Actually, most people who don't have mortgage interest which is generally the single item capable in getting them in a situation of itemizing deductions as opposed to the flat standard deduction you are granted if you do not file Sch A may well be better off NOT intemizing. For example this year for a married filing jointly couple gets about $9500 standard deduction be default even if all their itemized deductions are less than that. One common mistake I see with returns being done by H & R Block types is that people that qualify for head of household status are only given single...BIG COSTLY mistake for single parents who qualify for HOH status and are not itemizing!