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You may itemize deductions or claim the Iowa standard deduction, whichever is larger. You may itemize deductions on your Iowa return even if you did not itemize deductions on your federal return.
Standard Deduction
If you use the Iowa standard deduction check the standard box on line 37 and enter your standard deduction.
- $1,900 for filing statuses 1, 3, and 4
- $4,670 for filing statuses 2, 5, and 6
Itemized Deduction
If you itemize, complete the Iowa Schedule A, check the itemized box on line 37 and enter your total itemized deduction. Include your Iowa Schedule A with your return. The federal Schedule A cannot be used with the Iowa return.
General Instructions
Iowa follows federal guidelines for Schedule A itemized deductions with certain exceptions.
To complete the Iowa Schedule A (pdf), refer to the federal 1040 instruction booklet.
Medical, Dental, and Insurance Expenses
Health insurance premiums, line 1:
100% of the amount paid for health insurance premiums is deductible on line 18 of the IA 1040. It may be to your advantage to take this deduction on line 18 instead of Schedule A. If health insurance premiums were used as a deduction on line 18, they cannot be used on Schedule A.
Schedule A, line 2:
Certain itemized deductions are allowed only to the extent that the deductions exceed a percentage of federal adjusted gross income. These include medical and dental expenses that exceed 10% (or 7.5% if taxpayer or spouse is 65 or older) of federal adjusted gross income. The federal adjusted gross income used to determine these deductions is the taxpayer's federal adjusted gross income plus any bonus depreciation / section 179 adjustment from line 14 of the IA 1040.
Other state and local income taxes
Iowa state income tax is not deductible on the Iowa return. The School District Surtax and the Emergency Medical Services Surtax are deductible on the Iowa return.
State Sales/Use Tax
The itemized deduction for state sales and use tax is allowed on the Iowa Schedule A.
If a taxpayer claimed an itemized deduction for state sales and use tax paid on the Federal return, the taxpayer must claim the itemized deduction for state sales and use tax paid on the Iowa return. The school district surtax or EMS surtax is not deductible on Schedule A if the taxpayer is using the state sales and use tax paid as an itemized deduction.
If a taxpayer claimed state income taxes as an itemized deduction on the Federal return, or claimed the standard deduction on the Federal return, the taxpayer cannot claim an itemized deduction for state sales and use tax paid on the Iowa return.
Vehicle Registration Fee Deduction and Worksheet
If you itemize deductions, a portion of the automobile or multipurpose vehicle annual registration fee you paid in 2013 may be deducted as personal property tax on your Iowa Schedule A, line 6, and federal Schedule A, line 8.
This deduction is for annual registration fees paid based on the value of qualifying automobiles and multipurpose vehicles. Multipurpose vehicles are defined as motor vehicles designed to carry not more than 10 people, and constructed either on a truck chassis or with special features for occasional off-road operation [Iowa Code section 321.1(44)].
Annual registration fees on the following vehicles are not deductible: pickups (model year 2009 or older), motor trucks, work vans, ambulances, hearses, non-passenger-carrying vans, campers, motorcycles, or motor bikes.
Newer Vehicles:
Use the following worksheet to calculate the deductible amount of annual registration fees paid in 2013 for qualifying automobiles (model year 2003 or newer), pickups (model year 2010 or newer),* and multipurpose vehicles (model year 1993 or newer).
* For tax years 2008 and earlier, pickup truck registration fees could not be taken as an itemized deduction, because the fees were structured as a flat fee and were not based on value. However, beginning with the 2009 tax year, there was a change in the registration fee structure for pickups.
More specifically, only 2010 and newer trucks that weigh in at 10,000 pounds or less when empty are registered based on weight, list price, and model year. All other trucks are still subject to a registration fee based on weight. Consequently, certain 2010 model year and newer trucks may use the Vehicle Registration Deduction Worksheet.
| 1. Enter the actual annual registration fee paid. | 1. | |
| 2. Take the weight of your automobile and divide it by 250. The weight is found on your automobile registration certificate. | 2. | |
| 3. Subtract line 2 from line 1. This is the deductible amount for line 37. | 3. |
Example
Malia purchased an automobile from Jennifer.
The actual fee Malia paid to register the automobile at the courthouse was $150.
The weight of the automobile is 3,000 pounds.
