Dec. 29—Teachers who have been working in school buildings this year have often had to dip into their own wallets to purchase personal protective equipment to keep themselves and their students safe from the coronavirus.
They will now be able to apply the cost of the PPE or other supplies used to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in their classrooms toward the existing educator expense deduction of $250 on their federal taxes, thanks to the newly signed coronavirus economic relief package. The deduction is retroactive to March 12, 2020.
But some teachers say while they're glad they can now deduct the cost of their PPE, they were hoping the $250 tax break would be increased for this school year, given other unexpected expenses they have had to contend with during the pandemic. Many teachers have had to purchase new technology for remote instruction, or more school supplies than normal to limit students sharing.
"PPE has become an essential classroom supply," said Ann Pifer, the executive director of AdoptAClassroom.org, a crowdfunding site for teachers. But "that deductible limit is so small, and they still need all the other classroom supplies. Is it going to help that much?"
The educator expense deduction traditionally covers books, supplies, computer hardware and software, professional development costs, and other supplementary materials that teachers purchased for their CONTINUE READING: Teachers Can Apply PPE Costs to Their $250 Educator Tax Deduction. Is That Enough? | Ap | fredericknewspost.com
