<prompt> Human: Im always done my taxes online via HR Block - its pretty simple - yet this year Ive considered going to a professional.I recently bought my home and between the points paid and the interest - it was over 9,000 I paid into my first home that I can claim.The standard deduction is 12,000. I really wanted to be able to claimdeduct that money that was paid. Yet, I really dont have any more deductions, that I know of.Is the return that much greater from 12,000 to 12,001?  <response>: No. 12000 vs 12001 is no different. For most people, its a difference of 15 to 30 cents. The itemizing is not some magically lower tax rate, its just a way to claim all of your deductions. 12000 vs 12001 is just 1 less dollar of taxable income. For most people there arent a huge amount of ways to get itemiziable deductions. Charity is one, but it doesnt really save you money. It just lets you get a little of that money back. The big ones for most people are Mortgage interest, Property Taxes, State Income taxes and or state sales tax. If you dont have more than the standard, then you dont have more. The people who really win are the ones with very little deductible expenses that still get the huge standard deduction. 