February 19, 2026 – Mark Mirsky, Tax Partner at Aprio, shared with the Chicago Sun-Times that while many taxpayers take the standard deduction because it’s simpler, recent tax changes may make itemizing more appealing for some people, particularly those with higher property taxes.
He noted that taxpayers can still itemize things like mortgage interest, medical expenses, and charitable donations, but whether itemizing actually helps depends on whether those deductions exceed the standard deduction.
Mark also cautioned that larger tax refunds this year don’t necessarily mean people are paying less tax overall – often it just means more was withheld upfront – and that the benefits of the new tax law are very situational.
Read the full article with the Chicago Sun-Times.