Consider Itemizing Your Telephone Tax Refund

Reader Marie writes:

I found out about the telephone tax refund available on this years tax returns via Consumerist. Would you please encourage your readers to itemize their excise tax charges instead of taking the standard refund amount?

My family takes 3 exemptions, so our standard, no-questions-asked telephone tax refund is $50. The maximum standard refund, for families with 4 or more exemptions, is $60.

I just itemized my actual taxes paid using form 8913. Between our bundled long distance service land line, our two cell phones, and the interest owed us, we’re getting 106.15 back.

Please let everyone know about this. We certainly aren’t the only family of 3 who had a land line and two cell phone from March 2003 through July 2006.

Sure thing, Marie. Everyone, if you’ve got a bunch of phone lines, you might want to look into this option.—MEGHANN MARCO

2006 Form 8913 [PDF] [IRS]
(Photo: griff le riff)

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