*This is not intended to be legal or other advice. Please conduct all of your own research.
This year, Idaho State Tax Commission launched a new program called the Idaho My School Choice Tax Refund. This is the first year families can apply to be reimbursed for choosing a schooling option other than public school for their child.
I recently went through the application process and wanted to share my experience — including a few things I wish I had known beforehand.
Where to Start
The official website, Idaho My School Choice (myschoolchoice.idaho.gov), is very simple and easy to navigate.
When you visit the site, click on the “How to Apply” button. You’ll find:
- Important deadlines
- A checklist
- A list of qualifying expenses
- Instructions for setting up your account
It’s all laid out clearly, which I appreciated.
Step 1: Make Sure Your 2024 Idaho Form 40 Is Filed
Before you can apply, you must have filed your 2024 Idaho Form 40 tax return.
One thing I didn’t realize initially was that this needed to be filed earlier in the year (the program referenced a November deadline). If you missed that deadline, you can still file — it just may take additional time for the Tax Commission to process your return before you can move forward.
Step 2: Set Up a TAP Account (Individual — Not Business!)
To apply, you need a TAP (Taxpayer Access Point) account through the Idaho State Tax Commission.
Here’s something important I learned:
- If you have a business TAP account, you cannot use it.
- You must create a separate individual TAP account.
I already had a business account, so I assumed I could use that — but I couldn’t. Setting up the individual account wasn’t difficult, but it does take time.
If you recently filed a return and owed taxes, you may qualify for same-day account access.
If you did not owe taxes (balance was zero or you received a refund), you can still create an account — it just won’t be eligible for same-day access.
In my case, it took about 10 days to receive the verification letter in the mail and complete setup.
Step 3: Gather Your Qualifying Expenses
Under the “How to Apply” dropdown, there’s a clear list of qualifying expenses. These may include:
- Curriculum (core subjects)
- Tuition
- Tutoring
- Certain educational subscriptions
Gather all receipts before starting your application.
Submitting Receipts: One Important Detail
When submitting expenses, everything must be entered per child.
This means:
- Enter one child’s information
- Upload only the receipts that apply to that child
- Repeat the process for each additional child
Here’s where things got interesting for me.
Some of my receipts were cumulative. For example, I purchased language arts curriculum that included two books on one receipt. I submitted the entire receipt under one child’s name.
I’m honestly not sure whether they expect us to separate those line items by child. It seems possible that they might. Since my total was relatively small (around $250 for language arts curriculum and a math subscription), I decided to submit it as-is and see what happens.
Because the program specifies that expenses should be submitted per child, I won’t be surprised if my application gets kicked back for clarification. I’ll update once I know how that plays out.
Uploading Documents Is Simple
The actual upload process is very straightforward. You can:
- Upload a photo of a receipt
- Upload a screenshot
- Attach documentation directly inside your TAP account
You repeat this process for each child.
How the Refund Is Applied
After submitting everything, I received notice that:
- The tax credit applies to the prior tax year.
- If approved, it will be applied to a specific form listed in the instructions.
- Applicants will be notified by the April tax deadline.
Since we’re self-employed and already filed our taxes, I’m curious how this will work if approved. Will we need to file an amendment to receive the reimbursement? I’m not entirely sure yet.
I plan to write a follow-up post once I hear back.
Advance Payments Option
The program also allows you to request expected expenses in advance for:
- Core curriculum
- Tuition
- Tutoring
- Other qualifying education costs
This would function more like an advance rather than reimbursement.
I didn’t use this option because I didn’t have upcoming expenses that qualified, but it’s helpful to know that it exists. If I use that feature in the future, I’ll share my experience.
Overall, the application process is straightforward — but there are definitely a few details that aren’t obvious at first:
- Your Form 40 must be filed.
- You need an individual TAP account (not business).
- Expenses must be submitted per child.
- Processing may take time.
I’ll include screenshots of the receipt submission categories and options so you can see what to expect.
If you’re considering applying for the Idaho My School Choice Tax Refund, I hope this walkthrough makes the process a little smoother for you. I’ll be sure to update once I receive a decision and know exactly how reimbursement is handled.
