a good credit score. As your credit utilization increases, your credit score can go down.

A high credit utilization indicates that you're likely spending a lot of your monthly income on debt payments which puts you at a higher risk of defaulting on your payments.

A high credit utilization could lead to your credit card and loan applications being denied. If you are approved, you may have to pay higher interest rates or make a larger down payment than if you had a good credit utilization.

Generally, a good credit utilization ratio less than 30%. That means you're using less than 30% of the total credit available to you. To achieve 30% credit utilization, you should keep your balances below 30% of the credit limit. Anything above 30% can cause your credit score to drop.

First, you can reduce your credit card balances. Pay as much as you can toward your credit card to reduce your credit utilization quickly. Keep in mind that your credit card issuer may not report your balance until the end of your billing cycle, so leave your balance low until then to ensure is shows up on your credit report.

Another way to lower your credit utilization is to have your credit card issuer increase your credit limit, which may not be easy, depending on your income, credit history, and time since your last credit limit increase.

http://blog.credit.com/2013/04/how-will-opening-a-new-account-affect-my-credit-65528/

First, opening a new account will likely produce a credit inquiry on your credit reports. This new inquiry may have no effect at all, or may make your scores go down slightly, depending on the type of inquiry and the number of inquiries already present on your report. Applying for credit excessively (like applying for many credit cards at once during the holiday shopping season) can almost always be expected to have a negative impact on your credit scores, as more inquiries tend to indicate higher credit risk.

Also, adding an additional credit line to your credit history can help your scores by lowering your overall revolving credit utilization (total balances/total limits ratio), an important factor in your credit scores. This can occur when the newly added account increases your total credit availability (credit limits), more than it increases your total credit card balances — and thereby reduces this overall ratio. Conversely, if a new credit card carries a high balance, such as when transferring an existing balance to it, this can actually increase your overall revolving credit utilization — and lower your credit scores.

On the other hand, installment credit (mortgage, student, auto) utilization doesn’t have nearly the impact — good or bad — that revolving credit utilization has on scores, since this type of utilization is not nearly as significant a risk indicator. And as a result, there’s no need to worry about the impact of a new installment loan balance on credit scores in the same way you should be concerned about new credit card balances.

https://www.myfico.com/crediteducation/new-credit.aspx

Recent Credit History

See a record of Opened Accounts and Hard Inquiries on your credit report over the last 2 years. A consumer that opens a number of credit accounts in a narrow timeframe may be interpreted as experiencing cash flow problems, particularly if utilization of his or her previously existing available credit is very high. In addition, a large number of credit inquiries in a short timeframe may also lower a score. However, multiple inquires for a mortgage or auto loan will be counted as only one inquiry each, enabling consumers to shop for favorable rates without fear of lowering their score. 

Current Balances

Current Balances are your outstanding balances due to creditors. Similar to the utilization issue, credit balances current and past provide insight into issues of financial liquidity and prudent borrowing. Historically maintaining high balances on key credit accounts will likely have a negative impact on a score. 

Depth of Credit

Depth of Credit is the length of time you've had credit. Having a strong, long history of prudent credit use is ideal under any credit scoring model. But as important as it is to have long-term credit relationships, a diverse mix of credit accounts is also beneficial. 

Utilization

Utilization is the percentage of available credit that you've used. Having access to credit is one consideration, and how much of that has been tapped into is another. An individual who has "maxed out" his or her credit cards and/or other lines-of-credit may not be able to obtain any additional credit or credit at the best possible terms. The lack of liquidity may deem these consumers high-risk in the eyes of lenders. 

Available Credit

Available Credit is the unused funds you have readily available. Maintaining low balances on credit cards and open lines-of-credit will be a positive factor in generating a score. The typical benchmark is to keep these balances at or below 30% of the total available credit.

Correcting inaccuracies

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, consumers are protected if there is inaccurate information on their credit reports. If you find inaccurate information on your credit reports, you can contact the associated creditor or lender directly. You can also dispute the inaccuracy with the credit reporting companies.

