Tax Tips for Job Hunters

By: Sid Kirchheimer

Whether you are currently employed or not, certain job-search expenses are deductible.

The rules: You need to be seeking a new position in your current field, and the total amount of all itemized “unreimbursed employee expenses” deducted on your Schedule A tax form must exceed 2 percent of your adjusted gross income.

Here are half a dozen items you can legitimately claim:

Non-reimbursed travel costs incurred specifically for interviews with prospective employers. This includes airfare, hotels, and 50 percent of the cost of meals. Sorry, but visiting a prospective employer while on vacation does not constitute a lawful write-off.

Résumé-preparation costs, including typing, postage, and telephone calls made in the course of a job search.

Fees you paid to employment agencies or career counselors.

Newspapers and periodicals purchased for their help-wanted ads.

Legal fees paid to an attorney to review an employment contract.

Moving expenses to relocate to a new job, whether or not you itemize your other job-search deductions.

"From Scam-Proof Your Life: 377 Smart Ways to Protect You & Your Family," by Sid Kirchheimer, 2006, p.  292.