homeschool costs and taxes

[mama_kass]

Can you claim any of your educational expenses on your taxes for tax exempt money?

[SagMom]

Not on your federal taxes. *We* can't claim it on our state taxes either, but I don't know if that varies state to state or not.

Fed info is here: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040a.pdf See page 26 of the instructions for line 16. It specifically states that homeschooling expenses are not deductable.

[mama_kass]

Thanks for the info. That stinks. You would think that since we're saving the gov money by educating ourselves that we could get a tax break. I'm not asking for money from the gov just a little tax exempt income. Private schoolers should get the same thing for the same reason.

[dharmamama]

I don't agree that we should get any tax benefits for homeschooling (or private schooling) just because the state isn't spending money to educate our kids. We don't pay taxes just so that our kids can go to public school, we pay taxes so that all kids can go to public school, if they so desire.

Namaste!

[susienjay]

No tax break that I know of but here in CA if you sign up with a public charter school you can get $1000 for educational expenses. You can use it for classes or non-religious homeschool supplies. You have to return all the nonconsumable items though.

[lilyka]

Its funny. this topic comes up every year about this time. and I am compelled to give my speal

It does suck that they take our money and don't provide anything for our children education (although I could check out all of my dd cirriculum from her school and we utalize the playground on a regular basis so really . . . oh and the community centers which are at schools have homeschool open gym - heck what am I complaining about) But stillit seems like we should get a tax break or at least be able to deduct our expenses.

HOWEVER

It would not be a lot of money. lets say you spend $2000 a year on stuff. (which we spend more like $200 but for the sake of argument) So yoiu get to deduct allofit just for fun. So now your taxable income is $2000 less which lowers your taxes due by like what $5 maybe $10 or $20. I don't know I don't do our taxes anymore (crap! I was supposed to go sign our taxes today and forgot) but a small deduction doesn't get you very far. So best case scenariio is $20 and

WHAT DOES IT COST?

you better believe that if they are giving you a tax deducation they are going to be all up in your bussiness. you will have to complay with allkinds of testing and monitoring and registering. Is you freedom woth $20? Mine is.

Lets say it is a tax credit. Fine you get your $2000 back but my freedom to homeschool in an easy state is worth $2000 tome. and we are dirt poor.

So carefully consider before asking the governement for equal treatment with schools. be really thinkabout what you are asking for. with your money comes all thier crap.

[mama_kass]

No, I don't want the goverment's money. Not the states or the feds. It would just be nice to keep a little extra of my own money since I'm shelling out all the dollars for education.

I don't mind paying for public school. All children need to be educated. Later on in life these children will grow up to help society funtion. It is everyone's responsibility to see that all children have the oppertunity to get an education. Even if a basic one.

To me asking for a deduction on my taxes is no different than my husband claiming his supplies for work. If he paid for things he needed for work (not his employer) it's only fair that he should be able to claim a deduction. Of course the law allows this. Last year we moved across country with our own money and we claimed all of it. That's legal.

Public and private school teachers can claim deductions. Why shouldn't we? We are teachers too. I am still doing society a service by educating youth, except I foot the entire bill.

In our state they are pushing for vouchers which I do not agree with. This is a whole different story. That is asking the gov for money to educate your own children. I simply want a deduction and to be acknowledged as a teacher too.

[lilyka]

But those people are deducting from thier income. You make $1000 doing XXXX but spent $30 on that business (be it teaching or daycare or whatever) in order to make that $1000. So what they are really saying is I didn't make this much. You see this and this get deducted from my income. so you claim that deducation from your income that has already happened. because if your business doesn't reinburse you then they coult it as income andpay those taxes for you. and still we are talking about few measly dollars for small deducation. Tax credits are where the money is but you still have to owe taxes in order to get a credit and if you didn't make any income you didn't owe taxes and you all the deductions and credits in the world willmake no difference to you. And by the time you pay your accountant etc to wade through the paperwork required to make sure you were able to deduct your educational supplies, said supplies count for deduction (because lets face it we may be soly responsible for our childrens education but what makes my poker chips, dominos and playing cards, scrabble game, workbooks and #2 penicils any different from my PS neighbor. She stillpays to educate her kids even if they are in PS and whose to say I actually use all that stuff for school) will the amount you pay them be any more than whatever you save on your taxes. (which reminds me I need to go sign some tax paperwork still . . . )

I am not saying it wouldn't be nice to have a few extra bucks but I amnot about to give the government an inch even if I spent a considerable amount on schooling supplies. The less they know/care about my educational choices for my children the better.

[phathui5]

I am not saying it wouldn't be nice to have a few extra bucks

That would make sense. But it's not extra bucks. It's our bucks. We have to pay property taxes (and lots of them) for a system we don't even think should be in place.

[lilyka]

There is lots of things we pay tax money for that we don't use. My elderly neighbor pays for schools she doesn't use, we pay for street sweepers even though they are waste of money. We pay for plenty of things that shouldn't be there or that we disagree with. Thats just how it works.

Would you expect a refund for you swingset if you chose not to use the city park? They provide school that are good enough for plenty of people. You choose something different. And you choose it at your expense.

[mama_kass]

Originally Posted by lilyka

I am not saying it wouldn't be nice to have a few extra bucks but I amnot about to give the government an inch even if I spent a considerable amount on schooling supplies. The less they know/care about my educational choices for my children the better.

I will agree with this.

I can see where getting a tax credit for homeschooling could get pretty hairy.