1 - Claim All Eligible Child Care Deductions

Expenses paid for child care that enables you and your spouse to be employed are eligible as federal income tax deductions.  Your child must be under the age of 13, and the services must be for the physical care of your child, not education, meals, etc.

Services provided by licensed child care facilities such as daycare, and preschool are the obvious expenses most people claim. Many miss out additional refunds once their children "graduate" into kindergarten. Consider the following eligible expenses:

• Summer camps - not sleep over
• After school or latchkey programs
• Before school programs
• Nannies & Au Pair - provided they report the income
• Relatives - not minor children or other dependents

Your deductible child care expenses may continue if your child is disabled. You can continue to deduct these expenses after age 13 should this be the case.  

In addition, your child with special needs may generate a higher level of un-reimbursed medical expenses. Many children have multiple areas of medical need. Plus, many therapies and treatments are not covered by health insurance. The treamtnes may be considered experimental, or unlikely to result in a cure.