Article: 50550
Overview
Minnesota offers valuable tax benefits for parents or guardians who pay qualifying educational expenses for their K–12 students. Depending on your income, you may be eligible for either credit, a subtraction, or both.
To claim either benefit, you must complete the K-12 Education Credit/Subtraction form, which corresponds to Schedule M1ED in your Minnesota tax return.
Who Qualifies for the K-12 Education Benefits?
You may qualify for the credit, the subtraction, or both if:
- You are a Minnesota resident, and
- You paid qualifying educational expenses for your dependent child(ren) enrolled in kindergarten through 12th grade, and
- You meet the income thresholds for the credit (or have no income limit for the subtraction).
Note: The subtraction is not refundable, it reduces your taxable income rather than providing a refund.
Examples of Qualifying Expenses
- School supplies required.
- Educational software and subscriptions
- Tutoring by a qualified instructor
- Music lessons or art instruction
- Fees for after-school academic programs
How to Report
- Navigate to the State Taxes section on the left-hand side of the screen.
- Click the link: I’d like to see the forms I’ve filled out or search for a form.
- In the dropdown menu, select Minnesota.
- Click on the Credits tab.
- Select K-12 Education Credit/Subtraction to open the screen.
- Enter Eligible Expenses and Details
- Input qualified expenses, such as:
- Textbooks and school supplies
- Tutoring and test prep
- Music lessons or art instruction
- Educational software or equipment
- Indicate which expenses are being claimed for the credit, subtraction, or both.
- Click Save once complete.
Additional Resources
For further guidance, see:
2024 Schedule M1ED – K-12 Education Credit/Subtraction (PDF)