Non-Deductible Expenses: Deductions & Credits You Can’t Claim On Your Taxes

Tax deductions and credits are benefits you’re likely looking forward to taking advantage of. But before you start writing off expenses, it’s important to know what does and doesn’t qualify. For example, while you might be able to deduct the furniture you donated, you can’t write off the time you spent volunteering.

As you prepare to file your taxes, use this guide to help you determine what you can’t claim, as well as some recent tax policy changes that might impact which deductions and credits you include on your taxes this year.

Key Takeaways

• Not all expenses can be claimed on your tax return. For example, you can no longer write off clothing you buy for work.
• To claim charitable donations, contributions must be made to a 501(c)(3) organization.
• What is and isn’t deductible may change with updates to tax policy, so it’s important to stay informed of the latest tax news.
• You won’t itemize if you don’t have more eligible expenses than the standard deduction for your filing status.

1. Work clothes 

You’ve started a new office job and purchased a suit, and it might seem like this is an obvious and valid tax deduction. But according to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), it’s not.

If your work clothes can double as street or evening clothes, then it’s not deductible. Even if your office job requires you to wear a suit every day to work, you wouldn’t be able to deduct the cost of the suit because you could wear the suit to a wedding, out to dinner, or on other occasions that don’t relate to your job.

You were able to deduct some clothes that are mandatory for work(think uniforms) as an unreimbursed employee deduction if you were able to itemize; however, under tax reform, that deduction went away.

Having said that, if you’re self-employed and pay for uniforms to wear to work, then you can deduct your uniform expenses.

2. Plastic surgery 

Plastic and cosmetic surgeries typically come with lots of out-of-pocket costs and are generally not covered by health insurance, and aren’t tax-deductible. Facelifts, Botox, hair removal (electrolysis), liposuction, and other procedures to improve your appearance are not considered deductible medical expenses on your tax return.

However, if your doctor prescribes rhinoplasty (a nose job) to correct respiratory issues, then it could be a deductible medical expense. The IRS will allow you to include cosmetic surgery as a qualified medical expense if it’s necessary to improve a deformity from (or directly related to) a congenital abnormality, an injury from an accident or trauma, or a disfiguring disease.

Keep in mind that you may only deduct unreimbursed medical expenses that exceed 7.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI), and you have to be able to itemize your deductions. For example, if your adjusted gross income is $50,000, then you can deduct expenses that exceed $3,750 ($50,000 x 7.5%) as long as you’re using itemized deductions in place of the standard deduction.

3. Time spent as a volunteer

The saying ‘time is money’ doesn’t apply here. Even if you volunteer to provide professional services for free, you can’t claim a tax deduction for the value of your time spent as a volunteer. Despite how valuable your time may be, the IRS will not allow it.

It’s possible to get a deduction for miles driven directly related to your volunteering. You can take a charitable deduction for the miles you drive while volunteering with a qualified organization. The charitable mileage rate is 14 cents per mile for 2024 and 2025.

4. Child support payments 

Unfortunately, for those who are paying child support payments, the IRS does not allow you to deduct those payments from your income on your tax return. The payments are not considered taxable income to the parent receiving the payments either. 

5. Family pet 

Generally, the IRS does not offer a deduction for spending on your pet and considers the money spent the same as personal spending. Despite how much money you spend on your furbaby each year, you also can’t claim your pet as a dependent.

If you have a disability or are hearing or visually impaired, and your pet is a recognized service animal as defined by the ADA, then you could deduct associated costs for owning and taking care of your service animal. Some of those deductible expenses could include buying, training, grooming, and veterinary care for that service animal, but not if the animal is your family pet or an emotional support animal. The expenses are deductible as qualified medical expenses, and the 7.5% of adjusted gross income rule mentioned above applies. You must itemize to get the benefit of this deduction.

If your pet is making money as an influencer, the IRS could view your pet’s influencer work as your self-employed business if your pet is earning an income for you on a regular basis. In some cases, your pet expenses directly related to your pet making money would be considered business expenses and could be offset against your pet’s earnings.

6. Sleep away camp

You have heard that you can claim a tax credit for the expenses that you spent on summer camp for your kids while you worked. And while that is true, before you agree to pay for weeks away in the mountains this summer for a sleep-away camp or overnight program for your child, know that you won’t garner a tax deduction that way.

Summer day camps will qualify for the Child and Dependent Care Credit as long as your child is under the age of 13 at the end of the tax year (no age limit if they are disabled) and you’re sending your child to camp so you can work or attend school full-time.  However, sleep-away camp doesn’t count for purposes of this credit.

7. Pool

Adding a pool to your home is no small project and is likely a big financial undertaking. While it may add to the value of your home, it won’t amount to a tax deduction. However, if the addition of your pool was prescribed by a doctor as medically necessary, then you may be able to claim a deduction as a medical home improvement. If the addition of the pool increases the value of your home, only the excess of cost over the increase in value is deductible. For example, if the pool costs $50,000 but increases the fair market value of your home by $30,000, only $20,000 of the cost is deductible as a qualified medical expense.

8. Donations to non-qualified organizations 

You must give donations to a registered non-profit organization (not an individual) that operates as a true charity to take a tax deduction for the donation. While it’s still rewarding to help someone in need, it’s important to note that donations made via crowdfunding sites to individuals who are not recognized as a 501(c)(3) organization are not eligible to receive a tax deduction.

Though giving money to your candidate of choice is a great way to get involved in civic discourse, donations to political candidates are also not tax-deductible. There are many reasons why you might contribute to an organization outside of the tax benefits, but only donations to qualified 501(c)(3) organizations are eligible to receive a tax deduction.

If you have qualified donations you can deduct, starting in 2026, you no longer need to itemize your deductions in order to claim a portion of these write-offs. Your donation deduction will be limited to $1,000 (for single filers) and $2,000 (for those who are married filing jointly). This tax policy change was recently established by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). For itemizers, starting in 2026 there are new “floors” and “ceilings” related to your charitable donations, which can limit the benefits for some taxpayers.

Planning for tax write-offs

While claiming credits is fairly straightforward–you either qualify or you don’t–whether or not you deduct certain expenses requires you to first determine whether you’re taking the standard or itemized deduction.

The rule of thumb is that if all of your eligible expenses add up to more than the standard deduction, you’ll itemize. Otherwise, you’ll claim the standard deduction that corresponds to your filing status.

The standard deduction remains higher now that the OBBBA has passed. For 2025, the standard deduction is:

• $15,750 for single filers
• $15,750 for married, filing separately
• $23,625 for heads of households
• $31,500 for married, filing jointly

If you’re itemizing, your deductions will be subtracted from your taxable income on your return.

Need more guidance?

Don’t worry about figuring out what you can deduct and what you cannot deduct.

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