There is at least a little relief from those often-dreaded taxes. Lawrence County Treasurer Stephen Dale Burcham said late last week a new Internal Revenue Service (IRS) provision will allow home owners to claim a portion of their real estate taxes as a deduction on their federal income tax forms when they file next year, even if they do not file an itemized income tax form.

Burcham said in the past, only those who filed an itemized, or “long” form, was allowed to claim the deduction. The new provision will allow those who file the “short,” or non-itemized forms, such as Form 1040A or 1040 EZ, to also claim the deduction.

Single filers may claim up to $500 and those married and filing jointly may claim up to $1,000, depending on the amount of taxes paid.

“We’re trying to get the word out to people so that when they get ready to prepare their taxes, they will know and if they have not yet paid their real estate taxes, they will do so,” Burcham said.

Burcham said anyone who is unsure how much they have paid in taxes may call his office and get that information. The treasurer’s office telephone number is 533-4304 or 533-4305.