Tax Relief On Boarding School Fees

emmalouise2407

Hi,

I have a client whose son will be going to boarding school in the UK from 2020. The client is self employed and querying if I can claim tax relief on fees for boarding school.

Not something I have come across before so any information on this would be greatly appreciated.

barneystinson

Why in god’s name would that be deductible?
Why would his being self-employed make any odds?

emmalouise2407

Not something I had come across before and didn't think it was deductable. No harm in asking the question though.

barneystinson

emmalouise2407 wrote: »

@barneystinson most payers of private school fees fail to realize that they are, more often than not, entitled to a tax relief on this.

What tax relief is that, and why is it only available more often than not? (I’m assuming that all people sending their kids to private school have income which can benefit from a tax relief.)

emmalouise2407

I've obviously come to the wrong place for advice or guidance. Or maybe I am explaining my question wrong. Either way, from your responses, I can presume that its a "no" on my original query.

Thanks

endacl

emmalouise2407 wrote: »

I've obviously come to the wrong place for advice or guidance. Or maybe I am explaining my question wrong. Either way, from your responses, I can presume that its a "no" on my original query.

Thanks

Your ‘client’ is asking if ‘you’ can claim relief? And you came on an interweb discussion site to find out from randomers? Instead of consulting your professional resources...?

emmalouise2407

I have been researching this and coming up blank. Came onto discussion board to see if there was any information here and posted a query. What is so wrong with that?

Instead of lacing a thread with comments seemly slating a person for asking a question, why not a simple yes or no or say nothing at all.

First experience with online discussion board, and for sure, my last.

barneystinson

emmalouise2407 wrote: »

I've obviously come to the wrong place for advice or guidance. Or maybe I am explaining my question wrong. Either way, from your responses, I can presume that its a "no" on my original query.

Thanks

As far as I know it’s a definite no.

But can you enlighten us as to what this relief is that people are more often than not entitled to on fees paid to private schools??

Stratvs

emmalouise2407 wrote: »

Hi,

I have a client whose son will be going to boarding school in the UK from 2020. The client is self employed and querying if I can claim tax relief on fees for boarding school.

Not something I have come across before so any information on this would be greatly appreciated.

As per barneystinson it is a definite no.

There is relief on 3rd level tuition fees in private and public colleges in ROI and EU states, but not 2nd level. Perhaps this has led to some confusion with taxpayers. I have had more than one person look with disbelief when told that they couldn't claim tax relief on 2nd level boarding school fees or on accommodation for third level students.

Daxve

barneystinson wrote: »

As far as I know it’s a definite no.

But can you enlighten us as to what this relief is that people are more often than not entitled to on fees paid to private schools??

I assume that part of the fees are paid by way of a “charitable donation “ on which either the school can claim the relief on behalf of a PAYE person or a self employed person can claim their own relief. A lot of schools have charitable tax exemption status.

barneystinson

Daxve wrote: »

I assume that part of the fees are paid by way of a “charitable donation “ on which either the school can claim the relief on behalf of a PAYE person or a self employed person can claim their own relief. A lot of schools have charitable tax exemption status.

But surely this is something that is well flagged to the parents/payers, it’d be very poor business for a school not to use this as a selling point to justify the contribution...

namenotavailablE

The only other school fees related relief (actually more like an exemption from BIK) that I am aware of is applicable to Special Assignee Relief Programme (SARP) staff. Essentially, these are high earning staff who are assigned by their employer to work in Ireland for a period. Once they earn a base salary over €75,000 pa and meet additional criteria, they can have their employer pay €5000 per child in respect of school fees pa.

Link to SARP PDF document

Tow

Tax relief on 'charitable donations' for self accessed was done away with a few years ago.

The government will give a school grant to people in a minority religions (not Catholic). Who wish to send their children to school of their own religion, providing the school is in Ireland, pass a means test and several other hoops.

splinter65

Stratvs wrote: »

As per barneystinson it is a definite no.

There is relief on 3rd level tuition fees in private and public colleges in ROI and EU states, but not 2nd level. Perhaps this has led to some confusion with taxpayers. I have had more than one person look with disbelief when told that they couldn't claim tax relief on 2nd level boarding school fees or on accommodation for third level students.

I have been asked this question many times also and been met with incredulity when I confirmed that there’s no tax relief on either.