ARIZONA ODYSSEY OF THE MIND
Arizona Tax Credit

SCHOOL TAX CREDITS CAN SUPPORT ODYSSEY OF THE MIND PROGRAMS!

The state of Arizona offers a School Tax Credit program, where families can donate money to a school that can be specifically spent on the school Odyssey of the Mind program! It is a win/win situation: the Odyssey program gets help with funding, and the amount donated can be used as a tax credit for Arizona!

Here are some Q & A's about the program (taken from State of Arizona, Department of Revenue, Pub 707):

What do I have to do to qualify for this credit? To qualify for the credit you must make cash contributions or pay fees to a public school for support of extra curricular activities...

Will I qualify for the credit if I pay fees for my own child to participate in an extra curricular activity...? Yes, fees that you pay for your own child to participate in an extra curricular activity...qualify for the credit.

Must a taxpayer have a child in school in order to claim this credit? No

Do contributions that I make to the school qualify for the credit? Yes, if the contributions are in support of extra curricular activities...
 
How do public and private tax credits differ?
 
They differ entirely. In public school tax credits, you can specify that you want it to go to a specific extracurricular activity (such as a third-grade field trip).  Or you can just donate it to a certain school or school district, and they decide how to use it.  For private school tax credits, you donate the money to the school's tuition organization.  You can't specify that it be used in a way that directly benefits a certain child.

What public schools and grades are eligible for the credit? Public schools and charter schools that provide instruction in grades kindergarten through 12 are eligible for the credit. Nongovernmental schools, pre-schools, community colleges, and universities do not qualify for the credit.

What is a fee paid for the support of extra curricular activities? A fee is a dollar amount paid to a public school for the support of extra curricular activities. It is important to note that at least some monetary amount must be levied to participate in an extracurricular activity in order for the credit to be available.

What are extra curricular activities? Extracurricular activities means school sponsored activities that require enrolled students to pay a fee in order to participate... Generally, any educational or recreational activities that supplement the educational program of the school are considered to be extracurricular activities.

Must a public school issue a receipt to the taxpayer for contributions or payment of extracurricular activity fees? Yes. The receipt should include the public school name, school district number, taxpayer name, taxpayer social security number, amount paid, date paid, and a description of the activity being supported.

For additional information, call: Phoenix 602.255.3381 Other Arizona areas, toll free 800.352.4090 Or write to: Arizona Department of Revenue Taxpayer Information & Assistance P. O. Box 29086 Phoenix, AZ 85038-9086 Internet address http://www.azdor.gov/brochure/707.pdf

Contact your local school for a tax credit form so that you can make a donation to your school Odyssey of the Mind program. Please remember to inform your child's Odyssey coach or Odyssey Program Coordinator of your donation, so that they may be aware of what funds are designated specifically for the Odyssey program to use. We urge you to take advantage of the School Tax Credit program if you can!!

by Chris Eaton, Assistant Association Director, Arizona Odyssey of the Mind

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Last modified: September 11th , 2006

Current webmaster: Cheryl Fortier