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Last week, I received two great questions from Money Talk readers. The first asked if NEA member union dues are tax deductible, and if so, how much. Referring to IRS Tax Form Schedule A, union dues may be deductible for tax purposes as part of your miscellaneous itemized deductions (see line 21: Unreimbursed Employee Expenses). To itemize, though, your miscellaneous expenses must exceed 2% of your adjusted gross income.

However, IRS Form 529 points out that the portion of union dues spent on lobbying or political activities may not be deductible. As association dues are aggregated and differ by state, local and potentially membership category, I would suggest contacting your Business Manager or office of your state and local association to determine how much of your state or local dues may be tax deductible. Some states and locals even provide this information on their web sites. And don’t forget to consult with your tax advisor regarding what can and should be included in your itemized deductions.

The second reader question I received asked me to address what processes or systems NEA MB has in place to select and monitor products and program providers. NEA MB has created selection criteria for our products and service providers based on a number of factors such as a company’s financial stability and ranking within their industry, and the national availability, pricing and features of a product or service which make it unique or provide a greater value to NEA members.

In addition, NEA MB’s commitment to quality oversight and member advocacy is fulfilled through the monitoring of NEA member participant calls, imposter calling, and quality assurance agreements with suppliers that have defined quality performance specifications and metrics. We also conduct satisfaction surveys of existing participants as well as annual product comparisons against other products in the marketplace, regularly review product and providers’ compliance with the applicable selection criteria, and provide member complaint and concern adjudication through monthly reports and meetings with suppliers.

If you have any questions or concerns about a product or service offered through NEA MB, please contact us at (800) 637-4636. We have a number of trained customer service representatives available Monday through Saturday to assist you.

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