The four most common payroll tax deductions in the U.S. are federal income tax, State income tax, FICA tax (Social Security and Medicare), and wage garnishments. These mandatory withholdings are legally required to be deducted from an employee's paycheck and submitted to government agencies.
Common examples include Roth IRA retirement plans, disability insurance, union dues, donations to charity and wage garnishments.
20 Common Tax Deductions: Examples for Your Next Tax Return
Mandatory payroll deductions are amounts employers must withhold from employee paychecks by law, regardless of employee preference. The most common mandatory withholdings include federal and state income taxes, Social Security and Medicare contributions, and, where applicable, court-ordered wage garnishments.
The most common itemized deductions are those for state and local taxes, mortgage interest, charitable contributions, and medical and dental expenses.
What does the IRS allow you to deduct (or “write off”) without receipts?
The biggest tax mistakes people make include filing late, math errors, incorrect personal info (like Social Security numbers), forgetting deductions/credits (like EITC), misreporting income, not signing forms, and making errors with bank details for direct deposit, all leading to delays, penalties, or missed savings, with using tax software or professionals helping avoid these common pitfalls.
You can write off common expenses like student loan interest, retirement contributions (IRA/401k), self-employed health insurance, and business-related costs (home office, mileage, supplies) if you're an employee or self-employed, but itemizing deductions for things like medical expenses (over 7.5% AGI), mortgage interest, and charitable donations only pays off if it exceeds the Standard Deduction. Self-employed individuals have many more write-offs, including professional dues, business meals, and equipment, but always keep meticulous records.
You can deduct these expenses whether you take the standard deduction or itemize:
Legally mandated involuntary deductions are sometimes referred to as garnishments. They may be required to pay unpaid taxes, child support orders, creditors, bankruptcy orders and unpaid student loans. In general, an involuntary deduction amount is calculated against an individual's disposable earnings.
Know Income Tax Exemptions and Deductions for Salaried Employees
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The "$1000 instant tax deduction" refers to a proposed Australian tax policy, specifically from the Albanese Labor government in 2025, allowing eligible workers to claim a flat $1,000 deduction for work-related expenses without needing receipts, simplifying tax returns for those with lower expenses but potentially costing those with higher expenses, starting from 1 July 2026. It's an option to replace itemised work-related deductions, not an extra refund, and doesn't affect non-work-related deductions like charity.
The IRS allows taxpayers to deduct up to $3,000 of realized investment losses ($1,500 if married filing separately) against ordinary income each year. This deduction applies only to losses in taxable investment accounts and must be realized by December 31st to count for that tax year.
Miscellaneous itemized deductions are those deductions that would have been subject to the 2%-of-adjusted-gross-income (AGI) limitation. You can still claim certain expenses as itemized deductions on Schedule A (Form 1040), Schedule A (1040-NR), or as an adjustment to income on Form 1040 or 1040-SR.
Allowable expenses include your basic office costs such as stationery and the bills you pay on your business phone. Travel costs and staff salaries are also included, as is the cost of a uniform or other appropriate clothing (for example, if you work in a skilled or manual trade).