If it’s been a bad year, you may be able to salvage something when you finish your income taxes over the next couple weeks. As the deadline approaches, Caroline Gorman at the Insurance Information Institute says there are some losses you can deduct. It’s called a “casualty loss,” if you had damage from a fire, tornado, or some other incident that damaged your home and you didn’t have enough insurance to cover it all, you can deduct some of your loss. It won’t make up for your loss, but she says every bit you can deduct at least helps. Gorman says it must have been an unexpected event, like a windstorm, fire, flood or vandalism. She adds you should talk with your tax preparer to make sure you qualify to deduct some of your loss. She says many people are finding they now have a larger share to pay before their insurance kicks in. For example, you may have a deductible as high as a thousand dollars on your car or house. Taking a deduction could recap some of that deductible you’ve paid, which would be a help. Doctor bills sometimes can be deducted, especially if they qualify as “catastrophic medical expenses.” The Insurance Information Institute offers news for consumers and a referral to insurance companies in your state. www.iii.org
