3 Ways I Made My Tax Return Bigger Throughout The Year
Sure, we all have to be responsible citizens and pay our taxes, but why not try to get some of your hard-earned money back? These hacks are legit and legal, not to mention tried and true by yours truly.
The summer before I entered college, I went to Europe for six weeks. At one point in the trip, I volunteered for almost two weeks at a handicapped pilgrim site in Lourdes, France, in the Pyrenees Mountains. There I met countless people from different countries all around the world, and some had come with their families on their vacation as they had done for a few years running. These families, I found out, would come every summer to vacation at this spot, volunteer for part of the day, then the rest of the time they would take day trips, go sightseeing or hiking, and at night they’d explore restaurants and meet up for coffee and dessert with their friends. But, because the majority of the time was technically serving as volunteers at a charity organization, they wrote the whole trip off their taxes. It was a light bulb moment for me!
It’s all about the write-off and figuring out what you can legitimately take off your taxes. Now, if you’re a student of any sort, that helps you out somewhat. But there are three distinct categories of tax write-offs that I’ve learned and done myself, specifically last year, and let’s just say, they work. My tax return last spring was my best yet because I incorporated all three of these hacks.
*Disclaimer: Check with your state and country tax laws to see what applies to you.*
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Volunteer & Write Off
Many people don’t know this, but, just like in the opening story, you can actually go to a destination and volunteer for a charity organization or non-profit and then write the trip and its expenses off as a donation! The majority of the trip just has to be for the volunteer activity. Even if you pay for a flight to visit family or go to a wedding or go on vacation, you can volunteer at a soup kitchen, Habitat for Humanity, or a homeless shelter at some point. Just be sure to get an official receipt or written communication confirming your service.