Tax Deductions for Job Seekers (January 2011)
By Karen Litzinger, MA, LPC

Since we're on the brink of tax time, it's a good time to review job search deduction resources whether for the past or the future. Here is a summary of six tips from the IRS:

• The job search must be in current occupation.
• You can deduct agency fees (such as mine).
• You can deduct resume preparation and mailing fees.
• You can deduct travel expenses if the primary purpose of the trip is to look for a new job.
• You cannot deduct expenses if a substantial break between the end of your last job and the time you start looking for a new one.
• Deductions don't apply to first time job seekers.

For more information consult Publication 529 and the Tax Center to Assist Unemployed Taxpayers.

©2011, Litzinger Career Consulting. Permission granted to reprint this article so long as the text and by-line are not changed and reprinted intact with all links made live.
Karen Litzinger, MA, LPC, owner of Litzinger Career Consulting, provides career counseling, job search advising, outplacement consulting, and business etiquette training. More information is available at www.KarensCareerCoaching.com