Tips

Tax deductions and camp...

The tax filing deadline is only a few weeks away so I wanted to share a little bit of info that may help you get some money back!  There are two consistent ways to get some money back for summer camp expenses; IRS deductions and employer reimbursements. IRS Deduction

The IRS offers a deduction on child care of up to $3,000 per dependent or up to $6,000 for two or more dependents.  You should be able to claim this deduction for summer camp as long as sending your child(ren) to camp allowed you to work or look for work during that time.  All you need to do to claim the deduction is fill out IRS form 2441 and provide the camp name, address, and Federal Tax ID #.  Make sure you hold on to proof of payment to back up the deduction.  Links to this deduction below:

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f2441.pdf

http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc602.html

http://www.irs.gov/uac/Ten-Things-to-Know-About-the-Child-and-Dependent-Care-Credit

Employer Reimbursement

Many employers - especially large corporations - offer their employees reimbursement for summer camp expenses for their kids.  It helps productivity over the summer because workers are not worrying about their unsupervised kids at home.  Companies will have different rules regarding reimbursements but hanging on to proof of camp purchase, Federal Tax ID#, etc would be a great start.

If you need our Federal Tax ID# or proof of payment for previous years' Water Monkey enrollment please feel free to call or e-mail!

(I am not an accountant or tax professional so make sure to talk to your accountant before making any extra deductions!)

,

Choosing a camp for teens

,

We found this short blog post (link below) from U.S. News and World Report with advice on picking a summer camp for teens. Navigate Summer Camp Options for Teens - US News & World Report

There are definitely tons of options out there for teens these days...we just happen to offer one that mixes fun, adrenaline, high level watersports instruction, and awesome people.

Tips on picking the perfect summer camp - Part 2

At this point in your search you have narrowed it down to two or three camps based on their websites and other online searches and it is time to pick up the phone and ask the big questions.

  • Did the phone go unanswered? - A sign of a dedicated camp professional is that they will answer the camp phone any day of the year at almost any time of the day.  If your message is not returned promptly or if a second call goes unanswered you should have serious doubts as to that particular camp.
  1. Tell me about your camp - at this point in your research you should know a fair amount about the camp you are calling.  This question allows the owner or manager an opportunity to highlight the important aspects of his/her operation.  A good camp representative will use this to find out more information about the caller and the prospective camper.  Jot down some notes on the structure of the camp program, the number of campers per session, ratio of boys to girls, or any other points that are important to you.
  2. How long has your camp been around? - Some camps in the U.S. have been around for nearly one hundred years, others may be embarking on their first summer.  Just because a camp is old does not mean it is any better than another camp; management can change, programs can be altered, or camps can get lazy and rely on repeat business to float along.  Many times camps want to sound old and established to lend an air of credibility to them; make sure you follow through with this question to learn a bit more about a camp's history.
  3. How long have you been with the camp and what did you do before this? - An off-season camp manager can be considered a representative for the entire staff of a camp.  He/she is usually an owner or year-round manager and should have a thorough understanding of the camp's operations and the camp industry in general.  You are trusting this person to not misrepresent his/her organization just to get the enrollment so try to get a good feel for him/her.  This person will likely be in charge of assembling a staff and running the camp during the summer so if they are boring or dull you will know what to expect come camp time.  If the representative is unhelpful, uninformed, or rude that is also major red flag.
  4. How do you screen your staff? - You want to 100% make sure that a camp employs responsible, age-appropriate, background-checked counselors.  If the director does not tell you point blank that they perform background checks, in-person interviews, and reference checks, move on to another camp.  Counselors will be interacting with the campers 24 hours a day and will make or break a camper's time at camp.
  5. What is the counselor to camper ratio? - Having a great staff is a plus, but if the campers vastly outnumber the counselors even the best staff in the world will not be able to run an effective program.  The key ratio to look for in larger, traditional camps is at least 1:4, one counselor to every four campers.  Small specialty camps should have even lower ratios, usually 1:2.  If the camp offers swimming, whether in a lake or pool, make sure to find out how many counselors are lifeguard certified.
  6. Can we set up a tour? - Scheduling a camp tour is an awesome way of finding the perfect camp.  Many larger camps will have organized open houses for dozens of prospective families to come check out the camp while other camps will set up private tours.  If you are within driving distance of the camp this step is highly recommended.  Small camps sometimes cannot offer tours as they operate out of rented facilities.  Ask alternative questions like "will you come to our house to give us a presentation?" or "can you send us pictures of your facilities and equipment?".

