Tax deductions aren't limited to charitable contributions and mortgage interest deductions. Job-hunting
expenses -- including transportation costs to and from interviews, periodical subscriptions, long-distance
phone calls to prospective employers, career counseling and résumé preparation -- are tax deductible,
whether you find a new job or not. However, there are some restrictions. According to Jackie Perlman,
senior tax research analyst at H&R Block, the job hunter must be looking for a job in the same line of
work as previously employed. "It can be broad, like looking for a different job within the financial field
or the medical field," Perlman said. "But if I leave my job as a tax analyst and decide I want to be a
nurse, it won't work." For those reasons, college graduates looking for their first jobs can't deduct their
searching expenses, nor can employees who are moving into self-employment. But the casual job seeker
-- someone who looks for a new job while staying in the current one -- may be eligible for a series of
deductions, as well as someone recently laid off who's looking for a new position in his or her field.
Additional information on job-search deductions is explained in IRS Publication 529. Go to www.irs.gov
to download a copy of the form.

The speech before the Junior Chamber of Commerce went very well on the 25th of February. The question-and-answer session was especially educational. Many very intelligent questions were asked, and I was glad to answer them. Thanks again to Jennifer Stone and her colleagues for a wonderful reception.

Mike Young