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While it's hard to put a price tag on your child's
learning and growth, you certainly have your family's budget
to think about when you consider camp. The good news is that
there is a camp program to fit nearly every budget.
With a little
research, you can find ways you may not have thought of to make
camp affordable. Not only can you look for camps within your
price range, you may reduce certain costs by asking some key
questions.
First of all, you can research camps according
to cost. At ACA's family-dedicated Web site, www.CampParents.org,
you can use the Find-A-Camp database to search for camps within
your price range. Using the database, you can identify camps
according to a number of variables, including cost. The database
also allows you to search by location, special needs, special
activities, length of session, and age, and you can search on
multiple variables at one time.
Although fees to attend camp
vary, you may be surprised to learn that among ACA-Accredited® camps,
fees can be as low as less than $100 per week for day camps.
Among resident camps, one out of every four camps has weekly
fees between $100 and $300. If you're looking to estimate
costs, it's helpful to know that the median weekly fee
for day camps is $182, and for resident camps, the median is
$390 per week.
Ask the camps you're interested in what
financial assistance is available. Ninety percent of camps
offer some sort of financial assistance to families, usually
in the form of "camperships." Camperships can cover
a portion or all of the camp enrollment fees. The camp may not
offer this option up front, so parents do need to ask if assistance
is available. Although camperships are usually awarded based
on need, do not automatically assume that your income level doesn't
qualify — ask
the question! For this kind of assistance, be aware that it is
important to apply early.
Check to see if the camp offers special
discounts. Camps offer discounts for situations such as early
registration, full-season enrollment, or multiple enrollments
from one family. This is another case of making sure you ask
the question. You may find you're entitled to a reduced
rate!
Be sure to find out the camp's refund policy. Refund
policies vary greatly from camp to camp. Some will give a total
refund prior to a certain date, while others will refund in the
case of illness only. Other camps do not offer refunds, so be
certain of your chosen camp's policy before you enroll
your child and send money. Most camps will ask for a small non-refundable
deposit at the time of application, which may or may not go toward
the cost of camp fees.
In planning your budget for camp, determine
what's included in the enrollment fee. Day camps will typically
include transportation as part of their fee. Resident camps may
offer limited transportation, such as a van ride from a major
local train station. Other fees to ask about are ones for special
programs and trips, special equipment that is required, organization
memberships, and amenities such as laundry service and the camp
canteen.
Day camp can be tax-free. The Internal Revenue Service
(IRS) allows an income tax credit of dependent care expenses,
which may apply to qualifying day camp expenses as well. The
amount of the credit is based on your adjusted gross income and
applies only to your federal taxes. Visit the IRS's
Web site for more information about the Child and Dependent Care
Tax Credit.
A Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account allows
parents to be reimbursed on a pre-tax basis for child care or
adult dependent care expenses that are necessary to allow parents
to work, look for work, or attend school full time while they
are caring for qualified dependents. In certain circumstances,
day camp expenses, including transportation by a care provider,
may be considered dependent care services. See the FSA
Feds Web site for more information.
With so many options to choose from,
and with careful planning, a camp experience for your child is
possible, no matter what your budget may be.
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