Julian Block, a tax lawyer and author in Larchmont, N.Y., had a bit of positive news for some taxpayers.

"I think the real estate brokers are already uncorking the champagne," said Julian Block, a Larchmont, N.Y., tax attorney.

Julian Block, who answers tax-related queries on the Prodigy database service, said the most frequently asked questions this year concerned mortgage refinancing.

The act took direct aim at four areas of previously deductible travel, noted Julian Block, a tax expert with Prentice Hall Information Services.

Giving appreciated securities, however, will benefit the taxpayer, Julian Block, a tax lawyer in Larchmont, N.Y., said.

Julian Block, a tax lawyer in Larchmont, N.Y., said the new law may also provide homeowners with some unexpected benefits.

"We are the people who are looking for more security," said Julian Block, now a prominent lawyer in Sydney who arrived several years ago.

Julian Block, a tax lawyer in Larchmont, N.Y., pointed out that Social Security taxes could also be an important consideration.

Julian Block, a tax expert for Prentice Hall, offered a tip for people who worked for more than one employer last year.

Julian Block, a Larchmont tax lawyer, said that when a married couple take their over-55, onetime exclusion, both spouses are then forever barred from taking the exclusion again.