The deductible amount is calculated as follows:
| 1. Enter the actual annual registration fee paid. | 1. | 150 |
| 2. Take the weight of your automobile and divide it by 250. The weight is found on your automobile registration certificate. | 2. | 12 |
| 3. Subtract line 2 from line 1. This is the deductible amount. | 3. | 138 |
Older Vehicles:
For qualifying automobiles (model year 2002 or older) and multipurpose vehicles (model year 1992 or older) the deductible amount is 60% of the annual registration fees paid in 2013.
Qualified Mortgage Insurance Premiums
Line 11 of the Iowa Schedule A has the same deduction for qualified mortgage insurance premiums as taken on the federal Schedule A.
Job Expenses and Miscellaneous Deductions
Certain job expenses and miscellaneous deductions are allowed to the extent the deductions are greater than 2% of the taxpayer's federal adjusted gross income.
The federal adjusted gross income used to determine these deductions is the taxpayer's federal adjusted gross income plus any bonus depreciation / section 179 adjustment from line 14 of the IA 1040.
Other deductions
Enter the total of all other deductions on line 27 of the Iowa Schedule A.
a. Expenses Incurred for Care of a Disabled Relative
Expenses, not to exceed $5,000, incurred in caring for a disabled relative in your home may be deducted.
Disabled Relative Qualifications
The expenses which may be claimed are those for the care of a person who is your grandchild, child, parent, or grandparent.
The disabled person must be unable, by reason of physical or mental disability, to live independently and must be receiving or be eligible to receive medical assistance benefits under Title XIX of the U.S. Social Security Act.
A statement from a qualified physician certifying that the person with the disability is unable to live independently must be submitted with the return the first year a deduction is taken and every third year thereafter.
Qualifying Items
Qualifying items are those that are not reimbursed. Items may include food, clothing, medical expenses not otherwise deductible, and transportation for medical reasons. See IRS guidelines for medical mileage rate.
An itemized schedule of expenses must be included with the return.
Non-Qualifying Items
Expenses not directly attributable to the care of the relative, such as rent, mortgage payments, interest, utilities, house insurance, and taxes cannot be included.
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Married Separate Filers: The total deduction claimed by both spouses for each relative with a disability may not exceed $5,000. |
b. Adoption Expenses
If you adopted a child during the tax year, you may be eligible for an additional itemized deduction for a portion of the adoption expenses paid in 2013. Expenses include medical costs relating to the child's birth, any necessary fees, and all other costs connected with the adoption procedure. Attach a separate schedule listing the adoption expenses.
Subtract 3% of your total Iowa net income entered on line 26 from the total of qualifying adoption expense. If married, 3% of the combined net income must be subtracted. Only the amount which exceeds 3% of your total Iowa net income may be deducted.
This deduction is taken in the year that the expenses are paid even if the child is not placed in your home during that year or if the adoption does not occur.
c. Mileage Deduction Charitable Purposes
Iowa allows you an additional deduction for automobile mileage driven for charitable organizations. Calculate the deduction as follows:
- Number of miles x 39¢ / mile
- Less charitable mileage deduction already claimed on the Iowa Schedule A
- Equals additional mileage deduction for charitable purposes
Exceptions to Federal Schedule A
Federal bonus depreciation
If itemizing, taxpayers that have adjustments for federal bonus depreciation on form IA 4562A must complete the Iowa Schedule A rather than using a copy of the federal Schedule A.
Health insurance premiums
100% of the amount paid for health insurance premiums is deductible on line 18 of the IA 1040. It may be to your advantage to take this deduction on line 18 instead of Schedule A. Schedule A may not contain any health insurance premiums which were used as a deduction on line 18.
Injured Veterans Grant Program contributions
These contributions do not qualify as itemized deductions.
Charitable Conservation Contribution Tax Credit
Do not include as an itemized deduction any contributions for which a credit is claimed on line 50 of the IA 1040.
Mortgage Interest Credit Deduction
Taxpayers with the mortgage interest credit can claim on their Iowa return a deduction on line 9b of Schedule A for all mortgage interest paid in the tax year and not just the mortgage interest that was deducted on the federal Schedule A.
School Tuition Organization Contributions
Do not include as an itemized deduction any contributions for which a credit is claimed on line 50 of the IA 1040.
Endow Iowa Tax Credit Contributions
Do not include as an itemized deduction any contributions for which a credit is claimed on line 50 of the IA 1040
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Married Separate Filers: If one spouse uses the itemized deduction, then both spouses must use the itemized deduction, even if separate Iowa returns are filed. Itemized deductions must be divided between spouses in the ratio of their respective net incomes. |