The Minnesota Department of Revenue would like families to know about two state tax benefits: The Minnesota K‑12 Education Credit and K-12 Education Subtraction. Many families do not know about, or take advantage of, these valuable tax benefits.
What should families know?
These benefits can reduce families’ income taxes and increase tax refunds if they save receipts for their children’s qualifying education-related expenses.
Most Minnesotans qualify for the K-12 Education Subtraction, which reduces their taxable income. They may also qualify for the K-12 Education Credit under certain income limits. The credit can refund up to 75% of costs, even if no tax is owed.
What education-related expenses qualify?
Many expenses for educational instruction or materials may qualify, including:
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Paper and notebooks
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Pens and pencils
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Nonreligious textbooks
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Rental or purchases of educational equipment, including musical instruments
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Computer hardware (hotspots, modems, and routers) and educational software (up to $200 for the subtraction and $200 for the credit)
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After-school tutoring and educational summer camps taught by a qualified instructor