Louisiana tax tidbit: education breaks

Louisiana Louisiana parents and guardians of school children, be sure to look closely at Schedule E of your tax return this filing season. This year on the form you can claim eligible expenses related to three new education deductions.  

As the name indicates, the Elementary and Secondary School Tuition Deduction covers tuition and fees for a dependent child's enrollment, kindergarten through grades 12, in qualifying public and nonpublic elementary or secondary schools. Eligible costs include tuition, fees, uniforms, textbooks and other supplies required by the school.

The Educational Expenses for Home-Schooled Children also is self-explanatory. Pelican State taxpayers get a deduction for educational expenses paid during the tax year for home-schooling their dependents. Qualified educational expenses include amounts paid for the purchase of textbooks and curricula necessary for home-schooling.

With the Educational Expenses for a Quality Public Education, Louisiana taxpayers are allowed a deduction for the fees or other amounts paid during the tax year for a quality education of a dependent child enrolled in a public elementary or secondary school, including Louisiana Department of Education approved charter schools. The amounts that can be deducted include amounts paid for uniforms,textbooks and other supplies required by the school.

Each new education deduction is equal to 50 percent of the amounts paid per dependent, limited to $5,000. The Louisiana School Expense Deductions Worksheet must be completed for each and filed with your return.