American Opportunity Tax Credit

The American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) is a credit for qualified education expenses for a student for the first four years of post-secondary education. The AOTC also applies to taxpayers who claim the students as dependents. 

A taxpayer that is a student can take advantage of the American Opportunity Tax Credit, which was introduced in 2009 specifically for students attending a post-secondary institution. The AOTC was slated to run until December 2017. There were no changes made to the credit under the new tax plan, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA), approved by Congress on Dec. 22, 2017. 

The American Opportunity Credit can save a household with a qualifying student as much as $2,500. The credit helps with educational expenses such as tuition and any other expenses related to the student’s coursework. Eligible students can claim 100 percent of the first $2,000 spent on acquiring materials for school, and another 25 percent of the next $2,000 in expenses. This means that the maximum amount a qualifying student can claim with the AOTC is (100% x $2,000) + (25% x $2,000) = $2,500. In other words, $2,500 worth of credit can be used to reduce the first $4,000 in educational costs.

Most tax credits are non-refundable, meaning that once a taxpayer’s liability has been reduced to zero, that’s the end of it. However, the AOTC is not one of them as 40 percent of the credit is refundable. This partial refund means that if the student’s tax liability has been reduced to zero with AOTC, s/he may still receive 40 percent of the remaining credit, up to $1,000, as a tax refund from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Consider two college students, David and Lawrence. David spent $4,000 on educational material, while Lawrence spent $900 during the academic year. Since they are both qualified according to the stipulations set by the IRS, David can claim the maximum credit of $2,500 allowed under the AOTC, which would reduce his tax bill to $4,000 - $2,500 = $1,500. On the other hand, Lawrence can claim the AOTC on his tax returns and have his $900 tax bill reduced to zero. Since there’s still some leftover credit ($900 - $2,500 = - $1,600), he will also be given a refund of 40% x $1,600 = $640.

According to the IRS, a qualified student is one who must be enrolled at least part-time in one academic year in an accredited post-secondary institution; must still be enrolled at the institution at the beginning of the tax year; is taking courses toward a degree or some other recognized education qualification; and has not been convicted of any felony drug offense at the end of the tax year. Check out the IRS website for a more detailed list of who is considered an eligible student. 

The AOTC can be claimed by eligible taxpayers for up to four years of post-secondary education to reduce the costs of tuition and other eligible expenses. According to the IRS, a qualified educational expense includes tuition paid to the school, and expenses for books, supplies, and equipment that may have been bought from external sources. These expenses can be paid for with student loans to qualify, but not with scholarships or grants. Room and board, medical expenses, and insurance do not qualify for the AOTC. It should also be noted that expenses paid with funds from a 529 savings plan will not qualify.

A single taxpayer has to have a modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) that is less than $80,000 to qualify for the AOTC. A MAGI between $80,000 and $90,000 will have a partial credit at a reduced rate applied. A taxpayer with a MAGI over $90,000 would not qualify for the AOTC. The MAGI requirements for a married couple filing jointly can be assessed from the table below:

The AOTC is one of two tax credits available to students in the U.S. The second tax break available for students is called the Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC). While both credits cannot be claimed in the same tax year, the LLC differs from the AOTC in a number of ways. A maximum of 20 percent of up to $10,000 of expenses (i.e. $2,000) in tuition and other educational costs can be claimed using an LLC. The LLC is not limited to students pursuing a degree or studying at least part-time. Instead, it covers a broader group of students: whether part-time, full-time, undergraduate, graduate, or taking classes and courses to develop a skill or other purpose. Finally, the LLC is non-refundable – once a taxpayer’s bill has been reduced to zero, there will be no refund on any credit balance.

A tax filer who qualifies for both education tax credits may be better off opting for the AOTC since both credits cannot be applied in the same year. A taxpayer who does not qualify for the AOTC may find that the next best option is the Lifetime Learning Credit.