Best Of HomeschoolCPA: Board Binder: Board Training All Year Long

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Board Binder: Board Training All Year Long for Homeschool OrganizationsIn the new Board Member Manual, Carol Topp, CPA offers has important topics your board should discuss every year. Make a plan to cover one topic a month and do board training all year long. She shares those topics on today’s podcast.

 

Visit Carol’s website here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FEATURED PRODUCT from HomeschoolCPA:

 

Homeschool Organization Board Manual

This is a real life conversation:

HomeschoolCPA: Do you have a copy of your EIN letter form the IRS?
Homeschool Leader: No. It was gotten by a former treasurer 15 years ago. All I have is the number handwritten on a sheet of paper from the bank.
HomeschoolCPA: Do you have a copy of  your Articles of Incorporation filed in your state?
Homeschool Leader: No; I don’t think so.
HomeschoolCPA: Has your homeschool group ever applied for tax exempt status with the IRS?
Homeschool Leader: I have no idea! All I was given when I took over leadership was the checkbook. 🙁

This is a sad, but true reality. Sometimes current group leaders have none of the important paperwork for their organizations.

Homeschool board  members should keep all their organization’s important papers in a safe and accessible place. Usually, a 3-ring binder works well.

The Homeschool Organization Board Manual comes in a Word file to make it easy for you to customize it for your organization.

The manual (a digital file) costs $9.95, but you only purchase one copy for your organization.

You are allowed to print off copies of the Manual for all of your board members, but please do not share the original Word file with them. And do not share the original Word file with other people, email it or post it on the internet. TIA!

Click Here to request more information!

 

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More on Avoiding Leader Burnout

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

More on Avoiding Leader Burnout in Homeschool Co-ops with the Homeschool CPAListen as Carol Topp, the HomeschoolCPA, shares 5 more ways to avoid burnout as you lead your homeschool organization.

Visit Carol’s website here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

FEATURED PRODUCT from HomeschoolCPA:

 

 

Homeschool Co-ops:
How to Start Them, Run Them and not Burn Out

 

Have you ever thought about starting a homeschool co-op? Are you afraid it will be too much work? Do you think you’ll have to do it all by yourself? Starting a homeschool co-op can be easy! This book Homeschool Co-ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out will give you ideas, inspiration, tips, wisdom and the tools you need to start a homeschool co-op, run it and not burn out!

Click Here to request more information!

 

 


We’d like to thank our Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network sponsor, Like Arrows!

FamilyLife’s first feature film LIKE ARROWS, explores the joys and heartaches of parenting with a story that spans over 50 years. Join us in theaters across America for a special 2 night showing of LIKE ARROWS followed by exclusive after-show content with the film-makers, including celebrated faith-based film-makers Alex and Stephen Kendrick as well as FamilyLife Today’s Dennis and Barbara Rainey and Bob Lepine. You’ll leave encouraged and equipped with powerful next steps to make Christ the center of YOUR parenting.

LIKE ARROWS will be in theaters for two nights only, MAY 1ST and 3RD. To view the trailer and find theater info, visit the link below. If you missed the movie in theatres be sure to check out the Digital, DVD and Blueray versions on the website, LikeArrowsMovie.com

Visit here to learn more.


5 Ways to Avoid Burnout

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

10 Ways to Avoid Burnout in a Homeschool Co-op with the Homeschool CPALeading a homeschool co-op can be exhausting. Carol Topp, Homeschool CPA, shares 5 ways to avoid burnout as you lead your homeschool group.

Visit Carol’s website here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FEATURED PRODUCT from HomeschoolCPA:

 

 

Homeschool Co-ops:
How to Start Them, Run Them and not Burn Out

 

Have you ever thought about starting a homeschool co-op? Are you afraid it will be too much work? Do you think you’ll have to do it all by yourself? Starting a homeschool co-op can be easy! This book Homeschool Co-ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out will give you ideas, inspiration, tips, wisdom and the tools you need to start a homeschool co-op, run it and not burn out!

Click Here to request more information!

 


 


Special Thanks to our Network Sponsor!

 

We’d like to thank our Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network sponsor, The Miracle Season!

Based on the inspiring true story of West High School girl’s volleyball team. After the tragic death of the school’s star player Caroline “Line” Found, the remaining team players must band together under the guidance of their tough-love coach in hope of winning the state championship.

 

Visit here to learn more.


Benefits of Homeschool Co-ops

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Benefits of homeschool co-ops with the Homeschool CPA, Carol Topp.Are you considering starting a homeschool co-op? What are the advantages of belonging to a co-op? They are many as Carol Topp, the Homeschool CPA, points out in this podcast. If you’re already leading a homeschool co-op listen in to see if you are offering these advantages to your co-op members.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FEATURED PRODUCT from HomeschoolCPA:

 

 

Homeschool Co-ops:
How to Start Them, Run Them and not Burn Out

 

Have you ever thought about starting a homeschool co-op? Are you afraid it will be too much work? Do you think you’ll have to do it all by yourself? Starting a homeschool co-op can be easy! This book Homeschool Co-ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out will give you ideas, inspiration, tips, wisdom and the tools you need to start a homeschool co-op, run it and not burn out!

