Child Who Won't Drink 1% Milk

[MyAngels]

Nope, I'm pretty sure food program amounts are different that the standard deduction you can take on your taxes at the end of the year. That's what Crazy8 is referring to. The food program amounts differ based on whether you get Tier 1 or Tier 2 and you h ave to only serve according to their guidelines,can only claim certain meals, etc. The standard deduction on your taxes is the same no matter what, they don't care what you fed the kids and you can claim as many snacks and meals as you actually serve instead of the 1 meal/2 snacks or 2 meals/1 snack per the food program.

The standard IRS deduction is based on the USDA Tier I rates.

You can deduct up to 6 meals or snacks per day, if you actually serve them.

[Angelsj]

The standard IRS deduction is based on the USDA Tier I rates.

You can deduct up to 6 meals or snacks per day, if you actually serve them.

This ^
I do this every year, and deduct all the meals/snacks I serve. Since I work such odd hours, I count a variety of each meal and snack. Of course, you cannot count your own kids.

[MarinaVanessa]

I used to only claim the standard meal rate alone but it was better for me to be on the food program and have that extra income every month and do both. Just because you are on the food program doesnt mean that you can't still claim the standard rate as well. I do both. I receive the money from the food program and also claim the standard rate.

[Crazy8]

The standard deduction IS the amount that is paid for the food program. That is how it is set. but I am confused HOW do you get $2 a day for nor feeding them The parents pay an extra $2 a day for snacks?

Kids bring their breakfast and lunch from home so no time cooking, coming up with meal plans, throwing away food, dealing with food program rules, etc. The snack rate for this year is 69 cents - I serve 3 a day (I count lunchtime as a snack because I serve milk/crackers with whatever they've brought from home) so that totals $2.07 per child. I only take up to 5 kids so it comes out to about a $2700 tax deduction at the end of the year and I do not have to save receipts, deal with food program rules, can serve any type of milk I want (which was why I was posting in the first place), etc. etc. I know for fact that I do not spend $2700 a year on snacks.

I don't know what the difference is for everyone who does food program vs. taking the standard deduction but I have seen numerous complaints about food programs rules/paperwork that I just don't know that unless it was a huge difference I would bother dealing with them.

[Crazy8]

I used to only claim the standard meal rate alone but it was better for me to be on the food program and have that extra income every month and do both. Just because you are on the food program doesnt mean that you can't still claim the standard rate as well. I do both. I receive the money from the food program and also claim the standard rate.

well that would be a huge difference - I had no idea you could claim BOTH!

[itlw8]

money claimed as an expense is not cash in your hand. it is taken off what you made. This you do even if you get income from the food program


money from the food program is cash in your hand. yes if you are on teir 2 it is far less than those on teir 1.... but even so it is cash in your hand. Cash that you had to do far less work for than caring for a child.

Yes some of the rules are silly but are there because of the people that commit fraud.... and to keep the kids healty.

Yes some of the reps are bad. But if there is more than one sponser in your area you can choose a different sponser....

I know it does not work for everyone but I would stop and pick up a dollar bill so I for sure will not thow away $200 for less than an hour of paperwork a month.... and now I was moved to teir 1 so I for sure would not thow away $400.