Legal fees paid in connection with certain whistleblower awards are deductible from gross income; no itemizing is required. One such deductible award is a “Section b” award (which is a mandatory award if certain conditions are met) through the IRS Whistleblower Office; an award under a “Section a” award (which is a discretionary award) does not allow legal fees to be deducted above-the-line. If deductible, the amount you can claim is limited to the amount of the award included in gross income.
Shifting income to a later year, such as where you defer taxable interest to the following year by purchasing a T-bill or savings certificate maturing after the end of the current year. Investments in qualified retirement plans provide tax deferral.