In order to add the cost of capital improvements (an addition on the home, a new furnace or roof) to your basis, you need documentation. If you don’t have receipts for your expenditures, try getting what you need in another way. For example, contact the contractor or vendor you used for a sprinkler system, new carpeting, or any other improvement and ask for a copy of a paid receipt.
A retirement account to which up to $4,000 (or $5,000 if you are 50 or over) may be contributed for 2007, but deductions for the contribution are restricted if you are covered by a company retirement plan. Earnings accumulate tax free.