关于提交所得税申报表最常见的误解之一是扣除和抵免的区别. 扣除额减少了纳税人计算税前收入的数额. For example, on your individual return, 你可以选择标准扣除额或逐项扣除额, if it will reduce your taxable income more. Credits, on the other hand, reduce the actual tax due, dollar-for-dollar, 通常使它们比扣除更有价值.
For example, the tax savings from a $1,000 deduction would depend on your tax bracket; it would save you $150 if you’re in the 15% tax bracket but it would save you $350 if you’re in the 35% tax bracket. 另一方面，无论你的纳税等级如何，1000美元的抵免将为你节省1000美元的税款. (这些例子假设没有以收入为基础的逐步淘汰或限制适用于扣除或抵免.)
一些抵免，如儿童税收抵免，是部分或全部退还的. 这意味着如果纳税人的纳税义务少于抵免的金额, 纳税人可能会收到差额作为退款.