Negative Records

Late payments create a negative record. Generally, negative records will stay on your report for up to 7 years (up to 10 years for certain bankruptcy information). Positive records can remain on your credit report longer.

retirement

https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/applying2.html
https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/retirechart.html

Here's how it works if your full retirement age is 67.

• If you start your retirement benefits at age 62, your monthly benefit amount is reduced by about 30 percent. The reduction for starting benefits at age
• 63 is about 25 percent;
• 64 is about 20 percent;
• 65 is about 13.3 percent; and
• 66 is about 6.7 percent.

The earliest you can start receiving Social Security retirement benefits will remain age 62. 

Credit Card

https://www.travelwithless.net/single-post/2016/06/03/%E6%9A%91%E5%81%87%E5%9B%9E%E5%9B%BD%E5%93%AA%E5%AE%B6%E7%BE%8E%E5%9B%BD%E4%BF%A1%E7%94%A8%E5%8D%A1%E5%BC%BA%EF%BC%9F

2. Dynamical Currency Conversion

中文翻译是动态货币转换，简称DCC。DCC是一种服务，仅Visa/MasterCard提供，American Express和Discover并没有。这个服务简单来说，就是将消费的当地货币实时转成美金进行扣除。乍一听好像是个很不错的服务，但其实是Visa/MasterCard的赚钱手段，因为这个实时转换汇率通常会比银行的要高不少，一般在3-4%。

 

如何判断被DCC了？刷卡之后的收据上会有这么两个信息：1) 美金结算的价格；2) 类似I declare that I have been offered a choice of payment currencies and my choice is final. I understand that the currency conversion is not provided by VISA这样的话。

 

如何避免被DCC？理论上来说，商家刷卡的时候是应该问你要按什么货币结算的。这个时候一定要说按当地货币（也就是人民币）结算！如果没有被问的话，八成就是直接被DCC了。

 

如果被DCC了怎么办？请记得拒绝签字，要求收银员取消交易，重新刷卡。有的收银员可能业务不熟练，你可以帮帮她。具体的trick就是在输入完消费金额，按确认键之后要立刻再按cancel键，这样就会弹出选择框，是问要人民币还是美金结算了。退一万步说，如果真的当场被DCC了也没有办法取消重刷什么的，保留收据，回来找银行客服撕逼...（以后会分享撕逼的一些技巧..）

3. 出国旅行的时候不要忘记通知银行，设置一个travel notice。异常的消费（比如不熟悉的地区）很容易引发fraud alert，银行直接decline消费，造成不必要的麻烦。

if your card doesn't charge international transaction fees, always pay in the local currency

https://www.creditcardinsider.com/learn/change-credit-card-due-date/
How To Change Your Credit Card Due Date
https://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/paypal-cashback-mastercard-offers-2-percent-cash-back-on-all-purchases.php

PayPal Cashback Mastercard	2% cash back on all purchases	• Unlimited 2% back on general purchases • No annual fee	• No opportunity to earn bonus rewards • Cash back must be redeemed through your PayPal account • No sign-up bonus
Citi Double Cash	2% cash back on all purchases	• Unlimited 2% back on general purchases • No annual fee	• No opportunity to earn bonus rewards • No sign-up bonus • You must pay your bill on time to earn the full 2% cash back rate

https://milecards.com/1588420932/how-to-move-chase-freedom-points-to-your-chase-sapphire-or-spouse-account/

You can’t do that with a Chase Freedom card alone. But if you have a Chase Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve card you’re eligible to do that by transferring your Freedom points into your other card’s Ultimate Rewards account.

As you can see, the PayPal Cashback Mastercard and the Citi Double Cash card earn the highest rate of cash back among these cards. Between the two cards, the Citi Double Cash appears to be the less restrictive option, since you don’t have to have a bank account with Citi to redeem your cash rewards. However – not that we recommend getting a rewards card if you don’t intend to make your payments – keep in mind that you are required to pay your bill on time to earn the full 2 percent cash back with the Citi Double Cash card.

