Are You Missing Out on These Educator Tax Deductions?
Read these tips from NEA Member Benefits before you start working on your taxes this year. Make sure you claim your educator deductions so you can get back as much money as possible.
The tax reform of 2017 kept the $250 above-the-line deduction for classroom supplies, and it’s still available for the 2019 tax year (the year for which taxes are due on April 15, 2020). The $250 deduction is particularly advantageous because it is above the line on Schedule A, which means you don’t have to itemize to take it and it reduces your overall adjusted gross income (AGI).
This becomes even more important under the most recent tax reform, which virtually doubled the standard deduction, setting the threshold even higher for choosing to itemize. Legislation in 2015 indexed the amount to inflation—though it is unchanged at $250 for 2019—and allows professional development expenses to be included in the deduction. If both spouses filing jointly are educators, each can claim the deduction, for a total of $500. Read more
If you’re like many Americans, you made a few New Year’s resolutions recently. And, like vowing to eat right and exercise more, financially motivated pledges bring the promise of a better and healthier life. But while making resolutions is admirable, it’s obviously more beneficial to actually keep them.
Could you use some breathing room in your budget? 
A New Year’s getaway can be a great way to kick-start the year before returning to school. Even if end-of-year grading and holiday preparations have kept you from making plans until December, it’s not too late.
The holiday season is here! Remember to check out the savings available from NEA Member Benefits on everything from movie tickets and kids’ magazines to kitchen appliances.
Whether you’re shopping for holiday presents, booking your flight home for the holidays or making everyday purchases such as groceries, gas, clothes, classroom supplies or books, you can make your hard-earned dollars pay you back with customer loyalty reward program cards, apps and codes. You’ll still be buying the same items, but when you use rewards programs, you’ll get more value for the money you spend.
“It’s the most wonderful time of the year,” or so the song goes. But everyone who travels knows that winter weather, heavy traffic and flight delays cause additional stress during the holiday season. Keep things calm by planning ahead and using a travel checklist.
The holiday season will be here soon—get started on your preparations now and take advantage of great savings exclusively for CEA and NEA members.
It’s Life Insurance Awareness Month, and you could win up to $500 in the Live. Love. Protect. Sweepstakes. from NEA Member Benefits. Visit 
This fall save on your cell phone bill, autumn wardrobe, new appliances, and more thanks to your membership with NEA.
