Private school and tax deductions? (kindergarten, public school, profession, classrooms)

[purplesky]

My son will be attending private school this year. I think that only $500 a year is deductible on the federal income tax for private school. However, are other fees from the school deductible? Any other advice regarding deductions that I might overlook?

Also, my daughter will be in kindergarten next year--is private school kindergarten deductible or is it lumped into the $500 amount? If it's not, i'll just send her to the public school.

Any advice would be appreciated.

[Momma_bear]

I do not think private school tuition is tax deductible.

[Spazkat9696]

I used the childcare tax benefits because kindergarten is only 1/2 day, and my child's private school provided full day care. Plus kindergarten is not required by law in my state. The director at your child's school should be able to tell you. They will be the one giving you the form for your taxes. My only question would be why send on to private and one to public? Why not send them both to public?

[WillyWhite]

Originally Posted by Spazkat9696

I used the childcare tax benefits because kindergarten is only 1/2 day, and my child's private school provided full day care. Plus kindergarten is not required by law in my state. The director at your child's school should be able to tell you. They will be the one giving you the form for your taxes. My only question would be why send on to private and one to public? Why not send them both to public?

I think the childcare tax benefits, too

[okaydorothy]

There is no credit for private/parochial school at all. There is a credit for K ; as far as I understand it, if your child needs to go to childcare because you are working, it can be taken as a credit. K is not mandatory.

I have my children in parochial school and nothing is deductable.

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[golfgal]

Your STATE might have some deductions available. MN has some credits/deductions based on income level for school expenses-private school tuition, music lessons, computer equipment, tutors, and a few other things.

[nickmr]

Originally Posted by purplesky

My son will be attending private school this year. I think that only $500 a year is deductible on the federal income tax for private school. However, are other fees from the school deductible? Any other advice regarding deductions that I might overlook?

Also, my daughter will be in kindergarten next year--is private school kindergarten deductible or is it lumped into the $500 amount? If it's not, i'll just send her to the public school.

Any advice would be appreciated.

If the IRS audits you and determines you've taken improper deductions, claiming you relied on advice from the Internet will not help your situation. Contact a tax professional if you plan on taking deductions you are not familiar with. Better to be safe than sorry.

[purplesky]

I will double check, but I was told by other parents in Illinois, that $500 is the total you can deduct for private school, no matter how many kids you have enrolled. I put my son in the private school this year beacuse the school district was going to start multiage classrooms and they teach Everyday Math there. I wanted a better curriculum. I would rather send my daughter to the public school kindergarten beacuse it's free and consists of writing, phonics, and simple sums. I can go over the stuff with her myself.

[golfgal]

Originally Posted by purplesky

I will double check, but I was told by other parents in Illinois, that $500 is the total you can deduct for private school, no matter how many kids you have enrolled. I put my son in the private school this year beacuse the school district was going to start multiage classrooms and they teach Everyday Math there. I wanted a better curriculum. I would rather send my daughter to the public school kindergarten beacuse it's free and consists of writing, phonics, and simple sums. I can go over the stuff with her myself.

It is probably a state deduction. In MN you have a max per child you can deduct but it is $1850 or something like that.

OK, I did a quick search and came up with this=it is a state deduction:

In 1999, Illinois established a program granting income tax credits not to exceed $500 for qualified education expenses. Parents are eligible for a tax credit for 25 percent of whatever they spent on their child's books, tuition and lab fees. To be eligible, parents must spend at least $250. See Illinois Statute Chapter 35, Article 2, Sec. 201(m) for more information.

In Griffith v. Bower (2001) and Toney v. Bower (2001), two different panels of the Illinois court of appeals upheld the constitutionality of the Illinois state income tax credit for educational expenses.

This is similar to MN's but we can deduct more and don't have a minimum to spend.