Preparing to file your taxes is never easy. If you are one of the many who became unemployed or had to move out of town to find a job, you may qualify for additional deductions for the year as long as your job search remains within your current field.
You don’t have to be completely out of work to have some of your costs qualify as a deductible expense. You can also deduct expenses while looking for a new job in your field when you are temporarily working in another area just to make ends meet.

Here are some job-hunting expense deductions that you may qualify for when filing your taxes:

• resume writing
• cost of printing your resumes, business cards and any postage
• employment and outplacement agency fees (even if you don’t get the job)
• hotel/motel charges, transportation and meals while away from home
• local mileage (IRS business mileage allowance is 55.5¢ a mile for 2012)
• parking fees
• job search related local and long distance calls
• career counseling
• schooling
• additional childcare costs resulting from going on interviews
• internet services, newspapers, trade magazines, etc., that you use to try and locate a job
• non- reimbursed moving expenses if you have to relocate

It is important that you keep track of what you did each day by writing down everything related to your job-hunt along with what money you spent even if you don’t have an actual receipt in hand. Remember, what you can’t do is deduct expensive that you incurred this year and that are reimbursed by a prospective or future employer.

When it comes to taxes, any bit of savings helps. Remember, you can claim any allowed deductions for job-search expenses even if your search is still on-going and continues into next year.

Take the time to check with a professional and see what deductions you may be entitled to.

Answers from AZ