April 2012 Archives

In previous posts, I've expressed my extreme unhappiness with the critical reaction to Disney's terrific John Carter film.  Aside from the fact that most of the critics who panned the film have the combined intellectual capability of a tree trunk, the Disney studio did almost ziltch when it came to marketing and promoting the film properly.  (People have told me they were surprised that the movie was based on a series by "that Tarzan guy", Edgar Rice Burroughs, a fact an extensive advertising campaign would've promoted to the hilt.) 

The third installment of Edgar Rice Burroughs' "Barsoom" series, The Warlord of Mars (click here to reserve a copy) picks up where the previous book The Gods of Mars left off.  There, John Carter, already having returned to Mars ("Barsoom" to the natives) after a decade, had to deal with religious zealots, meeting his son Carthoris for the first time, and many other situations and adventures before making his way back to his wife Dejah Thoris. 

Yes, job search expenses, which can include employment agency fees, resumes and travel costs, are deductible.  About.com outlines what job seekers filing taxes this year can deduct here.  And you can download the appropriate IRS filing form 529 here.

April 17th is the deadline to file your returns.  Click here to find out about filing an extension.  Good luck!

FYI:  Previous posts on tax tips this month have included the following:

10 Tax Benefits For The Self-Employed

Tax Tips For Job Hunters

Possible Benefits For Taxpayers With Disabilities

How To Claim The Disability Tax Credit

The Top Five Tax Resources For People with Disabilities

Need to file your taxes and you're not sure what to do or where to begin, especially if you're currently out of work?  For job hunters with or without disabilities, "and who have been unemployed up to 30 days in 2011 or 2012, and self-employed people who suffered a 25% or greater drop in income last year because of the economy, can put off paying their taxes and filing until Oct. 15 under the IRS' Fresh Start initiative. (Click here to know more about Fresh Start.) Interest will accumulate on any tax amount that is due, but no penalties will apply".  (That's according to this article, which also includes other tax filing tips of interest.) 

More tips for unemployed job seekers can be found here. And this article gives you some ideas on getting a decent tax refund.  Don't forget: This year's filing deadline is April 17th!  Good luck!