Car, motel, food

[Black Bart]

Can a new college graduate deduct travel expenses while going around and across country, both near and far, presenting his degree and interviewing for jobs in the vocation to which that degree pertains?

[JG EA]

Untitled

He can but he may not.

[S T]

Job Search

Bart, I think you are talking about job search, so maybe take a look at Pub 529, around page 5 or so.

Certain expenses for job search can be deducted if your are "looking for a new job in your present occupation"

If your client just graduated from college and has not been employed, and he is not looking for a new job in his current occupation, then I would say no, there are no expenses that would be deductible.

Even if they were to fall into the category of deductible, the expenses would fall under Schedule A, subject to 2%, miscellaneous.

Sandy

[Black Bart]

An essay; if I may.

He can but he may not.

Gosh, it's been a very long time since I played the "May I?" game.

Look here, J. G.; it may be "may I?" where you come from, but around here, it's still "can I?" because my clients would think my shirt was just as stuffed as yours if I talked like that.

It would be the same if they called the office looking for somebody and I said, "To whom do you wish to speak?" instead of "Who do ya wanna talk to?" See? I'm trying to get their business; not impress or itimidate them with my high-falutin' speech. Although we're losing many of our local colloquialisms here because many kids think movie and TV Valleyspeak (whatevvverrr, etc) is supercool; we're still not quite as advanced as y'all are (whereeevvveeerrr that might be).

That was a good usage catch and I don't blame you for pointing it out if it bothers you, but I ask your indulgence because I'm quite fond of some of our mannerisms, sayings, usage, and figures of speech. While I prefer to complain about bad spelling, you cayn't hardly do that nowadays because people regard it as unimportant and you as a nitpicking nut (beats me why they don't get half as upset about politically correct absurdities). Anyhow, I'd appreciate your allowing me to continue with the local color and regional patois; i.e., if you won't try to "tell me which way the hog went," then I'll extend the same courtesy to you.

Olive branch: Ever hear this (to warn of an approaching storm)? "It's comin' up a cloud."

P.S. Since you brought it up, I just cayn't pass up this chance to get in a lick or two. Ever notice how many people no longer use contractions? Use an apostrophe to denote plurality?

Melodiously and nit-pickingly yours,

I beg to remain,

Your most humble and obedient servant,

Best wishes, blah, blah, blah.... BB

[Armando Beaujolais]

He can but he may not.

If I didn't know better I'd say JG did that on purpose.

Now now. There's a difference between writing and speaking.

I work with kids sometimes, and I tell them, "When writing, never end a sentence with a preposition, but don't do that when you're talking to your friends or you'll get beat up on the playground."

[jainen]

Jg Ea

As to using an apostrophe, JG EA missed that fine point just yesterday when he contracted "it is" in the Day Labour thread.

[abby]

Take a break, see a movie

For a fabulous may/can scene, rent Barry Levinson's Avalon. A very young Elijah Wood is denied access to the bathroom because he can't (won't) ask properly in school. Eventually his old world grandpa comes to get him and he doesn't understand the problem at all - he says:

In the old days, if you had to pee, you peed on a tree - with no "may" or "can". That's progress.

[Black Bart]

Decorum

Order!, Order!, my dear colleagues. We must have order! We should cease and desist this childish bickering and regain our tax focus. I'm quite sure that J.G. was just funnin' right before I pistol-whipped him (just kiddin' J.G.-c'mon back-you're still well-liked around here)

May we please remind ourselves that this is a board of professionals who are above the petty squabbling, slights (both real and perceived), and petulant foibles that afflict mere mortals.

Although I'm unable to speak for others, I, for one, feel it beneath our professional dignity to engage in such disputes or to post off-subject and will therefore restrict all my future bloviations to no more than one half-dozen non-tax paragraphs while simultaneously challenging no one to a duel.

Armando: I'm suprised at you for joining in this fray. Another transgression and I shall be forced to report you to....uh....well....hmm...yourself, I guess.

[Black Bart]

Lifted from the internet

"When writing, never end a sentence with a preposition, but don't do that when you're talking to your friends

"A fine example of an artificial rule which ignores standard usage: the famous witticism usually attributed to Winston Churchill makes the point well: 'This is the sort of English up with which I will not put.' "

[JG EA]

Tax advice

I'm quite sure that J.G. was just funnin' ...

This has made my day. I am often misunderstood, but I've (I have) been working on clarity of thought. Actually what you mistakingly thought was a joke, was in fact tax advice. I was stating in a concise and succinct phrase all the information you needed to in fact finish that client off.(Hanging ... something in grammer).

He can go around the country, he can spend lots of money looking for a job. He can pass out resumes (pronounced re - sooms). However, he may not take any deduction for it. That is my humble opinion as one who often ends sentences with in, for, and whatever.

[Bees Knees]

He can go around the country, he can spend lots of money looking for a job. He can pass out resumes (pronounced re - sooms). However, he may not take any deduction for it.

A more profound way to have said it would have been:

“He can but cannot.”

[Armando Beaujolais]

"A fine example of an artificial rule which ignores standard usage: the famous witticism usually attributed to Winston Churchill makes the point well: 'This is the sort of English up with which I will not put.' "

As much as I hate to stir things up, the correct phrasing is...

"...up with which I SHALL not put."

-armando

[Black Bart]

Blabbermouth

As much as I hate to stir things up, the correct phrasing is..."...up with which I SHALL not put." -armando

Dang it! Harpooned again!

Cayn't you butt out and keep quiet once in a while? I had the thing pretty well passed-off as regional dialect, but no, you insist on airing my dirty laundry in public.

Well, I've got a good defense anyway. My quote was taken verbatim from the internet. Now. There! Whoever heard of a misspelled word or grammatical error on the internet?

[Black Bart]

Misunderstanding

This has made my day. I am often misunderstood, but I've (I have) been working on clarity of thought. Actually what you mistakingly thought was a joke, was in fact tax advice. I was stating in a concise and succinct phrase all the information you needed to in fact finish that client off.(Hanging ... something in grammer).

He can go around the country, he can spend lots of money looking for a job. He can pass out resumes (pronounced re - sooms). However, he may not take any deduction for it. That is my humble opinion as one who often ends sentences with in, for, and whatever.

All a big, fat, geek mistake? Dang! What a waste.

Oh well, still; even though I've been workin' (apparently unsuccessfully) on clarity of thought with a dash of concise and a pinch of succinct; I, like you (and my jailbird client of a few threads back), also maintain that I'm just misunderstood.

Meanwhile, back in tax focus--sorry for the mistake and thanks for the tip--no deduction at the inn for the kid with the sheepskin.

P.S. That Frenchefied word "resume" is pronounced "rez-oom-may" accordin' to our Dogpatch Fraynch (as they pronouce that here) teacher.

Last edited by BLACK BART: 10-27-2005 at 12:42 AM. Reason: paranoid delusion

[Unregistered]

A more clear and concise response

No (except on this board which requires 10 characters or more).