Can a volunteer be paid?

Should a worker be treated as an employee or independent contractor?

Do you know the difference?

Homeschool leader and CPA, Carol Topp, has the answers to your questions in her ebook

Paying Workers in a Homeschool Organization

Read a sample here

This 20 page ebook covers paying workers as employees or independent contractors.  It includes sample forms, tips and advice to help you pay workers in accordance with the IRS laws to help your organization pay their workers correctly. Written specifically for homeschool organizations.

Price: $7.00

Available for immediate download as a pdf file

Click Here to Purchase

I only post to this blog on an occasional basis. So instead, you might want to visit my other two website/blogs:

I don't get preachy or make speeches on controversial issues here, but I wanted to share something about sending your children to college.

My daughter, Emily, graduated in May and will be going to Grove City College (GCC) in PA in the fall.  I've been reading the GCC's student newspaper for several months (BTW, reading the student newspaper is an excellent way to learn more about a college.)

GCG recently held a conference on Faith, Freedom and Higher Education. I wished I could have attended when I read some of my favorite speakers were there including Michael Medved and Walter Williams. I thought homeschool parents might be interested in reading part of the report on the conference. I found this paragraph beginning on page 2:

In his welcoming remarks Dr Paul Kengor, professor of political science...noted: "If parents only knew the true intentions of many educators to whom they turn over their money and their children. The late Richard Rorty, philospher and devout atheist, argued that secular professors like himself need to 'arrange things' so that incoming students who enter college ' as bigoted, homophobic religious fundamentalists' will 'leave college with views more like our own.' Rorty was bracingly candid in his message to parents: 'We are going to go right on trying to discredit you in the eyes of your children, trying to strip your fundamentalist religious community of dignity, trying to make your views seem silly rather than discussable.'..."In short, the American university is nothing like it once was; it has arguably lost its soul."

To read the entire story titled "Center Hosts Education Conference", go to: http://www.gcc.edu/UserFiles/File/news/collegian/042409Collegian.pdf

This story confirms why I am so grateful for homeschooling and grateful that colleges like Grove City still exist! (and that Emily was accepted! :-) )

If you care to, scroll down the link  http://www.gcc.edu/UserFiles/File/news/collegian/042409Collegian.pdf to page 13 where a student writes an editorial titled

"Who will raise your children? A brief defense of homeschooling."

There is hope!

My first born, Emily, graduated from high school.  This is quite a milestone in her life and mine.  12 years of homeschooling! It’s been a privilege and an honor.  I’ve learned so much by homeschooling her, and of course she has learned a lot, too!

I won’t say it’s been pure joy, bit it comes close. 3rd grade was pretty rough with lots of phone calls to the “principal” (my husband at work) about her stubbornness.  Put two type A, opinionated people together and you’ll have some conflict.  But in the end we are so much closer for working it out instead of giving up. High school has been great. It is fun and exciting to see her grow and develop.

Congratulations Emily! Your dad and I are very proud of you.

Homeschool Graduation Class of 2009

Providence Extension Program

Cincinnati, OH

Here's a neat game I just tried  Debt Ski with Piggy Banks

"Debt Ski is an online video game that spot lights the dangers of excessive debt. abd challenges the player to avoid destructive financial behaviors."

Players lead the skiier, Piggy Banks, maximize savings, limit debt abut also maintain a level of happiness. Really cute and not hat easy to accomplish all three goals!

The entire http://www.indebted.com website is informative and a bit scary in its facts including a national debt counter.  Your share of the national debt = $184,000!

Carol

My church just finished 13 weeks of Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University(FPU). I was one of the volunteer discussion group leaders.

According to Dave Ramsey's website, over 650,000 families have completed FPU with amazing success. On average, they pay off $5,300 in debt and save $2,700 in just 13 weeks. That's an $8,000 change in position in just 91 days!

 

The attendees at the first MCC FPU class are no exception:

We had 46 MCC families complete the first FPU class that just ended in April.  As a group, they paid off $232,000 of debt and increased their savings by $178,000!!  That means that the average person paid off $5,043 in debt and saved $3,869.  That is a $8,912 change in position in just 91 days for each family.  It really works!!