In the short term, a card with a sign-up bonus may be more rewarding. For instance, the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa offers benefits such as a $200 sign-up bonus, 1.8% cash back on Android Pay or Apple Pay purchases for 12 months and up to $600 in cell phone protection. You could easily earn more cash back with the Wells Fargo than the PayPal card in the first year. Additionally, if you plan to carry a balance on your card or transfer a balance from a different card, the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa is your best bet, since you won’t pay interest on purchases or balance transfers for the first 12 months.

https://creditcards.chase.com/a1/sapphire/DualA
3X POINTS ON TRAVEL and dining worldwide —dash 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases
https://creditcards.chase.com/a1/sapphire/reserve

after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening* — that's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®.

$450 annual fee

• Automatically receive up to $300 in statement credits as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year*

• Get 50% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 50,000 points are worth $750 toward travel*
• No blackout dates or travel restrictions — as long as there’s a seat on the flight, you can book it through Chase Ultimate Rewards

• Special benefits during your stay with The Luxury Hotel & Resort CollectionSM*
• Pay no foreign transaction fees

we calculate your interest charges each month using 
the following formula:

1. Divide your interest rate by 365 (days in the year).
2. Multiply this number by the number of days in your 
billing period.
3. Multiply this number by the balance subject to the 
interest rate.
4. Divide this number by 100.

For your reference following is the calculation of the 
interest charged to you :- 
1) Your interest Rate = 15.49 / 365 = 0.0424.
2) Days in your billing period = 30 days *0.0424 = 1.273.
3) Multiply this number by the balance subject to the 
interest rate. -- 1.273 * 17735.03 = 22579.36.
4) Divided this number by 100 ---22579.36. / 100 = 225.79

To calculate the interest on your balance, we start with 
any balance carried over from the previous day and add new
charges or fees then subtract new payments or credits. 
This gives us the daily balance for one day.
Next, we add together the daily balances for all days in 
the billing period and divide this total by the number of 
days in the period. This gives us the interest on the 

balance for the billing period.



You can avoid interest charges by paying the full 
statement balance by the due date. Even if you pay your 
current statement balance in full, you'll be charged 
interest from the date the last statement closed until the

payment for the full balance on the account was received.

Information in regards to your interest free period can be
found in your card member agreement, that came with your
card.

Under "INTEREST RATES AND INTEREST CHARGES" -

How to Avoid Paying Interest on Purchases

Your due date will be a minimum of 21 days after the close
of each billing cycle. We will not charge you interest on
purchases if you pay your entire balance by the due date
each month. We will begin charging interest on balance
transfers and cash advances on the transaction date.

Teacher

https://www.moneycrashers.com/401k-and-403b-q-a/

The basic difference is that a 403b is used by nonprofit companies, religious groups, school districts, and governmental organizations. The law allows these organizations to be exempt from certain administrative processes that apply to 401k plans. In other words, administrative costs for a 403b are lower. This allows organizations with very small budgets to help their employees save for retirement.

The difference in cost between a 401k and a 403b can be either small or substantial. Your cost will be determined by what you invest in, the level of service the management company provides, and who the company is.

For example, a variable annuity in either plan will take a bite out of your earnings, as its associated fees are typically high. That said, 401k administrative costs can be much higher than those of a 403b, regardless of the investment inside. To find out how much you’re paying for your plan’s administration, you’ll probably have to look beyond your statement, as the information usually isn’t visible there.

http://money.cnn.com/retirement/guide/401k_403bplans.moneymag/index2.htm

For the most part, the two types of plans work the same way. While 403(b) plans historically offered more limited investment choices than corporate plans, they’ve recently begun offering a broader array of investment options. And while 401(k)s frequently have vesting schedules spread out over a few years, many 403(b)s vest immediately, or over a shorter period of time than in their cousins in the for-profit world.

http://www.sfusd.edu/en/employment/salary-and-benefits.html

Go to www.403bcompare.com , click on My Employer and choose San Francisco Unified School District to get started. Contact the vendor of your choice to open an account.

