ST. PAUL PARK, MN—With back-to-school shopping in full swing, Rep. Keith Franke, R-St. Paul Park, 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 Department of Revenue has reminded families interested in claiming these tax benefits to save all receipts related to school supplies.
“This is important information to help with some of the costs of our kids going back to school,” said Franke. “I hope parents in our area will look into this tax benefit, and take the appropriate steps to help make school shopping more affordable.”
Most school supplies qualify for the credit or subtraction, including writing utensils, textbooks, and musical instrument rentals. Common items that don’t qualify for the subtraction or credit include school lunches, uniforms, backpacks, and more. Parents are encouraged to check the 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 1-2 children, $39,500 for families with 3 children, and adding $2,000 per child for families with 4 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. Rep. Franke encouraged constituents who have questions about the credit or subtraction to contact his office at rep.keith.franke@house.mn or by calling 651-296-4342.
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