 

The Old Schoolhouse magazine has just launched a new electronic book on being a work at home, homeschool mom called HomeWork: Juggling Home, Work, and School Without Losing Your Balance

ebook only $12.95

Are you looking to creatively supplement your family's income?
Would a home business even work for your homeschooling family?
Whether you are. . .

• Considering a new home business endeavor, or already working from home 
• Seeking creative ideas, or exploring opportunities that might work for you
• Wondering how to set up a home business
• In need of some inspiration, encouragement, motivation or advice from experienced home'preneurs who've been there
• Wondering how others manage homeschooling and homework and continue to smile

. . . this E-Book, HomeWork: Juggling Home, Work, and School Without Losing Your Balance contains the information and support you are looking for!
 
Packed with practical tips, encouragement, and advice, this wonderful, new resource from The Old Schoolhouse^® Magazine, will help you gain the confidence necessary to make wise

decisions concerning starting a home business or maintaining one, and combining it with your homeschooling adventures.

My friend, Katy, was the project coordinator and asked me to contribute a chapter. My chapter is titled "Keeping Finances Organized in a Work-at-Home Business."

To see the rest of the topics and a description of the book, click here:
HomeWork ebook

Since tax season 2009 has officially launched, I'll address a question I am frequently asked,

The simple answer is "No; there are no tax credits for homeschool expenses from the federal government."

The longer answer is "Maybe, depending on what state you live."

Several states have an educational tax credit. Iowa, Arizona, Minnesota and Illinois all have some sort of  tax break for individuals. The credit is available to any public or private school student, so it is not unique to homeschoolers. Florida and Pennsylvania offer businesses tax credits if they sponsor a scholarship.

This document has a chart of education tax credits and deductions by state (updated November 2008). Scroll to page 6 to see the chart.

http://www.house.leg.state.mn.us/hrd/pubs/feelaw.pdf

Home School Legal Defense Association has an explanation of some states' tax breaks or credits:

http://www.hslda.org/docs/nche/000010/200504150.asp

Homeschoolers can get creative and think perhaps they can start a business or a nonprofit organization of their homeschool activities and then deduct their expenses.  Ann Zeise of A to Z Home's Cool addresses these ideas:

http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/articles/031401.htm

To quote Ann:

You cannot contribute to your own child's K12 education and get any tax deduction for it, no more than if you sent him to a private school and tried to write off the tuition.

Carol Topp, CPA

"Digital image content © 1997-2007 Hemera Technologies Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Jupiter Images Corporation. All Rights Reserved".

This week's Carnival of Homeschooling is up and filled with great blog posts about homeschooling.

Carnival of Homeschooling: The Adventure Edition.  A wide array of posts to educate, inspire, challenge, and entertain you!  http://www.tiffanyblitz.com/blog/archives/651

 

I included a post on dealing with conflict in a homeschool group (or any group including your family).
Resolve Conflict. Take a PAUSE.

Happy blog reading!
Carol

I read a great story from Lebanon, PA on homeschooling and the use of homeschool co-ops. This statement sums it up:

Both Olsen and Panyard said one of the biggest misconceptions of homeschooling is that the kids don’t socialize. In fact, both said their kids are far from shut-ins.

“It’s such a misnomer to think that homeschool kids are at home at the kitchen table with mom. Most homeschool kids are part of some sort of homeschool co-op,” said Debra Bell, founder of Debra Bell’s Home School Resource Center at http://www.debrabell.com and author of The Ultimate Guide to Homeschooling.

Bell, a resident of Palmyra, said she has been involved in a number of co-ops in the area over the past 20 years. They are a very valuable resource to parents who homeschool their children, she said.

“I don’t think the general population realizes it’s something that’s been in place in the homeschool population for the past 20 years,” said Bell, who homeschooled her four children.

SBTV.com Small Business TV profiles an artist that turned her pottery hobby into a business.

Making a Hobby Pay in 2009