Jackson Hewitt – Four Corners Serves Up Tax Savings for Area Food and Beverage Workers

Silver Spring, MD, March 11, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Jackson Hewitt Tax Service® office in Four Corners is offering savings on tax preparation for food and beverage workers who visit participating locations between March 9 and March 15. Waiters, waitresses, cooks, hostesses, bartenders, dishwashers and others in the food service industry will receive a $50.00 discount on tax preparation services. Using Jackson Hewitt’s proprietary Deductions@Work® program, tax preparers will review job-related expenses to help those workers identify all of the occupation-based deductions and credits they are entitled to claim on their 2008 return.

“Many taxpayers are unaware of the tax considerations relative to their line of work,” said John J. Lah, MBA, CFA Franchise Owner of the Four Corners Jackson Hewitt Tax Service. “For instance, members of the food service industry have a particular situation because they may receive additional income in the form of tips. There also are potential benefits in the form of credits and deductions associated with the industry, and our preparers are available now to help Maryland area food service industry workers take advantage of these benefits.”

Tax considerations that food and beverage service workers should be aware of include:
· Monetary tips, which are taxable, must be reported to the employer and are included in the wages reported on a Form W-2, Wage and Tax Statement (Box 1). Taxpayers working in the food and beverage service industry also must report the value of any non-cash tips received, such as tickets or special passes, as income.
· If an employer is required to allocate tips directly to a food or beverage service worker, the tips are reported on Form W-2 (Box 8). Allocated tips usually occur in a restaurant, cocktail lounge or a similar business. If Form W-2 shows allocated tips, the employees portion of Social Security and Medicare taxes must be calculated on Form 4137, Social Security and Medicare Tax on Unreported Tip Income, and included on Form 1040.
· The cost for cleaning uniforms or specialty clothing not appropriate for everyday wear can be deducted, provided that the clothing is required as a condition of employment and is not appropriate for street wear. An employer-required uniform consisting of a plain white shirt, black pants and black shoes could just as easily be worn every day, and therefore would not be deductible.
· Many other deductions may apply to food and beverage employees if they are not reimbursed, including: fees for occupational taxes or licenses; unreimbursed employer-required medical exams; and subscriptions to professional journals and trade magazines related to work.

The tax preparation discount for food and beverage service employees is part of a series of weeklong offers aimed at helping local workers in a variety of industries save on their taxes by claiming all credits and deductions that may be available. Last week, Jackson Hewitt extended the discount offer to laborers, maintenance and construction workers. More occupations will be profiled between now and the final filing deadline of Wednesday, April 15.

Jackson Hewitt’s proprietary Deductions@Work program reviews more than 50 of the most common occupations in the U.S. to identify the relevant credits and deductions based on a customer’s profession. For a partial list of occupations profiled and to review some of the most commonly overlooked deductions, visit www.jacksonhewitt.com. For more information, to find the names of participating locations or to schedule an appointment, please call (301 681-7180.

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