There's finally some good news to report on the job front. In January, the national unemployment rate dropped to 9.7%, the lowest since August 2009. And the news got even better last week when the Labor Department reported that there were 440,000 initial jobless claims filed in the week ended February 6, down almost 10% from the previous week.

It may be a sign that the economy is on its way to recovery -- but more work is still needed in Washington. It will clearly take some time to climb out of a hole that saw 150,000 jobs lost last December alone.

Last year, the federal government took measures to offer some relief to the more than 4.5 million people still looking for work. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) included a provision that exempts the first $2,400 in unemployment benefits from federal income tax. In prior years, all unemployment benefits were taxable for income tax purposes at the federal level.

After the popular "stimulus checks" issued as part of efforts to jump start the economy in 2001 and 2008, many taxpayers were again looking forward to a check in 2009. This year, however, checks weren't in the cards for most Americans.

Most of the taxpayer relief for American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) focused on the Making Work Pay credit. The Making Work Pay credit allows up to $400 per individual worker and $800 per working married couple and is figured on your tax return. Those who did not work during the year are not eligible for the credit.

Anyone fortunate enough to be getting a tax refund will probably want that money sooner rather than later. But don't let your haste cloud your good judgment. There are a number of less-than-scrupulous outfits out there that are waiting to prey on your desire (or need) for quick cash.

One of my clients is a good example.

When she learned she was getting a refund on her taxes this year -- money she desperately needed to pay the oil bill -- it was all she could do to fight back the tears of joy. Last year, it had been a whole different story.

Too often, taxpayers are led to believe that if they don't itemize, then there are no real deductions available to them beyond the standard deduction. In reality, there are a number of deductions that a taxpayer can claim without itemizing.

Here are 10 ways to maximize your tax deductions -- without going through the trouble of itemizing:

It's an annual rite of passage that almost every taxpayer goes through: Interpreting the latest and greatest IRS rules. Of course, that leads to lots of tax questions.

Luckily, we have the answers. Below tax blogger and attorney Kelly Phillips Erb tackles some of your top tax questions.

Cash is hard to come by these days. So it's not unusual to see barter arrangements between taxpayers.

You've probably even done a little of this yourself: You've designed someone's Web site in exchange for "free" handyman services, or you've done someone's taxes in exchange for a new Coach briefcase. In either case, whether it's the exchange of goods or services for other goods or services, it's a barter.

No money actually changes hands, so it's almost as if the transaction didn't happen, right? Not exactly. The fair market value of goods and services that you receive in exchange for goods or services you provide must be included as income on your tax return even though you don't receive payment in a traditional way.

Every year about this time, I receive a lot of mail from seniors who are confused about whether they should file a tax return. The confusion stems from the fact that many seniors receive income from sources that might not be taxable, such as Social Security and tax-exempt bonds.

Whether you're a retiree or someone helping a senior family member or friend with taxes, here are 10 tax tips to help ease you through the tax season and maximize your deductions:

The national unemployment rate stands at a whopping 10% -- higher than it has been for years. Despite all the talk in Washington about creating new jobs, the outlook is pretty scary: When the economy was recovering from the 2001 recession, it took two years to reduce the unemployment rate by nearly a full percentage point. For that to happen in 2010, a net total of about 3 million jobs would have to be created.

Realistically, that means tens of millions of Americans were searching for new jobs in 2009. Job interviews, resumes, and fees related to a job search can add up. Fortunately, those expenses are deductible on your federal income tax return. Here's what you need to know:

In late January, the IRS and Treasury Department organized EITC Awareness Day to highlight the availability of the tax credit. According to the IRS, nearly 24 million people took advantage of the Earned Income Tax Credit last year, receiving nearly $50 billion in benefits.

Just because EITC Awareness Day has passed doesn't mean the IRS will cease its efforts to promote the credit. To assist EITC taxpayers, 167 IRS assistance centers will offer Saturday service on February 20. Click here to find a center near you.

Even though the online filing season for the IRS officially began Jan. 15, many taxpayers don't yet have their necessary tax forms. That's because the law allows employers and others charged with preparing tax forms to taxpayers to distribute those forms up until Jan. 31 -- unless Jan. 31 falls on a holiday or weekend, in which case the deadline is the next business day. That's the case this year, so that means that the deadline is Monday, Feb. 1.

What do you do if Monday comes and goes and you don't have your forms W-2, 1099, and other documents you need to file your tax return? Here are a few answers: