spradlin02 Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 I know there's got to be a way. There's just got to be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tess in the Burbs Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 No, and I believe most people know that a federal deduction would mean federal guidelines which means they would control us more. I will take my educational freedom choices without federal guidance THANK YOU! But my dh asks me every year....he too would like a deduction ;-) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 There is no legal deduction you can make for homeschooling materials on your federal taxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TracyP Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 There is no federal deduction but check your state taxes. In MN it is called education credit or subtraction (which one you take depends on income). I don't know if it is unique to this state hmmm.... now I am curious. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elizabeth Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 I have never heard of any deduction UNLESS you have a youth with disability then the extras such as special clothing, dance, physical therapy , occupational therapy etc are deductible . When in doubt do not deduct as there is nothing worse than an audit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Sorry, but none that I've heard of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spradlin02 Posted February 19, 2010 Author Share Posted February 19, 2010 Oh, I have to believe that with all the smart people on this forum, we can come up with some fancy accounting way of getting some deductions. Corporations do it everyday. I believe it can be done. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FO4UR Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Oh, I have to believe that with all the smart people on this forum, we can come up with some fancy accounting way of getting some deductions. Corporations do it everyday. I believe it can be done. I agree with the sentiment that I'd rather not have any intrusion from the gov't....and any $ from the gov't comes with strings. Many states have "charter" schools that are essentially homeschools that the gov't controls by PAYING for them. I have the option of K12 for free in my state - that's right FREE for the small price of jumping through a whole lot of gov't hoops!:glare: One of the main reasons I HS it to enjoy the freedom of choosing and using our own curriculum, writing our own schedule, and being the "teacher" and not just a "learning coach." Google K12 and see if your state offers it free as a virtual charter. Lots of people use it and like it. Like I said though, the "free" $ from the gov't is simply not worth the cost for my family. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 I agree with the sentiment that I'd rather not have any intrusion from the gov't....and any $ from the gov't comes with strings. Many states have "charter" schools that are essentially homeschools that the gov't controls by PAYING for them. I have the option of K12 for free in my state - that's right FREE for the small price of jumping through a whole lot of gov't hoops!:glare: One of the main reasons I HS it to enjoy the freedom of choosing and using our own curriculum, writing our own schedule, and being the "teacher" and not just a "learning coach." Google K12 and see if your state offers it free as a virtual charter. Lots of people use it and like it. Like I said though, the "free" $ from the gov't is simply not worth the cost for my family. I agree. Most of us would prefer to stay under the radar. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3and3 Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 No, and I believe most people know that a federal deduction would mean federal guidelines which means they would control us more. I will take my educational freedom choices without federal guidance THANK YOU! But my dh asks me every year....he too would like a deduction ;-) :iagree: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crimson Wife Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 If you have a HS-related business like selling curriculum or providing tutoring, you may be able to deduct certain things as business expenses. But I'd be very careful about that since self-employed folks are at very high audit risk. My dad has had his own consulting business for the past 15 or so years and he's been audited multiple times. Fortunately, he's been able to justify everything on his return but it's still a huge pain-in-the-patootie to go through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Oh, I have to believe that with all the smart people on this forum, we can come up with some fancy accounting way of getting some deductions. Corporations do it everyday. I believe it can be done. That's really not how it works. :001_smile: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TwinMominTX Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Yes. I am a paid contracted tutor for Classical Conversations which is a 1099 position. I am able to legally deduct all reasonable expenses that are not reimbursed by CC from my Federal Taxes. We interpret this to mean that books purchased to supplement my CC class (but not paid for by CC) are deductible. Paper, pens, pencils, materials, etc. etc. necessary for me to use in my job (which also might mean using them at home) are also deductible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhonda in TX Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 Oh, I have to believe that with all the smart people on this forum, we can come up with some fancy accounting way of getting some deductions. Corporations do it everyday. I believe it can be done. I'm suspicious of anyone