There are surely many other questions that you will think of throughout your camp search so remember to be upfront and honest throughout the process.  One camp may be perfect for one child but a terrible fit for another: do not try to take a one size fits all approach.  Good luck with the camp search and if you are looking for the ultimate wakeboard/waterski/wake surf/wake skate camp just pop over to our main website (http://www.watermonkeycamp.com/)!

Tips on picking the perfect summer camp - Part 1

Some families struggle to find the right summer camp for their prospective camper.  With over ten million children attending camp each year and thousands of programs to choose from, it is certainly not an easy task.  Once upon a time parents were mailed boxes of promotional tapes and camp literature to sort through in finding the right program.  Today, much of the search is done online and in the end they talk to two or three final contenders.  Below I have listed some tips that I have found helpful over the past six years of helping families decide on what camp to choose. (Keep in mind that every camp is unique and that none fit perfectly into a mold)

  • Day camp or overnight camp? - This is really the first place to start.  It is a misconception that day camps are only for little kids and overnight camps are only for older kids and teens.  If you are wondering whether it is too early for an overnight camp ask this question: "Is the prospective camper OK with sleepovers away from home?"  If yes, he/she is likely ready for a week or more of overnight camp.  Many times, it is the parents who are not ready to ship off their kids so make sure not to project your own fears when making the decision together.  Overnight camps tend to help build a camper's self esteem and confidence in a way that day camps cannot approach.  Day camps, on the other hand, are perfect if a camper has weekend commitments elsewhere, wants to test out camp life without having to be away from his/her family, or if overnight camp is truly out of the budget.
  • Traditional camp or specialty camp? - There are endless camp programs out there to choose from.  If a prospective camper has a passion for a certain sport or activity you can narrow down your choices by searching only for specialty camps that cater to that activity.  I designed Water Monkey Camp to be a specialty overnight camp which emphasizes water sports -  specifically wakeboarding, waterskiing, wake surfing, and wake skating - and is perfect for the prospective camper who loves to be out on the lake participating in these sports.  Other specialty camps include ones dedicated to baseball, basketball, pretty much any land sport, theater, or horseback riding, technology, and many more.  Traditional camps take a more rounded approach, offering a wide variety of sports and activities with much less depth of instruction.  A balanced summer could include a mixture of traditional and specialty camps.  If a prospective camper has a "must-have" activity make sure it is listed explicitly on the camp website and is offered on campus and included in the tuition (examples of such activities include horseback riding, high ropes, paintball, go karts, or other high cost/high risk activities).
  • One-week, two-weeks, four-weeks, or full summer? - Camps used to offer one session: the entire summer.  The modern camp environment is drastically different with camps offering any and every length session you can mathematically derive.  The full eight-week camp session is the extreme while one-week programs are pretty much the minimum.  While the ultimate length of stay depends on your family's budget and scheduling, the norm these days for most overnight camps is four weeks.  A month sounds like a long time but it gives campers a chance to really get settle in and get acclimated to camp life.  Water Monkey Camp, as a specialty camp, was designed around one-week sessions.  We offer intensive, individualized instruction which works best through short one or two week stays.
  • Private camp or organization-backed camp? - Camps can be privately owned and operated or run by organizations such as the YMCA, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, or a religious group.  Private camps tend have a bit higher tuition but will offer the nicest facilities and equipment and are not bound by the budgetary constraints and red tape of a large organization.  YMCA, Boy Scout, and Girl Scout camps, are often subsidized by their parent organizations and thus have lower tuition but may offer less in terms of the best equipment, staff, food, and facilities.  Proponents of either type will fiercely defend their camp so pick what works best for you!
  • To go coed or not go go coed? – It is the age old question that some prospective camp parents continue to struggle with.  The popular belief is that in a coed environment there is a risk of boys and girls engaging in age-inappropriate behavior.  In reality, a camp with proper policies, an attentive staff, and experienced management will all but eliminate this risk.  Coed camps allow boys and girls to build important interpersonal skills as they interact with each other throughout their days at camp while retiring to separate, supervised cabins at night.  Proponents of all-boys/all-girls camps say that the benefit is in the form of eliminating the distraction of impressing the opposite sex from their campers’ lives so that they can focus on participating in camp activities and grow as individuals.  Whatever your thoughts are on the matter, a prospective camp should clearly state its policies, dispelling any concerns you may have and making this pretty much a non-issue.
These are some initial points you can follow to start narrowing down the field of camps so hop on to Google and start making a list of sites to explore.  In Part 2 I will outline some important questions to ask a camp once you start calling the finalists!