Five Things to Know About the $250 Tax Break That Teachers Could Lose – Education Week

November 8, 2017

When it comes time to do their taxes, millions of educators have had the satisfaction of checking a box that saves them some money, and isn’t available to people in other professions. The tax bill proposed by House Republicans would eliminate the $250 deduction teachers can claim for classroom supplies—and educators aren’t taking to it kindly.

We spoke with Internal Revenue Service officials to try to get a handle on what exactly the tax law says and what it means for teachers. Here’s some of what you need to know about the “educator expense deduction.”

1. Who can take the tax deduction? And what can they take it for?

K-12 teachers, principals, counselors, and aides who worked in schools for at least 900 hours a year (or an average of about five hours a school day) can currently take the tax deduction.

They can deduct up to $250 annually for books, supplies, computer hardware and software, and “other supplementary materials” that they purchased for their classrooms and were not reimbursed for by their district. They can also deduct for any out-of-pocket professional-development expenses. Health and physical education teachers can also use the deduction for athletic supplies.

Two educators who are married and filing jointly can deduct up to $500 a year (though no more than $250 a person).

The deduction is somewhat unusual in that it’s “above the line,” meaning teachers don’t have to itemize to get it. It comes directly off of their taxable income…

Librarian Holly Peele contributed to this report.

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