Pre-K Tuition as Dependent Care Expense?

[Chowdahead]

Have a client whose 4-year-old son attends Pre-K at a Catholic school. She pays over $400 a month for it.

Is Pre-K considered "daycare" and can it be counted as dependent care expenses as long as the school provides their Tax ID number to her? The credit would boost her refund by a few hundred dollars.

On that note, I have been looking at the instructions for the form 2441 and it is very vague on what expenses actually qualify. it basically just says that the parent has to be working or looking for work and the dependent must be under 13. So does this mean that any paid "schooling" under 13 could qualify for "dependent" care?

[michaelmars]

NO paid schooling does not qualify once the child is eligible for public school, in your case yes it applies

[jainen]

>>it is very vague on what expenses actually qualify.<<

The first section of the instructions to Form 2441 tell you to see Pub 503 for more details. Pub 503 says, "Expenses for a child in nursery school, pre-school, or similar programs for children below the level of kindergarten are expenses for care."

[michaelmars]

>>it is very vague on what expenses actually qualify.<<

The first section of the instructions to Form 2441 tell you to see Pub 503 for more details. Pub 503 says, "Expenses for a child in nursery school, pre-school, or similar programs for children below the level of kindergarten are expenses for care."

SSSH Jainen what is it 7 in the morning where you are? don't you ever sleep?!?

[Jack from Ohio]

7:00 AM is prime time to be productive. No phone calls, no one else in the office. Easier to go to bed earlier and start at 5:00 AM than to stay up late.

This is the pattern that works for me since Father Time gave me the 1/2 century award!!

[jainen]

>>is it 7 in the morning where you are?<<

No big deal. I wrote the answer last night before I went to bed. Then this morning all I had to do was copy and post to the forum as soon as the question was asked.

[MAMalody]

&gt;&gt;is it 7 in the morning where you are?&lt;&lt;

No big deal. I wrote the answer last night before I went to bed. Then this morning all I had to do was copy and post to the forum as soon as the question was asked.

Hmmm. You wrote the answer the night before the question was asked. If anybody had questions of how good your were, they should now be answered.