I used to work in California for a company till mid 2010. I then moved to New Jersey, but continued to work for the same company remotely. My office was still in California. I paid for the move myself.

I then switched jobs and started working for a local company in New Jersey starting January 2011.

Can I claim my moving expenses as relocation for the new job?

Thanks,
SN

Yes you can, because you started the new job within 1 year of incurring the move expenses. It doesn't matter whether the move or the job came first - as long as they are within 1 year of each other. And clearly your new home is closer to your new job than your old home was. So you're OK to deduct moving expenses. See Pub 521: Publication 521 (2010), Moving Expenses (http://www.irs.gov/publications/p521/ar02.html#en_US_2010_publink1000203446)

Thanks, ebaines.

Any other experts, AtlantaTaxExpert and MuktaA, would like to weigh in?