https://www.403bcompare.com/ProductCompare

Money

Affidavit of Non-Use

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/online/vrir/vr_sb1500anu

This online service allows you to notify the DMV that the currently registered vehicle is not being operated or parked on any California roadway and the liability coverage has been cancelled to avoid registration suspension

https://ira.empower-retirement.com/preLoginContentLink.do?accu=IRAWR&specificBundle=preLogin&contentUrl=preLogin.IRASolution.fees

Annual administration fee (deducted quarterly)

• $0 if your account balance is more than $30,000

https://www.thezebra.com/insurance-news/759/keep-car-insurance-car-youre-not-driving/

In almost every state, a car must carry the legal minimum insurance if it is registered in that state. So, if you’re truly taking a break from the car in question, you’ll want to cancel your registration, in addition to locking it up in storage and canceling your insurance. But laws on this vary from state to state, so check your individual DMV for more information.

Stock

https://finance.zacks.com/considered-holding-longterm-stocks-1094.html

Holding Period

The IRS classifies capital gains and losses on stock transactions as either long-term or short-term, depending on the length of time you owned the stock prior to the sale. If you owned your stock for one year or less prior to the sale, your gain or loss is short-term. A sales transaction for stock you have held for more than one year will result in a long-term capital gain or loss.

https://money.stackexchange.com/questions/18581/does-it-count-as-long-term-gains-if-you-buy-and-sell-more-shares-of-an-existing

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/understanding-the-wash-sale-rules-2015-03-02

Your anticipated tax loss is disallowed if, within the period beginning 30 days before the date of the loss sale and ending 30 days after that date, you acquire “substantially identical” stocks or securities. For purposes of this article, let’s call them replacement securities.

According to the tax law, your loss transaction and the purchase of the replacement securities are a “wash,” so you shouldn’t be allowed any tax benefits. Please understand, however, that this righteous concept applies only to losses. If you sell for a gain and buy back identical stocks or securities within the above time frame, Uncle Sam is happy to collect his due with no qualms. (Among us tax professionals, this is known as a “heads I win; tails you lose” rule.)

But for the wash sale rules to come into play, the stocks or securities must truly be substantially identical. Stocks or securities issued by one corporation are not considered substantially identical to stocks or securities of another.

What about replacing one S&P 500 index mutual fund with another? Unfortunately, the IRS begs the question by saying only that all circumstances must be considered in evaluating whether stocks or securities are substantially identical. What the heck does that mean? Nobody knows. In my opinion, no mutual fund is substantially identical to another. That said, you should be wary of selling, for example, one S&P 500 index fund for a loss and then buying into another S&P 500 index fund within 30 days.

Also, don’t think you can have your spouse buy identical replacement securities without running afoul of the wash sale rules. Your tax loss is still disallowed. Ditto if your controlled corporation or IRA makes the buy, according to the IRS.

Example 1: Say you purchased 100 shares of XYZ Co. on Dec. 1, 2016, for $2,000. On April 1, 2017, you sell the shares for $1,200, thus incurring an $800 short-term loss. But on April 10, 2017, you have a change of heart and buy back 100 shares for $1,300. Your $800 loss is disallowed, but it gets added to the basis of the replacement shares. So your basis becomes $2,100 ($1,300 plus the $800 disallowed loss). In addition, the holding period for the replacement shares includes the Dec. 2, 2016, through April 1, 2017, holding period of the shares for which the loss was disallowed. When you file your 2017 return, report the wash sale on Part I of Form 8949, which feeds into Schedule D, since it was a short-term transaction (See the Schedule D instructions for full details on reporting wash sales).

Tax

https://www.nerdwallet.com/ask/question/okay-if-only-one-spouse-contributes-to-401k-30528
https://www.blueleaf.com/articles/nest-egg-for-two/

Thanks to the Tax Relief Act of 1997, non-working spouses are able to have their own, separate retirement accounts. Below, we not only explain the income sources your non-working spouse can pull from, but also encourage you to take advantage of the possibilities

https://www.edelmanfinancial.com/education-center/articles/qa-can-spouses-combine-401k-accounts

Retirement accounts must remain solely in each person’s name. The only ways to move money from your account to someone else’s account is to die (leaving the money to your beneficiary) or divorce (giving the money to your ex). Neither of these strategies is desirable.

