From paper towels to spare pencils, many schoolteachers wind up paying for the supplies their students need to complete lessons. While it is unfortunate that, all too often, these tools come directly out of their paycheck, there are ways to deduct these costs as work expenses. If you’re an educator hoping to get more money back from the IRS next year, use the following tax preparation guide to optimize your deductions.

How Much Can I Deduct?

For the 2019 tax return, teachers are allowed to deduct a maximum of $250 in unreimbursed expenses from their income. That means it’s still important to get as much help as you can from parents throughout the year and to remind the school what supplies you’ll need them to cover.

If you’re married to another educator and filing a joint return with them, you can jointly deduct up to $500. However, that doesn’t mean one of you can deduct $400 and the other $100—the maximum is still $250 per spouse.

What Qualifies as a Deductible Expense?

If you’re a P.E. teacher, feel free to deduct any athletic supplies, such as dodgeballs and shinguards. Classroom teachers can deduct books and other school supplies. If you need to buy software for your class computers or take a professional development course, these expenses qualify as well.

What Teachers Qualify for the Deduction?

To be eligible for the $250 max deduction, you must be a teacher, counselor, instructor, teacher’s aide, or a principal working 900 hours or more per school year. The deduction is only open to educators teaching from kindergarten through 12th grade in an elementary or secondary education school.

Interested in learning about other deductions you may be eligible for? Turn to the tax preparation professionals at PMC Tax Service of Lincoln, Nebraska. Since 1989, they have been helping hard-working clients maximize their tax returns or minimize their tax bills. They can also help you amend a return you’ve already filed, or help you with personal property taxes. To learn more about their offerings, visit the website. Call (402) 467-5529 to schedule an appointment and get a headstart on tax preparation.