| Getting a tax deduction is every tax payer's goal. | | | | 9) Long distance telephone calls to potential |
| Luckily, the laws in taxes make it simple and easy | | | | employers. |
| to reach this goal. One can decrease taxable | | | | 10) Purchased newspapers and business |
| income through several tax deductions or lessen | | | | publications to check out employment ads. |
| tax liability through a range of credits. | | | | 11) Half of the cost of meals paid that was |
| Here are lists of achievable tax deductions. The | | | | directly related to one's job hunt. |
| lists are helpful guide to taxpayers. | | | | Entertainment and Meals - 50% of the meal and |
| Business Expenses | | | | entertainment costs are tax deductible. Log the |
| 1) For employees, job expenses that were not | | | | date, place, total amount, people involved, purpose |
| reimbursed. The amount should not exceed 2% | | | | of the meeting or event, and the discussed |
| of the adjusted gross income (AGI) and if the | | | | business. Receipts over $75 should be preserved. |
| expenses can be itemize. So, if the AGI is | | | | Telephone Charges |
| $100,000, the employee should present at least | | | | 1) Use of cellular phone for business. |
| $2000 worth of business expenses before one | | | | 2) Long distance telephone business calls that are |
| would enjoy the tax deduction. | | | | charged to home telephone. |
| 2) For self-employed, business expenses can be | | | | 3) Separate business phone line. |
| fully deducted. Review the IRS Publication 535 for | | | | Travel and Transportation |
| more valuable information. | | | | 1) Costs of travel acquired while away from |
| Promotion and Advertisement Expenses - The | | | | home because of business. |
| items are deductible only if expenses are | | | | 2) Costs of travel related to temporary job |
| applicable for one's profession or trade. | | | | assignment. |
| Publications and books | | | | 3) Costs of transportation between one's home |
| 1) Books | | | | and temporary job location. If the applicant has no |
| 2) Newspapers | | | | permanent work place but usually works and lives |
| 3) Trade journals | | | | in the urban area and the temporary job location |
| 4) Publications | | | | is outside the urban area. |
| Fees and Dues | | | | 4) Costs of transportation between one's home |
| 1) Fees to the services of persons in one's | | | | and temporary job location if he has at least one |
| profession that are part of a professional | | | | permanent workplace for the related |
| organization. | | | | employment. The distance does not matter in this |
| 2) Initiation fees, union dues, and assessments to | | | | case. |
| unemployed union members that needs benefit | | | | 5) Costs of transportation from one job to the |
| payments. | | | | other if the applicant has two places for work in a |
| 3) Professional regulatory fees. | | | | day. |
| 4) Fees to Chambers of Commerce and related | | | | 6) In case of self-employed and has a home |
| organizations. | | | | office, all costs of business travels are deductible. |
| 5) Licenses paid to local or state government. | | | | Gears and uniform |
| Research and Education | | | | 1) Protective gears and clothing. |
| 1) Educational expenses that helps one's skills to | | | | 2) Uniforms with the exception of full time armed |
| improve. | | | | forces members |
| 2) Research expenses. | | | | 3) Costs of dry cleaning the protective clothing or |
| Supplies and Equipment | | | | uniforms. |
| 1) Use of computer in business. Employees can | | | | 4) Specialized clothing fashioned for one's job as |
| apply for deduction if the item is for the | | | | long as it is not appropriate for an everyday |
| employer's convenience and is a requirement for | | | | wearing. |
| employment. | | | | 5) Safety equipments which include safety |
| 2) Tools and supplies utilize in one's work. | | | | glasses, safety boots, hard hats and gloves. |
| Home Office | | | | Miscellaneous |
| 1) Home office expenses only if part of the home | | | | 1) Gifts where only up to $25 per beneficiary are |
| is exclusively and regularly used for work. For | | | | deductible. |
| employees, the home office is also for the | | | | 2) Passport used for business travel. |
| employer's convenience. | | | | 3) Postage. |
| Internet - Employees can apply for deduction if | | | | 4) Printing and copying. |
| the item is for the employer's convenience and is | | | | 5) Office supplies. |
| a requirement for employment. | | | | 6) Professional and legal services for tax |
| Expenses for Job Hunting - Employees can only | | | | preparation. |
| apply for tax deduction if the job hunt is for the | | | | 7) Medical exams obliged by the employer. |
| present field of work. One must not be changing | | | | 8) Occupational taxes that has a flat rate declared |
| specialization or a first time job hunter. | | | | by the city or local government for the benefit of |
| 1) Preparation of resume which includes the cost | | | | workers in the area. |
| of producing and sending. | | | | 9) Business liability for insurance premiums. |
| 2) Fees of employment agencies. | | | | 10) Job dismissal for insurance premiums. |
| 3) Fees of executive recruiters. | | | | 11) Damages paid to an ex-employer for a break |
| 4) Costs of portfolio preparations. | | | | of employment contract |
| 5) Career counseling that aids in improving one's | | | | 12) Contributions of employees to state's disability |
| position. | | | | funds |
| 6) Fees paid to legal and accounting during | | | | The items included are not comprehensive and |
| negotiations with employment contract. | | | | are sometimes not deducted. A lot of the items |
| 7) Advertising. | | | | are conditional, may apply only in specific situations |
| 8) Cost of traveling to job interviews. | | | | and are affected by supplementary rules. |