Log every out-of-pocket purchase. See what the tax deduction actually covers. Free, no signup.
Every time you buy something for your classroom, log it: what it was, one of the eight categories from Supplies to Field trips and Events, and the amount. The tool saves your purchases on the device so your running total grows across the school year, and you can remove any entry or clear everything to start fresh. The results card tells the honest story: your total out of pocket, how much of it the educator deduction covers up to the cap, and the gap that stays on you. The cap defaults to $350 and is editable, because the number can change; a progress bar shows your spending against it. Pick your marginal tax rate from the pills, 10, 12, 22, or 24 percent, and the tool estimates your actual tax savings as the covered amount times that rate. The math note is deliberately blunt: a deduction is not a refund, and most teachers spend far more than the cap covers. The tool also flags that a newer federal itemized deduction may cover spending above the cap if you itemize. This is information only, not tax advice; confirm current rules at irs.gov or with a tax pro before filing.
Example only, not typical numbers. Say you log five purchases totaling $520 for the school year, the educator deduction cap is the $350 default, and your marginal rate is the 12 percent default. The deduction covers $350 of the $520, leaving $170 unrecovered. Estimated tax savings are $350 times 12 percent, or $42. That is the point the tool is honest about: $42 of savings on $520 spent, because a deduction is not a refund. If you itemize, the note reminds you that the newer federal itemized deduction for educator expenses may still help with the $170 above the cap. This is information only, not tax advice.
A federal above-the-line deduction that lets eligible K-12 educators deduct out-of-pocket classroom spending up to the cap, which defaults to $350 in this tool and is editable. Check current IRS rules, because the number can change.
No. The tool estimates your savings as the covered amount times your marginal tax rate, which is a fraction of what you spent. That is why the math note is blunt: most teachers spend far more than the deduction covers.
The gap above the cap stays unrecovered in the basic math. The tool notes that for 2026, federal law added a new itemized deduction for educator expenses above the cap with no dollar limit, so itemizers may still get relief. This is information only, not tax advice.
Yes, on the device, so your running total builds across the school year. You can remove a single entry or hit Clear all to start fresh for a new school year.
Your marginal federal rate: the pills offer 10, 12, 22, and 24 percent with 12 as the default starting point. The savings estimate moves with it, so pick the bracket you are actually in.