Education Tax Credit

There are two education credits that can help taxpayers with higher education costs: the American opportunity tax credit and the lifetime learning credit. There are several differences and some similarities between them. Taxpayers can claim both benefits on the same return, but not for the same student or same qualified expenses.

Here’s a comparison of these two credits:

What is the maximum credit or benefit?
American opportunity tax credit: Up to $2,5000 credit per eligible student
Lifetime learning credit: Up to $2,000 credit per tax return

Is it refundable or non-refundable?
American opportunity credit: Refundable for up to 40 percent of credit
Lifetime learning credit: Not refundable

Can taxpayers claim the credit if they file with the filing status married filing separately?
Both credits: No

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Charles Woodson, College Education Tax Credits

There are actually two higher-education tax credits. The American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) provides up to $2,500 worth of credit for each student, 40% of which is refundable. The credit is equal to 100% of the first $2,000 of college tuition and qualified expenses and 25% of the next $2,000. The AOTC only applies to the first 4 years of post-secondary education.

The other credit is the Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC), which only provides a maximum $2,000 of credit (20% of up to $10,000 of eligible expenses) per family. None of it is refundable, meaning it can only be used to offset the taxpayer’s tax liability, and any additional credit amount is lost.

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