with so few posts asking for this type of information. I hope I'm not alone in that I do NOT do "fancy accounting" with my taxes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 There are no legal ways to deduct homeschooling expenses from ones federal taxes. I'm not interested in shady maneuvers, even if they pass undetected. Although I have no experience with my children attending a public school, I would think that parents who are dunned annually for hundreds of dollars by the school's requirements are in the same boat as are we homeschoolers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elizabeth Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 Well stated. Several of my friends who educate through the ps system are spending hundreds on band expenses, swing choir, theatre costs, travel for speech and debate, Destination Imagination, sports equipment, rental fees on textbooks aargh the list is endless. "Free" public education my **** Having several friends as teachers has been illuminating for me as well, as many pick up the tab so that children without means to participate in extracurriculars are able to do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted February 20, 2010 Share Posted February 20, 2010 No, and I don't want a deduction for homeschooling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lionfamily1999 Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 I'm suspicious of anyone with so few posts asking for this type of information. I hope I'm not alone in that I do NOT do "fancy accounting" with my taxes. :iagree: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asta Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 I'm suspicious of anyone with so few posts asking for this type of information. I hope I'm not alone in that I do NOT do "fancy accounting" with my taxes. I understand your point, I really do - but you have almost 2400 posts. At some point in your hs'ing career, you had 12. Give the guy a break: he's new to hs'ing, and he's new to the board. Everyone has to start somewhere, and the first year is a shock to everyone. Well, anyone out there on their own, anyway! There are plenty of us who "fell into" hs'ing without any support and were scrambling to find out what was what... getting slapped by "more experienced" people on fora really sucked. asta Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haiku Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 I have the option of K12 for free in my state - that's right FREE for the small price of jumping through a whole lot of gov't hoops!:glare: This is not homeschooling in the traditional sense. This is public school. You happen to attend your classes in your home, but it is public school and that is why the government is involved. (Disclaimer: I think virtual schools at are home are a fantastic resource for those who want them and am not slamming them as "not homeschooling.") Tar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StartingOver Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 I don't want a tax break. I live in Texas and like having no interference !!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seeker Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Oh, I have to believe that with all the smart people on this forum, we can come up with some fancy accounting way of getting some deductions. Corporations do it everyday. I believe it can be done. :001_huh: The comparison is perplexing. The difference is that a corporation makes a profit/income and homeschooling does not produce an income. In fact, it would probably qualify only as a hobby, something you put more money into than you give out of it but you do it because you love it. Choosing to homeschool is really not that different than choosing at which store you are going to shop, what you will buy, and how much you will spend. You really would not want the government giving tax breaks for shopping at preferred stores or products at the consumer level and then having to prove your purchases by keeping the receipts and hiring an accountant because of the complexity of the tax codes, would you? Then there is the flip side: what if your state decided that it would tax you more for not putting your children in public school? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 This is not homeschooling in the traditional sense. This is public school. You happen to attend your classes in your home, but it is public school and that is why the government is involved. (Disclaimer: I think virtual schools at are home are a fantastic resource for those who want them and am not slamming them as "not homeschooling.") Tar Agreeing that the publicly-funded programs are not homeschooling. However, I do think that the K-12 program is a strong academic program. Parents who use it at home -- even with the smothering oversight entailed -- have the freedom to "correct" any worldview issues presented by the subject curricula, and to point out to the student where something taught is wrong, for the family's worldview. Can't do that in the public classroom ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 We recently attended a home school night at the local community college, and the financial aid representative made a statement that I've been wanting to clarify. If I heard him correctly, he stated that when our home school students use the cc, and don't qualify for financial aid, that they can be issued a 10-something-something that indicates the deduction that can be taken for continuing education. Anyone here have experience along those lines? I really don't see how this can apply to undergraduate dependents, but I am going to be calling to verify the statement. In any case, IF this holds water, it is the only thing I've ever heard of that comes close to getting any tax breaks for home schooling. But as others have already said, I am willing to sacrifice tax breaks for the ability to fly below the radar! