Career Advice & News Center

Unemployment can be a stressful time for many individuals. Trying to find a means of income on top of paying bills and supporting themselves and their families can be enough of a burden for job seekers. Although applicants have the option to collect unemployment benefits, there are still a number of people who are looking for a little extra help in the finance department.

As some people are still trying to complete their taxes on time, they may be entitled to a tax break if they are currently unemployed, according to Kiplinger. Job hunters are entitled to a $2,400 tax break on unemployment benefits that were received during 2009. However, the exclusion is not automatic. Individuals must subtract the amount on their unemployment form in order to determine how much they can be taxed on their total earnings. Spouses can claim $2,400 each if they are both unemployed.

The news source adds that if an individual's income is less than $57,000, they are also entitled to a free tax preparation service from the IRS to ensure that they filed correctly without having to pay an accountant to do it for them.

"Times are tough for many people, and the IRS wants to do everything it can to help people who have lost their job or face financial strain," said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman in a statement.

Additionally, the IRS will be holding extra seminars on Saturdays where unemployed taxpayers can meet with IRS workers directly and go over their forms to insure everything is in order, according to WebCPA.com.

The Senate also recently passed a measure that would extend the amount of time unemployed workers can collect unemployment benefits for an additional 30 days, according to the Christian Science Monitor.