# From self-employed to teaching, a question.



## daveo (Jan 29, 2015)

Can teachers claim transportation, home office expenses (i spend a lot of time preparing and marking at home), clothing, training? i used to have a home business and could claim a lot. Now that i’m teaching full-time at a college i find the taxes deducted, RPP contributions, union dues etc. really add up!

Any thoughts would be welcome, thanks.


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## Davis (Nov 11, 2014)

No, personal expenses are not deductible.


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## spirit (May 9, 2009)

The only time a teacher can claim anything is if you need to move between schools...eg teaching in one school in the morning and then another in the afternoon.....you might be able to claim some car expenses....your HR department can help. Some schools have a professional development fund that can be used for courses...but that is about all. Oh, by the way.....if you develop any resources.....exams, lesson plans, powerpoints....they do not belong to you...but to your employer. 

However, you have the pleasure of working and shaping the minds of the future....more powerful than a paycheck......I am not being factitious.....welcome to the joys of teaching. I have been doing this for more than 20 years.....a LOT more....(; and that is seriously the best part of my job.


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

You could, of course, start your own school then write off a lot of stuff. I know several people who did just that, but then you'd have to find a building, stock it, buy your supplies, produce advertising materials, find students, get insurance, hire staff, get internet, phone, utilities, and develop all your own materials (which you'd own), find and pay replacement people for when you get sick, pay employee benefits, etc. as opposed to just showing up and collecting a paycheque. 

There are reasons why there are deductions for being self employed.

Don't get me wrong, I've taught classes and realize it's not easy to do, but I've also owned a company and know what's involved in that as well. Sometimes I'd long to be an employee. The people I know who run a school, rarely get to teach either, something they hoped to do by starting their own school. Instead they wind up as managers, firefighters, politicians, accountants, janitors, and all the other fun jobs that come with ownership...


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## Allan Madan (Jan 23, 2015)

Home office expenses are only deductible if the work space is where you mainly (more than 50%) do the work and the space is used to earn employment income. 
However, as most of your time is spent in school, and home office is not used more than 50% of your time, it would not qualify as home office expense.


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## stardancer (Apr 26, 2009)

You would also need a completed, signed T2200 from your employer, which a school board/college/university would not give you. You are not required to work at home in the teaching profession; you are supplied with an office/classroom to do your work.

Everyone who is employed gets the Canada Employment Amount on schedule 1; this covers your transportation. Clothing is not an employment expense, but a personal one, unless you must wear special equipment on the job.


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## daveo (Jan 29, 2015)

Thanks for the detailed responses everyone. i can now relax, knowing there's nothing i can claim. hah!


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## juniperpansy (Jan 5, 2013)

I believe you can claim any supplies you buy for your work that you pay for them personally. You are supposed to have a T2200 signed by your employer for these items but I believe there is an ongoing grievance about this that has not been resolved yet


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## Just a Guy (Mar 27, 2012)

Whenever their is an unresolved grievance with the CRA, it's probably not wise to try and claim it. If they eventually find against the grievance, you'll have to repay the deductions as well as the penalties they assign.


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