Thanx. Would a receipt from zundel Berman work better? The only reason im asking is because the books are Hebrew on that receipt
Probably. But next time see fi you can get it written in English.
From TurboTax:
What is the educator expenses deduction?
If you teach kindergarten through grade 12 in a public or private school and you personally pay unreimbursed, out-of-pocket expenses for books, supplies, and other materials you use in the classroom, you can claim a deduction for up to $250.
Do I qualify for the educator expenses deduction?
Eligibility requirements
- You must be a teacher, instructor, counselor, principal, or aide in kindergarten through grade 12.
- You must work at least 900 hours per school year.
- Expenses you can write off include books, supplies, computer equipment and software, and other equipment and supplementary materials you use in the classroom.
- The expenses must be considered common, accepted, and appropriate for your job as an educator.
- The deduction is an "above the line" deduction. This is more beneficial than most deductions because it takes up to $250 directly off your taxable income. You do not need to itemize your deductions on Schedule A to claim this deduction
Limitations of this deduction
- Home schooling expenses do not qualify.
- For courses in health or physical education, you can deduct only the cost of athletic supplies.
Example: If you teach a course in physical education and buy additional basketballs for your students to use, you can deduct them.
- If you have more than $250 in expenses that qualify for this deduction, you might be able to deduct the excess as a miscellaneous itemized deduction subject to 2% of adjusted gross income (AGI). TurboTax will automatically enter the excess amount on Schedule A.
Example: You spent $1,500 for supplies for your classroom. You can deduct the first $250 as educator expenses. You might be able to deduct a portion of the remaining $1,250 as a miscellaneous itemized deduction, which also includes job-related expenses and investment expenses. You can deduct these miscellaneous expenses when they're over 2% of your adjusted gross income (AGI). Continuing with the example, you have a remaining $1,250 of educator expenses to deduct. If your AGI was $40,000, you cannot deduct the first $800 (or 2% x $40,000). But you can deduct the remainder of $450 ($1,250 - $800).
- If both you and your spouse are teachers, and you file as married filing jointly, you can each claim $250 in expenses, for a total educator expenses deduction of $500.
Special circumstances or exceptions
-If you were reimbursed for your educator expenses and your employer included the reimbursements in box 1 of your Form W-2, you can claim the deduction, because you are being taxed on the reimbursements.
-If you were reimbursed for your expenses and the amount does not appear in box 1 of Form W-2, you cannot claim the deduction for those expenses.
What paperwork do I need for the educator expenses deduction?
For your records, keep receipts for the eligible items you buy, noting the date, amount, and purpose of each item.
Deductions related to the educator expenses deduction
- Job-related Expenses Deduction
For more information, see:
- IRS Publication 17, Chapter 19, Education-Related Adjustments
