Daycare Tuition; 2019 or 2020 Tax Year?

This is my first year having two years in one week at the end of the year, so I apologize if this question is obvious.

How do I split up the years for tuition? For example: I had 3 different payments accepted prior to the 1st of this year, but the tuition was for two days in 2020. Do I put it all on 2019 since the payment was cleared in my bank account and the payment was accepted in 2019? Or do I put Monday in 2019 and Thursday and Friday in 2020?

I also have a parent paying today for the 30th, 2nd, and 3rd. Do I split this up or would it all be considered 2020 since I’m being paid in 2020? To make it even more complicated, this parent has a credit of $15 from mid December that they have forgotten to balance out each time they pay me. Do I just leave the credit on their account until it’s balanced out or do I have to figure that in somewhere for 2019 since I received it in 2019 even though it’ll technically be for 2020 and I haven’t spent the payment, as it was paid in cash?

[Blackcat31]

Originally Posted by Unregistered

This is my first year having two years in one week at the end of the year, so I apologize if this question is obvious.

How do I split up the years for tuition? For example: I had 3 different payments accepted prior to the 1st of this year, but the tuition was for two days in 2020. Do I put it all on 2019 since the payment was cleared in my bank account and the payment was accepted in 2019? Or do I put Monday in 2019 and Thursday and Friday in 2020?

I also have a parent paying today for the 30th, 2nd, and 3rd. Do I split this up or would it all be considered 2020 since I’m being paid in 2020? To make it even more complicated, this parent has a credit of $15 from mid December that they have forgotten to balance out each time they pay me. Do I just leave the credit on their account until it’s balanced out or do I have to figure that in somewhere for 2019 since I received it in 2019 even though it’ll technically be for 2020 and I haven’t spent the payment, as it was paid in cash?

It does not matter what dates the services are for only what date your received payment.

If you received it in 2019 you claim if on your 2019 taxes.
If you received it during 2020 you claim it on your 2020 taxes.

[Blackcat31]

Here is Tom Copeland's reply to this question and a link to his article about this

Originally Posted by TomCopeland

2019. Report income in the year you receive it, not the year you earned it. See my article on this: http://tomcopelandblog.com/when-do-you-report-income-3

Thank you!