What It Means
After-school programAfter-school programSupervised care and activities for school-age children in the hours after the school day ends, often with homework help, enrichment, sports or clubs. See more cost is the fee a family pays for supervised care, homework help or activities between the end of the school day and when a parent can pick up. Programs run at schools, community centers, faith groups and private centers, and a fee can be set by the week, the month or the day. Some are funded by the U.S. Department of Education's 21st Century Community Learning Centers grants, which support before-school, after-school and summer programs, especially for children in high-poverty, low-performing schools.
Try It: Cost Out a School Year of After-School Care
Enter the program's fee and how many weeks your child will go. The $90 a week and 36 weeks are examples.
IRS Publication 503 says after-school care for a child in kindergarten or higher may count toward the child and dependent care credit.
Care that doesn't let you work or look for work generally doesn't count toward the credit.
How People Say It at Work
- "Pickup is at 5:30, so she goes to the after-school club."
- "The program is cheaper by the month than by the day."
- "We need care until one of us gets off work."
The Breakdown
Worked example. One child in an after-school program at an example $90 a week for a 36-week school year:
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| 36 weeks × $90 | $3,240 for the school year |
| Spread over 12 months | $270 a month |
| Per school day, 5 days a week | $18 |
Fees vary widely by place and program, so put in the figure on the program's own fee sheet. Spreading the year over 12 months lets you save for it through the summer as well.
What moves the number (Buhata's own list)
- Who runs it: a school, a community group, a center or a program funded by a federal or state grant
- How many days a week and how late it runs
- Whether it covers school holidays, early dismissal days and teacher workdays
- Extras such as clubs, lessons or field trips
- A second child, if the program offers a sibling rate
Before you sign up. Ask the school whether a 21st Century Community Learning Centers program serves it, what it charges, and how places are given out.
Good to Know
After-school care can count for taxes even though school itself doesn't. IRS Publication 503 (2025) says expenses to attend kindergarten or a higher grade aren't care expenses, but before- or after-school care for a child in kindergarten or higher may be. The care has to let you, and your spouse if you file jointly, work or look for work, and for the credit IRS Topic 602 counts a child who was under 13 when the care was given. TutoringTutoringExtra one-on-one or small-group teaching outside regular class time, to help a student catch up, keep up or get ahead in a subject. See more and summer school don't count as care. Read Publication 503 or ask a tax professional before you claim anything.
FAQ
How much does an after-school program cost?
Fees vary by who runs the program, how many days a week it covers and where you live. Use the program's own weekly or monthly fee in the calculator above to see the school-year total.
Can I claim after-school care on my taxes?
Possibly. IRS Publication 503 (2025) says before- or after-school care for a child in kindergarten or higher may count toward the child and dependent care credit, as long as the care lets you work or look for work.
Are there after-school programs paid for by the government?
The U.S. Department of Education's 21st Century Community Learning Centers grants fund before-school, after-school and summer programs, mostly for students at high-poverty, low-performing schools. Ask your child's school whether one runs there and what it costs.
Do It in Buhata
Budget, Bills (Plus)
Add the after-school fee to Bills (Plus) on its due date, and set a monthly line for it in Budget so the summer months help pay for the school year.
Open BuhataRelated Terms and Categories
- After-school program
Supervised care and activities for school-age children in the hours after the school day ends, often with homework help, enrichment, sports or clubs.
- After-school routine
The same set of steps a child follows between getting home from school and dinner, usually a snack, active play, some downtime and homework.
- Dependent care FSA
A workplace account that lets you pay for a child's or dependent's care with pretax pay so you can work; the 2026 limit is $7,500, or $3,750 married filing separately.
- Child tax credit
A federal tax credit of up to $2,200 per qualifying child under 17 on 2025 returns, partly refundable, with the full amount at incomes up to $200,000 ($400,000 joint).
- Summer camp cost
What families pay for day or overnight summer camp; in a 2022 American Camp Association survey, most day camps charged $1 to $100 a day.
- Daycare cost
What families pay a child care center or home daycare, which Care.com's 2026 Cost of Care Report puts at $332 a week on average.
Sources
IRS, Publication 503 (2025), "Child and Dependent Care Expenses"; U.S. Department of Education, "Promising Initiatives to Improve Education in Your Community: 21st Century Community Learning Centers" (archived); U.S. Department of Education, "Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program" non-regulatory guidance (2023)
- www.irs.gov/publications/p503
- www2.ed.gov/pubs/promisinginitiatives/21stcclc.html
- www.ed.gov/sites/ed/files/2023/10/21st-cclc-non-reg-draft-guidance-updated-10-19-2023.pdf
Last updated .