Save School Supply Receipts To Get Hundreds Back On Minnesota Taxes

ST. PAUL, MN — The Minnesota Department of Revenue is urging parents to keep their back-to-school shopping receipts, which could add up to hundreds of dollars in tax savings at tax time.

Two programs help cover education costs:

• The K-12 Education Credit, which is refundable and has income limits.
• The K-12 Education Subtraction, which has no income limits.

Last year, more than 44,000 families claimed the credit and received an average of $379, officials said. Another 114,000 families used the subtraction, saving an average of $1,438.

What Expenses Qualify

Families can claim these benefits for many common school-related costs, including:

• Paper, pens, and notebooks
• Textbooks
• Rental or purchase of educational equipment, such as musical instruments
• Computer hardware (hotspots, modems, and routers) and educational software (up to $200 for both the credit and subtraction)
• After-school tutoring and educational summer camps taught by a qualified instructor

Parents who pay private school tuition or for certain college courses that count toward high school graduation can also use the subtraction.

Income Limits for the K-12 Education Credit

Families qualify for the credit if their household income is under these limits:

• 1 or 2 children: $79,760
• 3 children: $82,760
• More than 3 children: $85,760 plus $3,000 for each additional child

The subtraction has no income limits, so most families can claim it.

To take advantage of these programs, parents need to save their receipts now and file them at tax time. Families who don’t normally file a return must still do so to claim the credit, officials said.