Tom Question For You

[care-care]

I am not on the food program.. I have a infant I care for and I hear talk about claiming feeding bottles and baby food on here. Can you take the standard meal deduction on feeding a infant that parents provide the formula and cereal? I couldnt provide the formula for him becuz it is some special 25 dollar can If I can how would I go about it. He is here mom 2-530 I feed one bottle and one baby food t/th 2 til 9 pm and i do 2/3 bottles and food and then a cereal later

or is this only if you are on food program?

[Michael]

I'm going to bump this up again. I'm sure Tom probably has a lot of others things to do and occasionally stops in to Daycare.com

[Abigail]

I don't think you can claim anything if you don't provide it. I know to be on the food program you must offer a formula even if the parents don't take you on the offer you can claim it, but it seems like they're also providing the baby food. I'm confused. As far as deducting, I think the provider needs to actually provide the food.

[care-care]

still waiting for tom

[DCMomOf3]

I am fairly sure that the deduction is a reimbursement of sorts for the money you spend to feed your daycare kids. Since the parents are supplying the food, you won't be able to use the deduction.

[QualiTcare]

you should post this thread over in the daycare and taxes section - i think tom checks there more than here anymore.

[TomCopeland]

Infant

You can only deduct a meal as a business expense if you serve some of the food for the meal. If the parent brings all the food for a meal you can't deduct it. If you offer any food for the meal you can deduct the meal.