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An itemized deduction is an expense that can be subtracted from your adjusted gross income (AGI) to reduce your taxable income and lower the amount of taxes you owe.

You might have to spend more time on your tax return. If you itemize, you'll need to set aside extra time when preparing your returns to fill out the big enchilada of tax forms: the Form 1040 and Schedule A, as well as the supporting schedules that feed into those forms. You need proof.

If you own a home and the total of your mortgage interest, points, mortgage insurance premiums, and real estate taxes are greater than the standard deduction, you might benefit from itemizing.

If your expenses throughout the year were more than the value of the standard deduction, itemizing is a useful strategy to maximize your tax benefits. Keep in mind that not all expenses qualify when you itemize. Itemized deductions include products, services, or contributions that have been approved by the IRS.

?If I know a [single] taxpayer is guaranteed to have at least $10,000 [in deductions tied to state and local taxes], then I only need another $2,200 of other types of itemized deductions to get above the standard deduction,? he says.

The standard deduction is the better deal for most taxpayers and will result in a lower tax bill. However, if you had a certain life event or unexpected expense occur in 2022, such as a large medical bill or purchasing a home, itemizing your deductions instead could save you more money.

Itemized deductions, subject to certain dollar limitations, include amounts you paid, during the taxable year, for state and local income or sales taxes, real property taxes, personal property taxes, mortgage interest, disaster losses, gifts to charities, and part of the amount you paid for medical and dental expenses.

It takes more paperwork and effort to itemize. Depending on how good your records are and the amount of your deductions, this time-consuming process might not reduce your taxable income enough to make it worth the effort.