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upworthy

teacher tax deductions

Education

Teachers now get a higher tax deduction for supplies they buy. It's still totally insulting.

The new amount still doesn't come close to covering what teachers pay out of pocket.

Photo by Monica Sedra on Unsplash

The IRS raised the tax deduction limit for teachers from $250 to $300.

When I first saw the headline that the IRS was raising the tax deduction limit for teachers buying classroom supplies with their own money—you know, the necessary items to do their jobs well—I was thrilled. The previous deduction of $250 was laughable, a virtual slap in the face to professionals who regularly spend two, three or four times that amount per year buying supplies for their students out of their own pocket.

But when I saw the amount the deduction was raised to, I rage laughed. $300? Are you kidding me?

It sounds great to say, "We're raising the tax deduction for teachers by 20%" until you realize that the teacher deduction hasn't been raised since 2002 and that 20% increase is a measly $50.

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