Keeping Family and DC food separate

[Controlled Chaos]

How do you keep (or do you?) food separate for tax and reimbursement papework. Do you have a separate space? Is it all about receipts? I am trying to figure out how to better calculate my costs and track food used for DCKs. What do you do? I am not on the food program yet but hope to be soon.

[earlystart]

I don't store it in separate spaces or even make separate shopping trips. I just circle the daycare food on the receipt and write the total dollar amount of daycare food on the top of the receipt

[Thriftylady]

I do separate transactions at the store so I have two receipts. I don't store it separately. Sometimes someone in the family gets into something (my 16 yr DD loves graham crackers), but I loan from my other home stuff to daycare also so I think it works out.

[Shell]

I don't keep it separate, but use the standard deduction for federal at the end if the year. So, each meal and snack is only worth x amount, regardless of what I have paid for- no receipts necessary. You can also deduct mileage for going to the store to get the food- I haven't done this, but it is an option and can save you $.

[midaycare]

Can we deduct food? What about the food program? I thought if we were on the food program we could not deduct food ...

[NeedaVaca]

I don't keep it separate, but use the standard deduction for federal at the end if the year. So, each meal and snack is only worth x amount, regardless of what I have paid for- no receipts necessary. You can also deduct mileage for going to the store to get the food- I haven't done this, but it is an option and can save you $.

This is what I do as well.

[itlw8]

I do not separate food. I use the standard food deduction n come out ahead of keeping track..

And YES if you are on the food program you deduct the food. The money you get from the food program has to be listed as income. Then under expenses you list your cost of food. If you are on tier 2 the cost will be much more than the reimbursement . If you are on tier 1 make sure you are listing those extra snacks that you can not claim . They are also deductible.

I claim breakfast on the food program but serve a small snack in the morning that is also deductible on my taxes.

If they reimburse you for your children"s food due to your income THAT is not income and you do not include it. Plus you may not include the meals for children that live in the house as a cost.

Please get Toms books on record keeping . If you are missing the deduction on food what else are you missing.

[itlw8]

. You can also deduct mileage for going to the store to get the food- I haven't done this, but it is an option and can save you $.

Why would you not take your mileage as a deduction ???

[Controlled Chaos]

Can we deduct food? What about the food program? I thought if we were on the food program we could not deduct food ...

I am not on the food program yet. But hope get that squared away as soon as I am licensed in my new space.

[midaycare]

I do not separate food. I use the standard food deduction n come out ahead of keeping track..

And YES if you are on the food program you deduct the food. The money you get from the food program has to be listed as income. Then under expenses you list your cost of food. If you are on tier 2 the cost will be much more than the reimbursement . If you are on tier 1 make sure you are listing those extra snacks that you can not claim . They are also deductible.

I claim breakfast on the food program but serve a small snack in the morning that is also deductible on my taxes.

If they reimburse you for your children"s food due to your income THAT is not income and you do not include it. Plus you may not include the meals for children that live in the house as a cost.

Please get Toms books on record keeping . If you are missing the deduction on food what else are you missing.

I have Tom's books. But this is my first year, and everything is a bit of a blur. I'm still not clear on everything, even after reading his books.

I was planning on claiming the extra snack, so I already was planning on that. This thread is making it sound like their is a deduction for groceries. But if there is a standard deduction, then I am fine because I have an accountant who is knowledgable in child care - I just haven't say down with him yet.

[Shell]

Why would you not take your mileage as a deduction ???

I know I should. It's one of those things I haven't gotten around to recording, and I am the type that has to be super accurate. Do you deduct yours? If so, is there a specific way you do it?

[Shell]

I have Tom's books. But this is my first year, and everything is a bit of a blur. I'm still not clear on everything, even after reading his books.

I was planning on claiming the extra snack, so I already was planning on that. This thread is making it sound like their is a deduction for groceries. But if there is a standard deduction, then I am fine because I have an accountant who is knowledgable in child care - I just haven't say down with him yet.

The first year there is a bit of a learning curve, in my experience. If you go to an accountant, he will know about these deductions, but it will make life much easier if you have a record of the # of snacks and meals you provided in the year. For a standard deduction, those numbers are just multiplied by the given amount per snack/meal.

[midaycare]

The first year there is a bit of a learning curve, in my experience. If you go to an accountant, he will know about these deductions, but it will make life much easier if you have a record of the # of snacks and meals you provided in the year. For a standard deduction, those numbers are just multiplied by the given amount per snack/meal.

I'm thinking because I use MM, it is automatically recorded?

[itlw8]

[

Not all accountants know what they are doing with family childcare... Yes you need to record attendance at every meal and snack. but not your own children.

I do keep grocery receipts to prove my mileage. I figure 2/3 of the mileage is childcare so 2/3 of the trips are childcare.

[jenboo]

I keep everything separate.
DH and I both go to the grocery store. He gets a cart and shops for us. I get a cart and shop for the daycare.
I have a separate fridge in the garage that's daycare only. I have separate shelves in the pantry that are for daycare only.