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Tax filing in 2014: 7 new rules and 9 wacky deductions

Tax filing season is here, so it's time to ensure you're ready to get the most out of your filing. Read on for new rules for 2014, plus several surprising deductions.

7. Working from home

Fabrizio Bensch/Reuters
A woman and her dog walk along trees during a sunny autumn day in a park at Berlin's Wilmersdorf district Nov. 7, 2011. Even when working from home, it's important to take scheduled breaks.

This is a type of deduction that was simplified for 2014. Until this year, at-home workers had to itemize expenses for a home office, but now they can take a standard deduction of $5 per square foot of a home used as an office, up to 300 square feet. The maximum deduction under the new rule is $1,500. 

Furthermore, 'working from home' doubles as a transition to the second part of our list: weird deductions you may not know you can take. Working from home is a luxury many aspire to if only for the convenience of never having to take off your pajamas, but it can have financial benefits as well.

If your home is your principal place of business and where you regularly meet with clients, you may qualify for a tax break. The amount you can deduct depends on what percent of your home you use, and there are special rules for daycare providers and people who use their home for storage. Regardless, it’s worth it to take a look (from the comfort of your couch, of course). 

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Mark Sappenfield
Editor

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