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/10/20/the-irs-increased-401k-contribution-limits-by-500.html
In 2018, employees who participate in the employer sponsored plan will be able to contribute as much as $18,500 per year, up from $18,000.

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/3951676-can-i-contribute-to-my-ira-if-my-wife-had-a-401k-with-her-employer

https://www.fool.com/knowledge-center/can-married-couples-contribute-to-a-roth-ira-401k.aspx
Married couples often choose to handle their finances jointly. Yet when it comes to retirement accounts such as 401(k)s and Roth IRAs, the federal government insists that each person have his or her own individual account, in his or her own name, rather than having a joint family account
https://www.irs.gov/payments/direct-pay-help

Is there a limit on the frequency of payments I can make with Direct Pay? 
Yes, you can't make more than two Direct Pay payments within a 24-hour period. Please try again after that time period has passed.

https://www.officialpayments.com/fed/hp_faq_irs_mp_p.jsp#5
Tax Type: Annual
Maximum Payment: 2 Per Year

https://taxfoundation.org/2018-tax-brackets/

Table 1. Tax Brackets and Rates, 2018

Rate	For Unmarried Individuals, Taxable Income Over	For Married Individuals Filing Joint Returns, Taxable Income Over	For Heads of Households, Taxable Income Over
10%	$0	$0	$0
12%	$9,525	$19,050	$13,600
22%	$38,700	$77,400	$51,800
24%	$82,500	$165,000	$82,500
32%	$157,500	$315,000	$157,500
35%	$200,000	$400,000	$200,000
37%	$500,000	$600,000	$500,000

Table 2. 2018 Standard Deduction and Personal Exemption

Filing Status	Deduction Amount
Single	$12,000
Married Filing Jointly	$24,000
Head of Household	$18,000

https://www.ftb.ca.gov/online/CCard.shtml
2.3%
https://www.irs.gov/payments/pay-taxes-by-credit-or-debit-card

1.87% fee Minimum fee $2.59

https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/understanding-penalties-and-interest

Failure to pay tax reported on return: Internal Revenue Code §6651(a)(2)

• 0.5% of tax not paid by due date, April 15; 0.25% during approved installment agreement (if return was filed on time, and taxpayer is an individual); 1% if tax is not paid within 10 days of a notice of intent to levy
• Recurring charge on the remaining unpaid tax each month or part of a month following the due date, until the tax is fully paid or until 25% is reached
• Full monthly charge applies, even if the tax is paid before the month ends.

Credit for child and dependent care expenses

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/family/7-requirements-for-the-child-tax-credit/L3wpfbpwQ

1. Family income testThe child tax credit is reduced if your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is above certain amounts, which are determined by your tax-filing status. In 2017, the phase out threshold is $55,000 for married couples filing separately; $75,000 for single, head of household, and qualifying widow or widower filers; and $110,000 for married couples filing jointly. For each $1,000 of income above the threshold, your available child tax credit is reduced by $50.

https://www.kitces.com/blog/401k-loan-interest-to-yourself-opportunity-cost-tax-rules/

A unique feature of a 401(k) loan, though, is that unlike other types of borrowing from a lender, the employee literally borrows their own money out of their own account, such that the borrower’s 401(k) loan repayments of principal and interest really do get paid right back to themselves (into their own 401(k) plan). In other words, even though the stated 401(k) loan interest rate might be 5%, the borrower pays the 5% to themselves, for a net cost of zero! Which means as long as someone can afford the cash flows to make the ongoing 401(k) loan payments without defaulting, a 401(k) loan is effectively a form of “interest-free” loan.

