Lifetime Learning Credit

With a maximum annual tax benefit of $2000, the Lifetime Learning Credit offers qualified students and their families relief from education expenses.

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Lifetime Learning Credit
Education tax credits are a crucial form of financial relief for families and students. The Lifetime Learning Credit allows you a maximum $2,000 tax credit for qualified education expenses. Unlike other education tax credits, the Lifetime Learning Credit places no limitation on the number of years it can be claimed or the type of course-load necessary for eligibility. Whether you're paying your daughter's way through college or taking a class or two for your career advancement, the Lifetime Learning Credit may be a smart way for you to save tax dollars.

The Basics of the Lifetime Learning Credit

The Lifetime Learning Credit is applied to your tax liability, dollar for dollar. This differs from a deduction, which lowers your tax obligation by dropping your taxable income. The Lifetime Learning Credit equals 20% of the first $10,000 you pay for qualifying education expenses, with a maximum benefit of $2,000. You can claim the credit annually.

Unlike the Hope Credit, which is only available for a full-time or part-time student's first two academic years, you may claim the Lifetime Learning Credit for classes at any point along the academic timeline, including courses on the undergraduate, graduate, or professional stage. Even if you take a single class to increase your job skills you may still qualify for the Lifetime Learning Credit.

This credit is nonrefundable; if your taxes amount to less than your Lifetime Learning Credit claim you won't receive a refund on the excess credit.

Who can claim the Lifetime Learning Credit?

Eligible taxpayers can claim the Lifetime Learning Credit for qualified postsecondary school costs incurred and paid by themselves or their dependents.

Even though the Lifetime Learning Credit is a viable option for many, not everyone is eligible. The full Lifetime Learning Credit amount is generally available for taxpayers with a Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI) of $45,000 or less ($90,000 or less for couples filing jointly). Once the MAGI exceeds these levels, the credit is phased out until at a MAGI of $55,000 ($110,000 if you file jointly) it drops to zero.

The following restrictions apply to your Lifetime Learning Credit eligibility (Some of these criteria are simply a matter of rearranging your tax returns and are easy mistakes to avoid):

• Married parents or married independent students must file their taxes jointly with their
spouses to claim the Lifetime Learning Credit.

• If you're a student listed as dependent on your parent's tax return, you cannot file for
the Lifetime Learning Credit individually; your parents must claim the credit on their
own tax return.

• If you claim the Hope Credit for a student for a given year, you cannot also file for
the Lifetime Learning Credit for tha


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