Homeschooling: A Family’s Journey

It’s April 15 — dies irae, tax day. But many school teachers will be able to smile at least a little as they take a $250 deduction for what they might have spent on school supplies and such. If you’re new to homeschooling, you may wonder whether you can, too. The answer is “no”. The IRS says that homeschooling expenses are non-deductible. For a quick backgrounder on taxes and homeschooling, see the following:

Bankrate’s 2008 Tax Guide explains the educator discount.

Ann Zeise briefly and clearly summarizes tax rules for homeschoolers.

The HSLDA tax issue folder offers useful background on educational tax credits, whose rules vary from state to state.

Not only are there no tax deductions for homeschooling expenses, but there are no Federal tax credits for homeschoolers. Of course, nobody likes writing checks to the IRS, and many homeschoolers who pay taxes to support schools they don’t use think it’s only right that they get a credit. Others recognize that tax credits come with strings attached — strings that can be tightened — and would rather keep paying up than risk the strings. When you finish filing your tax return today, let us know what you think.