Illinois Families and Educators Can Claim Back-to-School Tax Savings
As students return to classrooms across the state, Illinois families and educators have access to valuable tax credits to help offset the cost of education. These programs are designed to provide relief for both parents covering school expenses and teachers who often spend their own money on supplies.
Parents and guardians may qualify for the K-12 Education Expense Credit, which provides up to $750 per household. Families can claim 25 percent of eligible expenses above $250, including costs such as tuition, book rentals, and lab fees paid directly to a school. Home-school families may also qualify for certain expenses tied to an approved curriculum. Last year alone, nearly 200,000 families took advantage of this credit, saving an average of $324.
Educators may be eligible for the Instructional Materials and Supplies Credit, which helps reimburse the out-of-pocket costs of classroom needs. Full-time K-12 teachers, aides, counselors, and principals working at least 900 hours in the school year can claim up to $500 in credits. Married couples who are both educators and file jointly may receive up to $1,000. More than 81,000 Illinois educators used this credit in 2024, collectively saving over $35 million.
These tax credits are a practical way to help ease the financial burden of a new school year and encourages families and teachers to keep their receipts and file for the relief they deserve.
For more information, visit tax.illinois.gov and see IDOR Publication 112.
Senior Expo Set for September 4 in Carpentersville
Just a reminder that the first of three Senior Expos that I’m hosting this year is set for this week in Carpentersville. For this event I will be partnering with close to 50 agencies, non-profits, and businesses that cater to the needs of area seniors. I would invite all seniors, their caregivers, and loved ones to attend this free event. In addition to the vendor booths, seniors will be able to take advantage of the following services:
- Hearing Screenings by the Lions Club
- Blood Pressure Checks
- Vaccinations provided by Walgreens
- Update IPASS transponders
- ICASH
- Senior Transportation Information by PACE and RTA
For more information, please contact my office at (847) 214-8245 or email Abby at amccarthy@sgop.ilga.gov.
Additional upcoming outreach events include:
- September 16: Senior Fair in St. Charles, St. Charles Park District Pottawatomie Community Center, 8 North Avenue, St. Charles, 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon
- September 27: FREE Document Shredding Event, Carillon at Cambridge Lakes, 1865 Andrew Blvd, Pingree Grove, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
- October 4: FREE Document Shredding Event, Elburn Town & Country Library, 320 E North Street, Elburn, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
- October 14: Senior Fair in Crystal Lake, Grand Oaks Recreation Building 1401 IL-176, 10:00 AM – 12:00 Noon
New events are added to the calendar regularly. You can remain up to date about upcoming events by visiting the Events page on my website.
Bill Ensuring Care for Retired Police K9s Signed into Law
Legislation I supported this year that creates the Care for Retired Police Dogs Grant Program has been signed into law. The program is designed to support the veterinary needs of retired police K9s across Illinois.
House Bill 3140 establishes a grant that provides up to $1,500 each year to reimburse handlers or adoptive families for veterinary expenses. Eligible K9s must have served at least five years, or three years if they were injured while on duty.
The program is fully funded through sales of Illinois’ new K-9 Memorial License Plate, with no cost to taxpayers. To ensure sustainability, the initiative will only launch if a minimum of 2,000 license plate requests are received by January 2028.
This new law helps honor the service of police dogs while easing the financial burden on the families who care for them in retirement.
Illinois’ Cashless Bail System Under National Scrutiny
Illinois is once again in the national spotlight as concerns grow over the state’s controversial decision to eliminate cash bail. On August 25, the President signed an executive order directing federal agencies to explore blocking funding to states that ended cash bail, claiming that the policy undermines public safety.
Illinois became the first state in the nation to eliminate cash bail in 2023 under the SAFE-T Act, a move that Republicans warned would hurt law enforcement’s ability to keep dangerous offenders off the streets. Since then, critics say the law has allowed repeat and violent offenders to walk free while communities pay the price.
Illinois families deserve a justice system that prioritizes victims and law enforcement over criminals, not reckless policies that put ideology ahead of safety and reward criminals. To that end, I am calling on Democrat leaders to repeal the SAFE-T Act and restore accountability before communities and law-abiding citizens are harmed.
Illinois sees Record-Breaking Tourism in 2024
The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s Office of Tourism has recently announced that Illinois welcomed a record-breaking number of visitors in 2024.
According to data provided by Tourism Economics, Illinois welcomed 113 million domestic and international visitors last year, who generated $48.5 billion in spending, an increase of 500,000 visitors and $1.3 billion in spending from the previous year.
This accounted for $4.7 billion in state and local tax revenue, supporting more than 280,000 jobs in the state’s tourism and hospitality industry.
Tourism is a vital part of our state’s economic success, contributing valuable revenue to local economies. These record-setting figures come as a great relief for those in the tourism and hospitality industry, who are still recovering from the effects of the pandemic and the forced shutdown of businesses across the state.