·State program
Louisiana Child Care and School Readiness Tax Credits
Louisiana child care tax relief for families and child care-related workers and businesses, including the regular Louisiana child care expense credit and School Readiness Tax Credits for families with young children in quality-rated child care.
What it offers
Louisiana offers School Readiness Tax Credits in addition to the regular Louisiana child care expense credit. For families, the school readiness child care expense credit applies to taxpayers with a qualified dependent under age six who attended a child care facility participating in the quality rating program with at least two stars. The credit is a percentage of the regular Louisiana child care expense credit: 50% for two-star, 100% for three-star, 150% for four-star, and 200% for five-star facilities. The credit is refundable for taxpayers with federal AGI of $25,000 or less; for higher AGI taxpayers it is nonrefundable with excess credit carried forward up to five years. Louisiana also offers refundable School Readiness credits for eligible child care directors and staff, child care providers serving foster children or Child Care Assistance Program children, and businesses supporting quality child care.
Questions that decide eligibility
GiveCare prepares the questions; the program makes the decision. Bring these to the call or the application:
- 01
Does the person receiving care live in Louisiana?
Residency is usually the first thing a program checks.
- 02
Does the VA disability rating meet the program’s minimum (our record lists null%)?
- 03
Do the work hours meet the minimum (our record lists null hours)?
- 04
Which tax year does this apply to, and what form claims it?
- 05
Does your employer already offer this, and have they told staff?
Some credits are claimed by the employer, not by you — asking is the move.