American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) (2024)

FAQs

How to get the full $2500 American Opportunity Credit? ›

Be pursuing a degree or other recognized education credential. Have qualified education expenses at an eligible educational institution. Be enrolled at least half time for at least one academic period* beginning in the tax year. Not have finished the first four years of higher education at the beginning of the tax year.

American Opportunity Credit phaseout – If your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is more than $80,000 ($160,000 if you're married filing jointly), your eligibility will start to “phase out” — meaning you may only qualify for a partial credit or none at all.

The most common AOTC errors are claiming the credit for a student: who didn't attend an eligible educational institution, who already completed the first four years of post-secondary education, for whom qualifying college or other post-secondary education expenses weren't paid, or.

You may not claim the AOTC unless you, your spouse (if you are filing a joint return) and the qualifying student have a valid taxpayer identification number (TIN) issued or applied for on or before the due date of the return (including extensions).

The 1000 came from the 8863. While the total amount of the AOC is worth up to $2,500, only $1,000 of the AOC is actually refundable. This means you can use the other portion to reduce your tax liability if you have any. But, only $1,000 can be directly added to your refund without any tax liability.

The AOTC is a tax credit worth up to $2,500 per year for an eligible college student. It is refundable up to $1,000. If you are a college student filing your own return, you may claim this credit a maximum of four times (i.e. once per year for four years).

Claiming the American Opportunity Tax Credit

For tax year 2023, the credit begins to phase out for: Single taxpayers who have adjusted gross income between $80,000 and $90,000. Joint tax filers when adjusted gross income is between $160,000 and $180,000.

If you take half the course load for at least one semester or other academic period of each tax year, and your college does not consider you to have completed the first four years of college as of the beginning of the tax year, you can qualify to take the AOTC for up to four tax years.

American Opportunity Tax Credit

The AOTC is worth up to $2,500. The AOTC is figured by taking the first $2,000 paid towards the student's qualified educational expenses and adding 25 percent of the next $2,000 in educational expenses, up to $2,500. The AOTC is calculated per student, not per tax return.

When a taxpayer is eligible for either the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit or the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC), the taxpayer should consider claiming the AOTC, since it provides a greater amount of tax savings per dollar of tuition and textbook expenses.

What is the maximum income for AOTC? ›

What expenses are eligible for the American Opportunity credit? Qualified education expenses include amounts spent tuition and required fees and materials for course enrollment. This includes books, supplies, and equipment needed for a course of study.

You may not qualify for an education tax credit if you earn more than the income limits, if you didn't pay the educational expense you're claiming the credit for, if someone else can claim you as a dependent for tax purposes, or if your tax filing status is married filing separately.

The American Opportunity Education Credit is available to be claimed for a maximum of 4 years per eligible student.

The American Opportunity Credit (formerly the Hope Credit) provides up to $2,500 for each eligible student per year. It can be claimed for the first four years of higher education. If you had claimed any amount of this credit in previous years, you'll see how much at the bottom of Form 8863, Page 2.

The maximum annual American Opportunity Tax Credit is $2,500 per eligible student. Any qualified education expenses up to $2,000 receive a 100% credit, followed by 25% of the next $2,000 in qualified education expenses for the eligible student.

The American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) is a tax credit for qualified education expenses associated with the first four years of a student's postsecondary education. The maximum annual credit is $2,500 per eligible student.

The student reports all his scholarship, up to the amount needed to claim the American Opportunity Credit (AOC), as income on his return. That way, the parents (or himself, if he is not a dependent) can claim the tuition credit on their return.

To claim the American opportunity credit complete Form 8863 and submitting it with your Form 1040 or 1040-SR. Enter the nonrefundable part of the credit on Schedule 3 (Form 1040 or 1040-SR), line 3. Enter the re-fundable part of the credit on Form 1040 or 1040-SR, line 29.