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 (edited) We recently attended a home school night at the local community college, and the financial aid representative made a statement that I've been wanting to clarify. If I heard him correctly, he stated that when our home school students use the cc, and don't qualify for financial aid, that they can be issued a 10-something-something that indicates the deduction that can be taken for continuing education. Anyone here have experience along those lines? I really don't see how this can apply to undergraduate dependents, but I am going to be calling to verify the statement. In any case, IF this holds water, it is the only thing I've ever heard of that comes close to getting any tax breaks for home schooling. But as others have already said, I am willing to sacrifice tax breaks for the ability to fly below the radar! That's a 1098. It's what colleges use to report tuition paid. I'm not sure what the rules are for high school students. I'm going to dig... ETA: Okay, the link for the IRS page is here:Tax Benefits for Education There are several different credits. It sounds like he might be referring to the Lifetime Learning Credit, which does not specifically exclude high school students as some of the others do. The rules for Lifetime Learning states that: "The course must be either part of a postsecondary degree program or taken by the student to acquire or improve job skills." So it would have to meet those criteria. He might also be referring to a state deduction for continuing education? Edited February 22, 2010 by angela in ohio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spradlin02 Posted February 22, 2010 Author Share Posted February 22, 2010 I understand your point, I really do - but you have almost 2400 posts. At some point in your hs'ing career, you had 12. Give the guy a break: he's new to hs'ing, and he's new to the board. Everyone has to start somewhere, and the first year is a shock to everyone. Well, anyone out there on their own, anyway! There are plenty of us who "fell into" hs'ing without any support and were scrambling to find out what was what... getting slapped by "more experienced" people on fora really sucked. asta Yeah, thanks for getting my back. :thumbup: And I'm not going to apologize for attempting to think outside the box. My household income is going to be cut by 3/4 when I begin educating from home, so I'm looking for every advantage I can get. Attempting to find ways to reap tax breaks doesn't have to necessarily include "fancy" accounting and doesn't have to necessarily mean state or federal control of home education. Half the point of wanting to home educate my children is to give them the power to think creatively. Now if I accepted as fact what I'm told, what is that example does that give my children. :lol: 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tangerine Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Illinois has a K-12 education expense credit that specifically includes homeschools. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 . . . and as "post-secondary" means "post-high school", it's a moot point. I couldn't call the course contributing to "acquiring or improving job skills" and keep a straight face ! T There are several different credits. It sounds like he might be referring to the Lifetime Learning Credit, which does not specifically exclude high school students as some of the others do. The rules for Lifetime Learning states that: "The course must be either part of a postsecondary degree program or taken by the student to acquire or improve job skills." So it would have to meet those criteria. He might also be referring to a state deduction for continuing education? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orthodox6 Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Your core question is a legitimate question. New homeschoolers wonder about this all the time ! I suspect the "flack" derived exclusively from what sounded like a serious-minded suggestion to defraud the IRS. I admit that it sounded clearly so to me when I read it (and reread it). Maybe the post was phrased with jest in mind and many of us missed the intent to be humorous. Yeah, thanks for getting my back. :thumbup: And I'm not going to apologize for attempting to think outside the box. My household income is going to be cut by 3/4 when I begin educating from home, so I'm looking for every advantage I can get. Attempting to find ways to reap tax breaks doesn't have to necessarily include "fancy" accounting and doesn't have to necessarily mean state or federal control of home education. Half the point of wanting to home educate my children is to give them the power to think creatively. Now if I accepted as fact what I'm told, what is that example does that give my children. :lol: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 . . . and as "post-secondary" means "post-high school", it's a moot point. I couldn't call the course contributing to "acquiring or improving job skills" and keep a straight face ! That's what I was thinking. Even though it was "Homeschool Night," the financial aid rep seemed to forget at times that he was addressing a group of hsers hoping to use the cc to round out high school in addition to getting ahead for college. That's why I wanted to verify his meaning. Now if Mom went back for, say, an art class while DS while was enrolled in Calculus.... that's a credit I can look for, no?!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8filltheheart Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 Spam on zombie thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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