Claim the write-offs The standard deduction for joint filers is $10,700 for the 2007 tax year. If your deductible expenses exceed that amount, itemizing makes sense.
Use a tax prep program Invest in software like TurboTax or TaxCut ($35 to $50), which will ferret out every deduction you're entitled to - at a fraction of the price an accountant would charge for the same service.
Save your receipts One of the reasons you probably missed deductions: lost records. Get a head start on 2008 by creating a file where you toss any document you get this year that might be useful at tax time.
