Tax Write Offs, items and costs needed for Nursing School

[colleen10]

Hi everyone,

Something came to mind today and I thought that I would ask "yinz" and see if you knew anything.

I am getting ready to start clinicals this Fall and right now I am in the process of completing the pre-requisites like background check, CPR certification, vaccinations, etc. and hopefully I'll soon be getting info. on uniforms.

I was wondering if anyone knew if the costs of any of this stuff was a "Tax Write Off" for next years taxes.

I know that items for "Work" like shoes, uniforms, etc. can be a write off and wondered if the same was true for school. Also, I know that classes I have been taking like Micro, etc. that I have paid for in full and up front have also been used as write offs and was wondering if the "CPR" class I have to pay for could be too.

And what about the cost of doctors visits, background checks, etc. that the student must pay for out of pocket to get into school?

If anyone knows for sure I'd be interested in knowing. I'm not trying to be a tight wad, but I can see that these things are slowly but surely adding up.

Col

[NurseShell]

Here's what we did - we itemize, and this only applies to those that itemize on their taxes:

Anything that you HAVE to buy for school is a write-off

uniforms

stethoscope

shoes

tools, whatever

CPR class

AND if you buy REQUIRED textbooks at your campus bookstore those are a write-off too.

Of course you must have receipts for this!!

[rebelwaclause, ASN, RN]

I think tax write-offs are STATE specific. Here in Cali, Textbooks aren't a write-off (to my understanding. Correct me if I'm wrong!)

[Disablednurse]

On Federal tax, that does not go state by state. So if it is a tax write off in one state, it will be a tax write off in another one. The only place that it would differ would be your state income tax. I am almost positive about that.

[natsfanrn]

I deducted all my education expenses -- tuition, books, parking, cpr class -- from my Federal taxes (as part of the lifetime learning credit, I think, though I'd have to go back and check to make sure). Since state taxes are based on Fed tax paid, they're effectively deducted from state too, even though there's not a line item for them....

[natsfanrn]

Just found the form -- it's fed form 8863 -- Education Credits (Hope and Lifetime Learning Credits). Hope credit can't be claimed for more than 2 tax years for same student; lifetime learning is just that, able to use as many times in lifetime as necessary, but must earn less than $102,000 if filing jointly, $51,000 if filing single...

[Nurse Izzy]

We deducted them from our taxes, too. Everything from shoes to books to the HEPB vaccine and titer. Just SAVE your receipts. Even the drug test we had to take before clinicals was deductible. Any class you take, whether nursing related or not, also! If you think you can reasonably show that it is learning related it can be deducted - even down to pencils and paper - take advantage of it!

[colleen10]

Hey everyone, Thanks so much for your advice, so far I have been keeping receipts and copies of everything and will certainly be even more diligent about it now.

Thanks much for all of your advice,

Col

[vaughanmk]

I was told that as the life-long learnign tax "thing" that I could deduct up to $3,000 a semester for school expenses. That includes tuition books, and lab fees. I don't know how it is anywhere else though. I'm in MO.

[MomNRN, BSN, RN]

The bad thing about the life-long learning credit is that it has an ending to it. I don't think you can use it forever. I think we were only able to claim it for two years.

Another thing, work-related expenses including union dues has to be at least a certain percentage of your income. I think it might be 2%. My work-related expenses wasn't enough to claim this year. It stinks!

[natsfanrn]

MomNRN--

You may be thinking of the Hope credit, which is only for 2 years. Lifelong Learning is good for unlimited use over a lifetime. From the IRS website:

Q.13. Is there a limit on the number of years in which a Lifetime Learning Credit may be claimed, as there is for the Hope Scholarship Credit?

A.13. Unlike the Hope Scholarship Credit, there is no limit to the number of years in which a Lifetime Learning Credit may be claimed for each student. Thus, for example, an individual who enrolls in one college-level class every year would be able to claim the Lifetime Learning Credit for an unlimited number of years, provided the individual meets the income limits and is taking the classes at institutions that meet the eligibility requirements. (See Q&A3in this section.)

http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96273,00.html

[angelgreg]

In regards to the life long learning credit that another poster had mentioned. They had said that they thought it could only be used for two years. That is the hope credit. The life long learining credit is availb as long as you are in school. That was what my tax lady just had told me last night. I am not sure if it is the same all over, but here in MI that is the case. Hope that helps :)