In the US, everyone's eyes are fixed on April 15th - Tax day. That's right, if you haven't gotten your taxes done yet, you now have two weeks left to prepare and submit your 2009 IRS Tax return.

If you're an educator, did you know that the government rewards teachers who buy books and supplies for their classroom? That's right, if you spent your own money to educate students, now it's time to get some of that back. You're entitled to claim the Educator Expenses Tax Deduction if you:

• Bought books, supplies, or other materials
• Teach Kindergarten through 12th grade
• Weren't reimbursed by the school

For those that are tasked with teaching our kids, this is a great way to get money back from Uncle Sam - especially given the fiscally constrained world they must work in everyday. Best of all, this is an above-the-line tax deduction. That means, it directly reduce your total income, and you can still claim the simpler standard deduction.

At EditMe, we're not tax professionals, so if you have questions about which expenses qualify, you should seek professional help. Here's what the IRS says:

"If you are an eligible educator, you can deduct from gross income a portion of your qualified expenses. You can deduct these expenses even if you do not itemize deductions on Form 1040, Schedule A. This deduction is for expenses paid or incurred during the tax year. Previously, these expenses were deductible only as a miscellaneous itemized deduction subject to the 2% of adjusted gross income limit." (Educator Expense Deduction, Tax Topic 458)

EditMe is used by teachers all over the world as a classroom wiki. By putting class materials onto an EditMe Paperless Classroom, you're saving money in two ways - first, our plans qualify for the Educator Expense Tax Deduction, and second moving to a paperless classroom means less pens, pencils, and notebooks to buy for your class. Learn more about getting started with an EditMe Classroom Wiki â?? and make sure to deduct the expense in your tax return!