Teacher (Educator) Expenses Deduction

[Filing tax 2020]

I am at the part to enter Teacher (Educator) expenses. I clicked in the box “Unreimbursed educator expenses” and tried to type in numbers; however, the numbers did not show up. This happens to some other parts too. There’s some issues with the Turbo Tax program this year (2020). Please show me what to do.

[LenaH]

The teacher (Educator) Expenses deduction is for kindergarten through grade 12 educators who buy classroom supplies out of their own pockets. If you qualify, you can deduct up to $250 of these expenses.

To enter your deduction, please follow the steps below:

1. Open your return.
2. Click on Federal.
3. Click on Deductions & Credits. 
4. Scroll down to Employment Expenses.
5. Click Revisit next to Teacher (Educator) Expenses.
6. Enter up to $250 in the box on the page How much did you spend in educator expenses?

In order to confirm your deduction on your return, please follow these instructions in TurboTax:

1. Click on Tax Tools.
2. Click on Tools.
3. Click on View Tax Summary under Other helpful links.
4. Click on Preview my 1040.
5. Once open, use Control + F, and search Schedule 1. On Part II, Line 10 of Schedule 1, you should see up to $250 in Educator Expenses. 

[RWayne]

Filing a joint return teacher and vice principal, we both have expenses, vice principal $250 and teacher $222. Turbo tax is only allowing $250 to be deducted, why?

[CatinaT1]

Because a Vice Principle does not meet the qualifications to take the Educator expenses.

The teacher (Educator) Expenses deduction is for kindergarten through grade 12 teachers who buy classroom supplies out of their own pockets. 

[RWayne]

Vice principal does meet the qualifications for educator expense deduction, please see IRS topic 458 Educator Expense Deduction and the Turbo Tax popup on the subject. To make it worse the $250 deduction on the return is for vice principal expenses, the $222 not included on the return is for the spouse that is the teacher. There is a bug (or several more) in the program on this subject and will reduce our Federal and state refunds.

[BillM223]

Probably not a bug. It works fine in my test.

The 1040 Instructions say,

"Qualified expenses don’t include expenses for home schooling or for nonathletic supplies for courses in health or physical education.

You must reduce your qualified expenses by the following amounts.

• Excludable U.S. series EE and I savings bond interest from Form 8815.

• Nontaxable qualified tuition program earnings or distributions.

• Any nontaxable distribution of Coverdell education savings account earnings.

• Any reimbursements you received for these expenses that weren’t reported to you in box 1 of your Form W-2."

Any of those apply to you two?

If you have paid for the Online software or are using the CD/download software, you can look for the Educator Expenses Worksheet - you will see the limitation of your deduction here.

[bjunod]

This advice above is key.  Not all key deductions or credits are obvious in the turbotax software.  i had to click a small link at the bottom to find the educator expense line.  Putting it under occupation expense like you do for things like union dues does not generate the $250 credit on schedule 1.  

[JohnB5677]

Did you follow the steps provided by @LenaH.  There is a specific entry field for Teacher (Educator) Expenses.

@bjunod