Click Here to request more information!

 

Is a Homeschool Co-op a Good Option for Your Family?

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Are homeschool co-ops a good fit for your family? |

 

There are so many advantages to belonging to a homeschool co-op such as socialization, learning from others, group interaction, and support, but perhaps you are asking, “Is it a good option for my family?” and “Am I ready for the commitment?”

Socialization

The most apparent benefit of a homeschool co-op is socialization. Most co-ops meet once or twice a week, giving students a “taste” of group learning without being overwhelming. They are a great place to make friends.

Learning from Another Adult

The other parents who volunteer as teachers and helpers in a co-op serve as role models, mentors and teachers. I think it is very healthy for children to have adults they respect outside their own family. Children will learn from college professors and trainers in the workplace someday, so a homeschool co-op helps them learn from different types of people.

Group Interaction

Co-ops provide a wonderful opportunity for your student to engage in group discussions and other classes that work best in a group setting including performing plays, public speaking, gym games, and choir. These types of learning opportunities cannot be done as well in a home setting, but they work beautifully in a homeschool co-op.

Encouragement

One co-op director believes that if a co-op helps even one mother to continue homeschooling, then all the work has been worthwhile. Specifically, she tries to support parents of high school students, many of whom drop out of homeschooling because the subject material grows more difficult at the high school level.

Another homeschool co-op offers a room for mothers to eat, talk and share each other’s burdens. Mothers feel free to share their homeschooling struggles because this group understands them without condemnation.

Time commitment

But co-ops come at a cost and have challenges as well. A commitment to joining a co-op will involve your time on co-op day itself. Joining a co-op means that others are depending upon you to uphold your commitment to teach or help in a class. If you do not show up at co-op one week, someone else will need to fill the gap. If you skip too many times, you may even be asked to leave the group!

Money

In addition to a time commitment, co-ops require money. While most of the co-ops keep costs low, a co-op cannot run without charging some fees. Overall, co-oping provides tremendous benefits for the money, but some homeschoolers are financially strapped and find even a small fee difficult to manage.

There are homeschool organizations that hire teachers and do not require the parents to volunteer. The cost of these programs is significantly higher than an all-volunteer homeschool co-op. Realize that you will pay with time, money, or perhaps some of each.

Structure

Some co-ops have a very school-like structure or require agreement to rules and policies. If you are a free spirit or an unschooler, you may not feel comfortable with too much structure. Before joining, visit the co-op in action to get a sense of the surroundings and the rules. You may decide that the benefits outweigh the negative feelings of a structured environment, or you may conclude that you can live with a little structure once a week.

Belonging to a homeschool co-op can have some challenges, but can bring significant benefits. Most homeschool parents find that co-oping is worth the commitment and expense. Understand the expectations before you join in to get the best out of your experience.


Carol Topp, CPA author of Homeschool Co-ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out is a retired homeschool mother who participated in homeschool co-ops for over 10 years. She now uses her accounting skills to help homeschool organizations at her website www.HomeschoolCPA.com. Carol’s podcast for the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network is called Dollars and Sense.

Money  Tips: Look at Your Balance sheet

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Money Tips: Look at your balance sheetHomeschool board members don’t understand a balance sheet, so it is often ignored, but Carol Topp, the HomeschoolCPA, explains why that is a big mistake.

In this short podcast she explains what a balance sheet is and what are red flags in a Balance Sheet. You’ll be a better informed board member after listening to this podcast episode.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FEATURED PRODUCT from HomeschoolCPA:

 

 

Money Management in a Homeschool Organization

Does your homeschool group manage their money well? Do you have a budget and know where the money is spent? Do you know how to prevent fraud? This 115 page book will help you to open a checking account, establish a budget, prevent mistakes and fraud, use software to keep the books, prepare a financial statement and hire workers. Sample forms and examples of financial statements in clear English are provided.

Click Here to request more information!

 

 

 

 

Money Tips: How to Read a Financial Statement

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Money Tips: How to Read a Financial StatementWhen your homeschool treasurer hands you a financial statement, do you know what you’re looking at? HomeschoolCPA, Carol Topp, explains how to read and understand the statement of revenues and expenses. This  15 minute podcast will help your treasurer prepare a statement that is easy to read and understand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FEATURED PRODUCT from HomeschoolCPA:

 

 

Money Management in a Homeschool Organization

Does your homeschool group manage their money well? Do you have a budget and know where the money is spent? Do you know how to prevent fraud? This 115 page book will help you to open a checking account, establish a budget, prevent mistakes and fraud, use software to keep the books, prepare a financial statement and hire workers. Sample forms and examples of financial statements in clear English are provided.

Click Here to request more information!

 

 

 

 

What Can Homeschoolers Deduct on Their Taxes?

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

What Can Homeschoolers Deduct on Their Taxes? with the Homeschool CPA, Carol Topp.

Taxes and Homeschoolers

This is a popular topic. What does Carol say?

