Special Tax Deductions for Special Education

Laura Sanders:

More than six million children in the U.S. fall into the “special needs” category, and their ranks are expanding. The number of those affected by one developmental disability alone–autism–grew more than 70% between 2005 and 2010.
The tax code can help–if you know where to look.
There are numerous tax breaks for education, but the most important one for many special-needs students isn’t an education break per se. Instead, it falls under the medical-expense category.
Although students with disabilities have a right to a “free and appropriate” public education by law, some families opt out and others pay for a range of supplemental therapies.