The global recession has put millions of American out of work in 2009. If you are one them, you need to know the answer to the following federal tax questions:

1. Are there tax breaks or tax exemptions for unemployment compensation when filing my 2009 Federal income tax return?

2. Where can I get the tax help to answer this federal tax question?

To get the answer you could search the IRS website, contact an IRS agent for federal tax help, consult an income tax attorney, talk to your tax accountant or wade through the 2009 federal income tax manual and get the answer yourself.

Or you can get this important tax information below:

Yes, there is a tax benefit for those who received unemployment compensation in 2009.

The first $2,400 of 2009 Unemployment Compensation is TAX-FREE.

This is a one-year federal income tax exemption granted by the stimulus act.

Unemployment benefits above the $2,400 limit will still count as taxable income.

source: smartmoney

Do you have questions about IRS Filing Status, Exemptions or Dependents?  Here are 6 of the most frequently asked questions taxpayer have about these issues.

1. How much does a student have to make before he or she has to file an income tax return?

If you are an unmarried dependent, you must file a tax return if your earned and/or unearned income exceeds certain limits.

To find these limits refer to Filing Requirements for Dependents in Publication 501, Exemptions, Standard Deduction and Filing Information.
Even if you do not have to file, you should file a federal income tax return to get money back if any of the following apply:
You had income tax withheld from your pay.
You qualify for the earned income credit.
You qualify for the additional child tax credit.

2. For head of household filing status, do you have to claim a child as a dependent to qualify?

In certain circumstances, you do not need to claim the child as a dependent to qualify for head of household filing status, such as when the qualifying child is unmarried and is your child, grandchild, stepchild, or adopted child.

3. Is there an age limit on claiming my children as dependents?

Age is a factor in the qualifying child test, but a qualifying relative can be any age.

As long as the following dependency exemption tests are met, you may claim him or her:

Qualifying child or qualifying relative test
Dependent taxpayer test
Citizenship or resident test
Joint return test

4. My wife and I are married filing separately. We have one son and we meet all of the dependency exemption tests. We contributed an equal amount to our son’s support and want to know if we both can claim him on our separate returns?

A dependency exemption may only be claimed on one return.

Since your son is a qualifying child for both of you, you and your wife can decide who will claim the child.
A multiple support declaration identifying each of the others who agreed not to claim the exemption must be attached to the return of the person claiming the exemption. Form 2120, Multiple Support Declaration, can be used for this purpose.
If you cannot agree on who will claim him refer to Tie-Breaker Rule in Publication 501, Exemptions, Standard Deduction, and Filling Information.

5. If you pay child support, are you allowed to deduct anything on your taxes or claim the child as an exemption?

Nothing can be deducted for the child support payments.

Child support payments are neither deductible by the payer nor taxable income to the payee.
You may be able to claim the child as a dependent.

The parent who the child lived with for the greater part of the year is the custodial parent. 
Generally the custodial parent is allowed to claim the exemption for the child if the other exemption tests are met.
The noncustodial parent may be allowed to claim the exemption for the child if the custodial parent signs a Form 8332 (PDF), Release of Claim to Exemption for Child of Divorced of Separated Parents, or a substantially similar statement.

6. If I claim my daughter as a dependent because she is a full-time college student, can she claim herself as a dependent when she files her return?

If you claim your daughter as a dependent on your income tax return, she cannot claim herself on her income tax return.

If an individual is filing his or her own tax return, and the individual can be claimed as a dependent on someone else’s return, the individual cannot claim his or her own personal exemption.
In this case, your daughter should check the box on her return indicating that someone else can claim her as a dependent.

Federal Tax Laws are complex and may require that you speak with a Tax Expert, CPA, go online to the irs.gov site or even speak to someone at the irs.  Here are some toll free numbers to speak with an IRS tax representative:

IRS Telephone Assistance for Individuals:
Toll-Free, 1-800-829-1040 
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. your local time (Alaska & Hawaii follow Pacific Time).

IRS Telephone Assistance for Businesses:
Toll-Free, 1-800-829-4933
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. your local time (Alaska & Hawaii follow Pacific Time).

source: irs.gov