The caveat, though, is that paying yourself 5% loan interest doesn’t actually generate a 5% return, because the borrower that receives the loan interest is also the one paying the loan interest. Which means paying 401(k) loan interest to yourself is really nothing more than a way to transfer money into your 401(k) plan. Except unlike a traditional 401(k) contribution, it’s not even tax deductible! And as long as the loan is in place, the borrower loses the ability to actually invest and grow the money… which means borrowing from a 401(k) plan to pay yourself interest really just results in losing out on any growth whatsoever!

https://www.tax.virginia.gov/penalties-and-interest


https://www.elderlawanswers.com/claiming-a-parent-as-a-dependent-3657

Note: The 2017 Tax Cuts and Job Acteliminates personal and dependent deductions, so starting in 2019, you will no longer be able to claim your parent as a dependent. Instead, you may be able to claim a $500 tax credit for any non-child dependents.

If you cannot claim your parent as a dependent because he or she filed a joint tax return or has a gross income above $4,050 (in 2017) but you have been paying your parent's medical expenses, you may be able to deduct those expenses from your taxes.

https://www.irscalculators.com/irs-interest-rates
https://proconnect.intuit.com/proseries/articles/federal-irs-underpayment-interest-rates/
2018 4% 5%
https://www.hrblock.com/tax-center/irs/refunds-and-payments/cannot-pay-taxes/
https://www.irs.gov/payments/payment-plans-installment-agreements

Current interest rates are 3% per annum and you also will be charged a late payment penalty of ¼% per month. By approving your request, IRS agrees to let you pay the tax you owe in monthly installments instead of immediately paying the amount in full.Jan 29, 2012

https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/credit-cards/paying-taxes-by-credit-card-not-a-good-idea/

When you buy something with a credit card, the merchant pays processing fees to the financial institutions that handle the transaction. But when you put a tax payment on a credit card, the IRS doesn’t pay those processing fees. You do.

To pay federal taxes with a credit card, you have to use one of the IRS’ third-party credit card processors, which charge fees of 1.87% to 2% of the amount you put on the card. If you use software such as TurboTax to file returns and pay taxes online, the fees may be higher.

These fees could eat up your credit card rewards. Most cards offer only a 1% to 1.5% rewards rate for this type of transaction.

The exception: If you put your tax payment on a card with a 2% rewards rate or higher and then pay it off in full on your next statement, your rewards might exceed the fees — but just by a hair.

“Depending on the interest rates on your credit card, you could end up paying a lot,” says Trish Evenstad, president of the Wisconsin Society of Enrolled Agents, a group of tax experts. Her advice to people who can’t pay in full: “Pay as much as you can by the April 18th due date. Then you can set up an installment agreement with the IRS to pay the remaining balance.”

For 2017, it costs $31 for qualified taxpayers to set up an installment agreement online and pay via direct debit from a checking account, according to the IRS website. That’s in addition to 4% annual interest on unpaid federal taxes and a penalty of 0.25% of the outstanding balance for each month the agreement is in effect. That works out to an annual percentage rate of about 7%.

The exception: Paying with a 0% APR credit card could be more cost-effective than setting up an installment agreement, if you can pay off your balance before the promotional period ends.

Put enough into 401k
https://finance.zacks.com/stock-commissions-paid-tax-deductible-irs-filing-8230.html

Commissions and Cost Bases

When you buy and sell stock, your profits are subject to capital gains tax. The Internal Revenue Service doesn't define profit as the difference between your buying price and your selling price, though. Your profit is calculated based on your net price, so if you buy stock for $2,000 and sell it for $3,000, but pay separate $50 commissions for both the purchase and the sale, your taxable profit is $900. Reducing your profit by $100 reduces your total capital gains tax liability.

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/fun-facts/9-things-you-didnt-know-were-tax-deductions/L6M1dynSH

Losing your job is traumatic, and the cost of finding a new one can be high. But if you’re looking for a job in the same field, you itemize your deductions, and these expenses exceed 2 percent of your adjusted gross income, any qualifying expenses over that threshold can be deducted. It may seem like a high bar, but those costs add up quickly—consider deducting the mileage you put on your car driving to interviews and the cost of printing resumes.

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/fun-facts/the-10-most-overlooked-tax-deductions/L2WjmvZAH

6. Child and Dependent Care Tax Credit

A tax credit is so much better than a tax deduction—it reduces your tax bill dollar for dollar. So missing one is even more painful than missing a deduction that simply reduces the amount of income that’s subject to tax.

But it’s easy to overlook the child and dependent care credit if you pay your child care bills through a reimbursement account at work. Until a few years ago, the child care credit applied to no more than $4,800 of qualifying expenses. The law allows you to run up to $5,000 of such expenses through a tax-favored reimbursement account at work.

Now, however, up to $6,000 can qualify for the credit, but the old $5,000 limit still applies to reimbursement accounts. So if you run the maximum $5,000 through a plan at work but spend more for work-related child care, you can claim the credit on up to an extra $1,000. That would cut your tax bill by at least $200.

9. Refinancing mortgage points

When you buy a house, you get to deduct points paid to obtain your mortgage all at one time. When you refinance a mortgage, however, you have to deduct the points over the life of the loan. That means you can deduct 1/30th of the points a year if it’s a 30-year mortgage—that’s $33 a year for each $1,000 of points you paid. Doesn't seem like much, but why throw it away?

Also, in the year you pay off the loan—because you sell the house or refinance again—you get to deduct all the points not yet deducted, unless you refinance with the same lender.

http://posts.careerengine.us/p/5a663edd5f75e01ef4f29d1f

10. 车辆相关法定费用

各州规定各有所异，例如在加州，牌照税 (vehicle license fee)是可以在列举扣除中扣抵，但注册费(registration fee)、weight fee、air quality fee则不可扣减。

http://www.jamesdance.com/deductions.htm

Other Expenses

• Casualty and theft Losses
• Investment expenses:
       Fees for tax return preparation
       Investment counsel and advisory fees
       Certain legal fees
       Safe deposit box rental
       Interest on margin accounts

Interest You Paid

• Mortgage interest
• Late payment charge on mortgage payment
• Mortgage prepayment penalties
• Points on principal residence financing
• Mortgage insurance premiums

Employees (Form 2106):
Includes expenses for your job for which you weren’t reimbursed, but you only get the amount in excess of 2% of your AGI (adjusted gross income), and only if you can itemize.  For instance, if your AGI is $100,000, you must have at least $2,000 in employee business expenses/miscellaneous expenses before you will begin to benefit from the deduction. 

Education and Research

• Educational expenses related to your present work that maintains or improves your skills.
• Research expenses

Equipment and Supplies

• Business use of computer.  Employees:  Must be for the convenience of your employer and required as a condition of your employment.
• Supplies and tools you use in your work

Meals and Entertainment

• Meals and entertaining costs with a clear business purpose (i.e., meeting with clients) (only 50% of the cost is deductible).  Keep a record of the date, place, amount of expenses, people present, business purpose, and business discussed.  Also keep receipts for expenses in excess of $75.
• For more information, see IRS Publication 463

 Telephone Charges

• Business use of cellular phone. 
• Cost of long-distance business calls charged to home phone
• Separate business telephone (home phone line is not deductible)

Uniforms and Gear

• Protective clothing and gear
• Uniforms (except if you’re full-time active duty in the armed forces)
• Dry cleaning costs for your uniforms or protective clothing (not for your everyday clothing, though)
• Specialized clothing designed for your job, as long as it's not suitable for everyday wear
• Safety equipment, such as hard hats, safety glasses, safety boots, and gloves

Miscellaneous

• Gifts, but only up to $25 per recipient
• Passport if needed for business travel
• Postage
• Office supplies
• Printing and copying
• Legal and professional services (tax preparation fee)

https://turbotax.intuit.com/tax-tips/family/guide-to-filing-taxes-as-head-of-household/L4Nx6DYu9

The head of household status can lead to a lower taxable income and greater potential refund than the single filing status, but to qualify, you must meet certain criteria. To file as head of household, you must:

• Pay for more than half of the household expenses
• Be considered unmarried for the tax year, and
• You must have a qualifying child or dependent.