Monday 15, 2010
Taxpayers who take the standard deduction in lieu of itemizing their deductions for their 2009 returns are eligible to take an additional standard deduction for property taxes paid in 2009. This additional deduction is equal to the lesser of the amount actually paid for real estate taxes or $500 for single taxpayers or $1,000 for couples filing jointly.
Also, if you bought a new vehicle in 2009 after February 16th, you can deduct the amount of sales and excise tax on the first $49,500 of the purchase price, even if you do not itemize. This deduction is phased out for higher income individuals ($125,000 for single and $250,000 for joint filers)