How Much Is the Credit Worth?
The Lifetime Learning tax credit is equal to 20% of the first $10,000 in tuition expenses you pay per year, up to a maximum credit of $2,000, regardless of the number of individuals for whom you paid qualified education expenses. The Lifetime Learning credit isn’t restricted to the first four years of undergraduate enrollment, and the student doesn’t necessarily have to attend full time. This means you might still be eligible if you took only one class.
Eligible Educational Institutions
All accredited colleges, universities, vocational schools, and other post-secondary institutions qualify as eligible educational institutions with this credit. You can use tuition paid to the school for claiming the Lifetime Learning credit if the learning institution is eligible to participate in federal student aid programs through the U.S. Department of Education.
Qualified Expenses
Qualifying expenses include amounts paid for tuition and any required fees, such as registration and student body fees. They do not include books, supplies, equipment, room and board, insurance, student health fees, transportation, or living expenses. You must reduce your qualifying expenses by the amount of any financial assistance received from grants, scholarships, or reimbursements. You don’t have to reduce them if you pay college tuition using borrowed funds. You also don’t have to reduce qualifying expenses by the amount of any gift or inheritance you receive.
Who Can Claim the Education Credits?
If you have a dependent and the dependent is going to college—and you’re the one paying for it—you can claim the education credit on your tax return. If your dependent is paying for their education themselves, they can claim education credits on their tax return—unless you claim them as a dependent. You can’t claim the Lifetime Learning credit if you pay college expenses for someone who isn’t your dependent, and you can’t claim it if you’re married but filing a separate tax return. Non-resident aliens can’t claim the credit if they don’t elect to be treated as resident aliens for tax purposes, according to the IRS.
Income Limitations
The amount of the Lifetime Learning credit you can claim begins to phase out at certain income limits. Your tax credit amount isn’t reduced if your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is below the phase-out limit, but it will be reduced if your income is more. MAGI thresholds are $80,000 or less for single or head-of-household filers, and $160,000 or less for people married and filing jointly. If your MAGI is over $80,000 but less than $90,000, (over $160,000 but less than $180,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly), your credit is reduced. If your MAGI is over $90,000 ($180,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly), you can’t claim the credit.
Lifetime Learning Credit vs. American Opportunity Tax Credit
The Lifetime Learning credit and the American Opportunity credit both lessen the financial burden of educational costs. The American Opportunity tax credit is restricted to the first four years of undergraduate classes, though, while the Lifetime Learning credit is available for any level of post-secondary education—undergraduate, graduate, extension courses, or even vocational schools. The American Opportunity tax credit is a maximum of $2,500. The Lifetime Learning credit is a maximum of $2,000. Taxpayers typically only claim the Lifetime Learning credit when they cannot claim the American Opportunity credit. For example, having a felony conviction does not keep a student from qualifying for the Lifetime Learning credit.
American Opportunity Tax Credit
The American Opportunity tax credit is a maximum of $2,500, but up to $1,000 of the credit is refundable. If you have any credit left over after it reduces your tax owed to zero, you’ll receive a refund for up to 40% of the total credit. The Lifetime Learning credit isn’t refundable. It can bring any tax you might owe down to zero, but the IRS will keep the rest. The American Opportunity credit is primarily geared toward four-year degree programs. The student must also have no felony drug convictions.
