6 Quirky Tax Breaks You Probably Didn't Know Existed, From Breast Implants to Babysitters April 18 is the last day to submit individual income tax returns.
By Emily Rella
Opinions expressed by BIZ Experiences contributors are their own.
April 18 is Tax Day, the last day that tax returns for individual income can be submitted to the federal government, with many celebrating money earned back or lamenting the money that they still owe.
Everyone has that one friend or family member who always seems to manage to find the most bizarre or out-of-the-box loopholes to get money back when it comes to filing taxes.
Tax deductions and filings can be extremely nuanced and specific, and many can miss out on potential money in the bank by overlooking deductions that they might qualify for.
Related: 5 Last-minute (No Judgement) Tax Tips
Though not everything we purchase or participate in qualifies as deductible in the eyes of the IRS (sorry, but that all-inclusive trip to Cancun doesn't necessarily cut it as a medical expense for your mental health), some odd expenses actually do.
From funky wigs to paying for supplies to help teach your students, here are six quirky tax breaks that you might not have even known you were eligible for.
Pet Moving Expenses
No furry friend left behind! If you are being forced to relocate based on your job — whether it's a new role or a new location of your current one — the cost of transporting your pets is considered the same as transporting other personal belongings. From toys to food supplies to crates, cages and all the sorts, moving animals can be an expensive feat. This is also applicable to active military members.
Breast Augmentation
Your boob job may be tax deductible, but not for the reasons that you think! If you received a breast augmentation for medical purposes (aka if you receive a mastectomy and then have a reconstructive augmentation thereafter) the surgery is tax deductible if you can argue it was on the grounds of health and safety. But if the cosmetic procedure was performed purely for aesthetic purposes, you're out of luck there.
Wigs
Similar to breast augmentations, if you purchase a wig and wear it on the grounds of a medical condition (such as hair loss as a result of chemotherapy or alopecia), you can file it as a medical expense. Again, just like the breast augmentation situation, wigs used for fun are not covered.
Related: Handle Tax Season Yourself This Year
Babysitter
If you're hiring a babysitter to help take care of your young ones, you might be able to deduct that cost. If you are paying for a babysitter for up to two children up to age 13 or a disabled dependent and the care is taking place while you are at work, that cost could be tax deductible. But if you're paying your neighbor down the block to watch your kids while you go out for a night on the town, you, unfortunately, will not be getting any money back.
School Supplies
School supplies are always in high demand for teachers across the country, and many of them are necessary for students to fully learn and experience their curriculums fully. But if you're a qualified K-12 teacher, you may be eligible to deduct a portion of your school supply costs for the year. Education is power, and it seems as though the IRS agrees.
Out-of-Pocket Charitable Gifts
Making cookies for the neighborhood fundraiser down the street? You might be eligible to deduct the cost of everything it took to make those cookies, from the flour and butter to the container in which you carried them. This differs from charitable donations and gifts, which are also tax deductible.
