Six Types of Deductible Continuing Education

In this article we would like to talk about continuing your education as a business professional. There are many things you can do to learn more about your trade, and many of them are also tax deductible, so they can save you money in the long run. So let’s talk about six types of continuing education that are deductible on your taxes.

1. College classes. Taking college classes to improve or maintain your business is tax deductible for your business. The cost of tuition, books, class fees, materials and supplies, and the gas or mileage to get there are all deductible.

2. Seminars. Throughout the year there are many seminars put on by many different organizations on many topics. Most of them charge a fee to attend. Some give credit if your type of professional license requires it and some do not. But regardless of whether credit is given or not, if it is a seminar about something that can help you as a business owner, it is considered continuing education. The fees to attend and travel expenses are all deductible.

3. Trade shows. A trade show is a show that has vendors with products and services that can help your business. The most common trade shows are in the construction industry, but there are many other types of trades and businesses that have them. Attending these shows helps you to keep updated on current products that can be helpful to your business. Again the entrance fees and travel expenses are deductible.

4. Vendor sponsored events. Businesses you work with or purchase product from sometimes sponsor events. Sometimes they are to promote their product or service and sometimes they are just helpful events to get you to like them. Either way the goal of the event is to teach you something. These events are often fun as well as informative, but they are still considered continuing education and the same things are deductible.

5. Conferences. As accountants, we attend a conference sponsored by the IRS every year in order to obtain credits to keep our license current. This conference is never closer than 600 miles away. They have them all over the country, so we always choose the one that is the most convenient for us. There are many types of conferences for many types of businesses. Conferences generally have classes you can attend about various subjects pertinent to your profession. They also often have a banquet and networking sessions to help you connect with others. Sometimes there are even sightseeing excursions you can take advantage of. Conferences can be both informative as well as fun and definitely fall into the continuing education category. Many people take their families with them and do fun things in the evenings or in between conference sessions.

6. Educational events you sponsor for your employees. It is important to keep your employees educated and informed as well as keeping moral up. Many companies hold events for their employees for those purposes. Some have a weekend retreat and some go on a cruise. The most important thing about this is to have some sort of training experience while at the event. Anything the company pays for such as transportation, food, lodging, or educational materials is tax deductible for the business. Anything the employee pays for is deductible to the employee.