J.K. Lasser's 1001 Deductions and Tax Breaks 2013: Your Complete Guide to Everything Deductible

CHAPTER 14

Your Job

Alert

At the time this book was printed, Congress had not extended numerous breaks for 2012 that had expired at the end of 2011. Check the online supplement in February 2013 at www.jklasser.com or www.barbaraweltman.com to see whether these breaks apply for 2012 returns.

Your job not only is what occupies the majority of your time during the greater part of each week and, hopefully, provides satisfaction; it also gives you a paycheck and perhaps other benefits. While your earnings are taxable in most cases, some of the fringe benefits may be tax free.

In order to earn that paycheck, you may have to expend your own dollars on various things. Fortunately, you may be able to deduct your out-of-pocket job-related costs.

This chapter explains:

• Job-hunting expenses
• Dues to unions and professional associations
• Work clothes and uniforms
• Subscriptions to professional journals and newsletters
• Work tools and equipment
• Miscellaneous job-related expenses
• Educator expenses
• Home office deduction
• Prizes and awards
• Performing artists
• State and local government officials paid on a fee basis
• Repayment of supplemental unemployment benefits
• Jury duty pay turned over to your employer
• Impairment-related expenses
• Military benefits
• Fringe benefits
• Personal reemployment accounts (PRAs)
• Income earned abroad

Job-related moving expenses are discussed in Chapter 4. Employment-related travel and entertainment expenses are explained in Chapter 9.

For more information, see IRS Publication ...