Jackson Hewitt(R) Serves Up Tax Savings for Food Service Workers

By: Jackson Hewitt Tax Service | 0 Shares 68 Reads

Special Program Celebrating Job-Related Deductions for Workforce of America Continues as Tax Filing Deadline Approaches Participating Locations Offering Discounts for Food Service Workers From April 5 - 7

PARSIPPANY, N.J., April 4, 2008 // PRNewswire-FirstCall // -- Jackson Hewitt Tax Service(R) offices around the country are ready to serve up special tax savings for food service workers who visit participating locations between April 5 through April 7. Waiters, waitresses, bartenders, cooks, dishwashers and others in the food service industry will be offered a $25 discount off tax preparation services by participating Jackson Hewitt offices. These customers will also receive a personalized occupational review to help them uncover all the deductions and credits related to their work, based on Jackson Hewitt's Deductions@Work(R) system. This tool reviews many of the most common professions in the U.S. and notes all of the credits and deductions available for each.

This salute to food service workers is part of a week-long celebration of different occupations that make up the Workforce of America. Educators and students were celebrated earlier this week, with more occupations to be profiled between now and the final filing deadline of Tuesday, April 15.

"Many restaurant workers are simply not aware that their occupations may bring specific deductions or credits that can lead to tax savings," explains Mark Steber, vice president of Tax Resources at Jackson Hewitt. "By shining a spotlight on these and other common jobs in the United States, we hope to remind all taxpayers not to overlook the numerous tax deductions specifically related to different types of employment."

Some of the tax-related issues and deductions that pertain to food and beverage workers include the following:



    -- Monetary tips, which are subject to income tax, must be reported to the

       employer (if more than $20) and included along with wages on a Form

       W-2, Wage and Tax Statement (Box 1).  In addition to monetary tips,

       taxpayers working in the food and beverage industry must also note as

       income the value of any non-cash tips received, such as tickets or

       special passes.



    -- If an employer allocated tips directly to a food service worker, they

       are listed on Form W-2 (Box 8).  An employer may allocate tips to

       workers in a restaurant, cocktail lounge or a similar business.  If

       Form W-2 shows allocated tips, an additional tax may be calculated on

       Form 4137, Social Security and Medicare Tax on Unreported Tip Income,

       to cover the Social Security and Medicare taxes that were not withheld

       from the allocated tips.



    -- 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 as

       streetwear.  Keep in mind that an employer-required uniform consisting

       of a plain white shirt, black pants, and black shoes could just as

       easily be worn as "street clothes," and therefore would not be

       deductible.



    -- There are many other deductions that may apply to food and beverage

       employees (if unreimbursed), including: fees for occupational taxes or

       licenses; unreimbursed employer-required medical exams; and

       subscriptions to professional journals and trade magazines related to

       work.

As the tax deadline approaches, Jackson Hewitt offices will be open extended hours - some until midnight and even 24-hours during the final days before April 15 - to help America's Workforce prepare and file their income tax return and capture all of the job-related deductions and credits available to them. For a partial list of occupations profiled and to review some of the most commonly overlooked deductions, visit the Tax Resource Center at http://www.jacksonhewitt.com.

About Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc.

Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc. (NYSE: JTX), with approximately 6,800 franchised and company-owned offices throughout the United States during the 2008 tax season, is an industry leader providing full service individual federal and state income tax return preparation. Most offices are independently owned and operated. The Company is based in Parsippany, New Jersey. More information may be obtained at http://www.jacksonhewitt.com. To locate the Jackson Hewitt Tax Service(R) office nearest to you, call (800) 234-1040.

SOURCE Jackson Hewitt Tax Service

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