ST. PAUL – With back-to-school shopping in full swing, Rep. Chris Swedzinski, R-Ghent, is reminding Minnesota parents about tax benefits for their 2017 Minnesota tax return for many school supplies. Minnesota has both a credit and a subtraction for education expenses.
The Minnesota Department of Revenue has reminded families interested in claiming these tax benefits to save all receipts related to school supplies.
“We all should be using the full repertoire of available credits and subtractions when we file our tax returns, but these are benefits that people often are either unaware of or forget to claim,” Swedzinski said. “I hope this year people really make an effort to save their receipts from school-related purchases and file them away in a place they will be remembered when tax season rolls around. It’s more money back in your pocket, so let’s take advantage.”
Most school supplies qualify for the credit or subtraction, including writing utensils, textbooks, and musical instrument rentals. Common items that do not qualify for the subtraction or credit include school lunches, uniforms, backpacks, and more. Parents are encouraged to check the Department of Revenue website to determine which expenses qualify.
While the education subtraction is not subject to income limits, the credit is limited to households with incomes less than $37,500 for families with one to two children, $39,500 for families with three children, and adding $2,000 per child for families with four or more children. According to the Department of Revenue, more than 43,000 families took advantage of the education credit saving an average of $242. In all, nearly 200,000 families took advantage of the education subtraction.
Full details about the Education Subtraction and Credit can be found on the Department of Revenue’s website: http://www.revenue.state.mn.us. Swedzinski encourages constituents who have questions about the credit or subtraction to contact their office at rep.chris.swedzinski@house.mn or by calling (651) 296-5374.
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