I've been volunteering my time at some local schools teaching both the outdoor and winter lines. I turned down a salary from them not only because I like teaching, but because I figured the tax deduction would be better than what they would pay me anyway (I have a regular full-time job).

I just read that you can't deduct your hourly time spent, which was my game plan. So my tax deduction will be pretty small for this.

However, I saw another unrelated post on Google somebody suggesting filing deductions for "unreimbursed business expense". Anybody done this, or know if this is legal/would work?

I'm no tax man but with my little hobby of a sound company I have, I did the unearned income credit. I deducted my gas and supply's I purchased, probably wrong, find a creative tax person and see what they come up with, I have always deducted my sticks and gas and any other supply's I can think of. You should have gotten payed something, if only a dollar. That would have helped a lot.

Let us know what you find out, good luck!

you cant deduct "time" Otherwise you would be able to state your "time" was worth $15,000 and then get a refund. The only thing you can do is have your school pay and you return the money back to the school and deduct your salary. It leaves you in the same state of ZERO money for your effort.

I do some non-profit audio work and you cant deduct what you would have made for your services. Its a pretty black and white line. If you go over it and get caught then be prepared to pay uncle sam the amount plus fines. Not worth it in my opinion, but thats your choice.

earned income tax credit might work, except I'm not 25 which it would appear from the IRS web page (http://www.irs.gov/individuals/article/0,,id=96466,00.html) you have to be. Unless I'm reading it wrong?

Any other ideas? Unfortunately, I can't really claim $5k in drum sticks + travel hahaha

You should have gotten paid. Everyone gets a standard of approximately $5000 as a standard deduction of living so unless you owe in taxes the deduction are going to claim is worth nothing. You should only do itemized deductions if you own your own business earning a lot of money or in a scenario where you owe taxes. The deduction you would take really only helps to reduce the amount you owe in taxes, not how much you will receive in a tax rebate check. Get paid next time even if it is only a little amount.

Your teaching is probably not tax deductible. BUT if you arrange warm-ups, write cadences, write percussion parts, those can be counted as "in-kind" donation. It would be considered a charitable donation (in-kind). You would have to get a receipt for your donation. Also any materials that you purchase and give to the groups you work with also can be deducted.

My view from the cheap seats