Are there any tax breaks for homeschoolers?

One of the most popular questions asked on my website, HomeschoolCPA.com, is, “Are there any tax breaks for homeschoolers?” Unfortunately, there are no tax deductions or tax credits for homeschool expenses from the federal government, but there may be tax deductions from your state income tax.

Arizona, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana, and Minnesota have educational tax credits for individuals. The tax credit is available to any public or private school student, so it is not unique to homeschoolers. Home School Legal Defense Association has a detailed explanation of each of these state programs and tax credits. Visit http://HSLDA.org and search “Education Tax Credits.”

Clever Ideas to Find Tax Deductions (That Don’t Work)

Homeschoolers sometimes get creative and wonder if they could start a business or a nonprofit organization for their homeschool activities and then deduct their expenses.

Jim, a homeschool dad, thought he could start a business, hire his wife to teach his children and deduct the business’s expenses (curriculum, field trips, mileage, etc.). This won’t work for several reasons: the wife would have to report her wages as taxable income, wiping out any tax benefit; Jim does not have a trade because he has no paying customers and no revenue; and finally, the IRS would disallow the homeschool expenses because they are personal expenses, not legitimate business deductions.

A new homeschool parent, Jena, asked if she could receive donations to cover her homeschooling expenses. Jena can accept gifts from generous people, but they will not be tax-deductible donations to the donor because Jena’s family is not a 501(c)(3) qualified charitable organization.

What the IRS Says About Homeschool Deductions

The IRS will not grant qualified charity status to an individual family or any organization that is formed solely to benefit the founder’s family. So, while a homeschool co-op may be eligible to receive tax-deductible donations (if it has 501(c)(3) qualified charity status), a family cannot receive tax-deductible donations. The best Jena can hope for is that friends and family might offer her gifts of curriculum, school supplies, or cash. These gifts are not tax deductions for her generous friends, but neither does Jena report these gifts as income on her tax return.

 


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Can Homeschoolers Use 529 Funds?

In late 2017, Congress expanded 529 college savings plans to be used for K-12 expenses, but. Congress specifically excluded homeschool expenses from using 529 funds. That seemed unfair to a lot of homeschoolers. But there may be a way for homeschoolers to use their 529 savings accounts for some K-12 expenses.

There are two conditions for using 529 funds for K-12 expenses:

1) the costs must be for tuition and

2) the institution the family pays must be “a public, private, or religious school.”

Some homeschooled students take classes from private schools (locally or online). The tuition payments to these schools can use 529 funds. But the cost of books, supplies, equipment, and payments to organizations that are not schools cannot use 529 funds. Be careful that the tuition payments go to a public, private, or religious school. In my experience, most homeschool programs (co-ops, tutorials, etc.) are not schools. If you have any concerns about their school status, do not use 529 funds to pay for the tuition. Withdrawals from a 529 fund that are not “qualified” (i.e. tuition paid to a public, private, or religious school), then you pay income tax and a penalty of 10% on the funds withdrawn from the 529 plan.

About the Author:

Carol Topp, CPA, is a retired homeschool mom and author of 13 books, including Homeschool Co-ops: How to Start, Run, and Not Burn Out. She hosts a podcast for homeschool group leaders at http://DollarsAndSenseShow.com. Her website is http://HomeschoolCPA.com.

 

 

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Disclosure policy regarding affiliates.

Painless Class Registration

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Painless Class Registration from the Homeschool CPADo you find registering classes in your homeschool group to be a dreaded chore? Seth Lowery from LoveMyGroups.com offers an online service called The Hub. It was built with homeschool groups in mind. Hear about how The Hub will make registration and accepting payments for classes easier!

Featured link:  http://www.lovemygroups.com/thehub-features/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 FEATURED PRODUCT from HomeschoolCPA:

 

 

Homeschool Co-ops:  How to Start Them, Run Them, and Not Burn Out

Have you ever thought about starting a homeschool co-op? Are you afraid it will be too much work? Do you think you’ll have to do it all by yourself? Starting a homeschool co-op can be easy! This book Homeschool Co-ops: How to Start Them, Run Them and Not Burn Out will give you ideas, inspiration, tips, wisdom and the tools you need to start a homeschool co-op, run it and not burn out!

Click Here to request more information!

 

Money Tips: Accounting software for homeschool groups

A Production of the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network.

Money Tips: Accounting Software for Homeschool OrganizationsDoes your homeschool group use software to manage it’s finances? It’s something you should consider. Carol Topp, the HomeschoolCPA, discusses when you should use software and offers  her opinion on software that’s best for homeschool groups.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FEATURED PRODUCT from HomeschoolCPA:

 

Money Management in a Homeschool Organization

 

Does your homeschool group manage their money well? Do you have a budget and know where the money is spent? Do you know how to prevent fraud? This 115 page book will help you to open a checking account, establish a budget, prevent mistakes and fraud, use software to keep the books, prepare a financial statement and hire workers. Sample forms and examples of financial statements in clear English are provided.

Click Here to request more information!