Tax breaks find all you have coming.(CR Money)

Much as we all enjoy a good tax break, a lot of us seem to miss out on one or more of them. For example, when the IRS offered a one-time refund worth $30 to $60 per household last tax season to virtually anyone with a phone, nearly a third of eligible Americans never even applied. As a result, they left some $3.8 billion on the table.

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If some of that belongs to you, it's not too late to file for the telephone excise tax refund by amending your 2006 return. Go to www.irs.gov.

Meanwhile, here's how to make sure you don't miss out on anything this year.

Know your deductions. Reviewing last year's return is a good way to remind yourself of what you're probably due this tax season. Plus, there are some new provisions that might save you more. For example, any premiums you paid or accrued for a new mortgage insurance policy are deductible, though that phases out as adjusted gross income rises above $100,000 ($50,000 for married couples filing separately).

California residents affected by last year's wildfires, and anyone living in a place deemed a federal disaster area last year, can claim disaster-related casualty losses on their 2007 returns or amend a 2006 return to reflect those losses. You might want to put them on your 2006 return if, for example, the losses would help offset earnings that were greater in 2006 than in 2007. See IRS Publication 547 for details.

Keep in mind that for this year and thereafter, all charitable contributions, regardless of the amount, must be substantiated by a canceled check, bank record, or detailed receipt from the charity. For more information, see IRS Publication 526.