Traverse City MI, 05/13/2019 - Students who would like to get a bit of respite on the high cost of their education will find a new blog post on American Tax Service very resourceful. The post offers some insight into two of the best educational tax credits available to them in the upcoming tax year. And it seeks to help them make an informed decision on which of the educational tax breaks is best suited to their needs as they cannot use more than one in any given tax year.
The first of the tax credits explained by the American Tax Service is the American Opportunity Credit. To be eligible, the student must be enrolled at least half-time per academic period during the tax year in a school currently participating in the student aid program of the Federal government. Students who are already done with the first four years of schooling are excluded from the scheme as well as students with felony drug convictions. The American Opportunity Credit can be worth as much as $2500 and can be claimed on anything a student needs to attend school including tuition, books, and supplies. It is best suited for undergraduate college students.
The other tax credit is the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit. To be eligible, a taxpayer needs to only take a course per year at a school that is enrolled in the Federal student aid program. The credit does not also consider whether it is the first four years of schooling or not. Regardless of how many years you have spent in school, you can qualify for this tax credit. The Lifetime Learning Credit can also be used for anything from tuition to supplies but all supplies must be purchased directly through your school. The Lifetime Learning Credit is worth $2,000. However, it is a nonrefundable tax credit. It is best suited for students in postgraduate programs.
To claim any of the education tax credit, taxpayers must fill in and file Form 8863 with their tax returns. The American Tax service recommends using the H&R Block online tax filing. It will provide the form and easily help calculate exactly how much you are entitled to.
For more information, please read the original blog post by the American Tax Service here, https://americantaxservice.org/best-education-tax-credits/
About Frank Ellis
Frank Ellis is a Traverse City Tax Preparation Planner and published author. He has written tax and finance related articles for eight years and has published over 900 articles on leading financial websites.
Contact Information
Frank Ellis
American Tax Service
945 East 8th Street Suite A
Traverse City, Michigan 49686
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://americantaxservice.org