The Education Tax Credit

New Hope via American Opportunity Credit: At the federal level, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) signed into law in February temporarily improves the popular Hope education credit.

For the 2009 and 2010 tax years, the new American Opportunity Credit tweaks the existing Hope Credit.

The new credit is worth $2,500 per student, based on the first $4,000 of qualifying educational expenses. The Hope Credit only allowed for an $1,800 tax break.

In addition to upping the credit amount, the American Opportunity Credit can be claimed for expenses for the first four years of post-secondary education, versus the first two years of expenses allowed under the Hope Credit.



The American Opportunity tax break also is available to more folks than was the Hope version. This means more taxpayers who make more money qualify; the full credit is available to filers whose modified adjusted gross income is $80,000 or less; $160,000 or less for married couples filing a joint return.



And it's partially refundable, meaning that those who owe no tax still could claim it and get some money back from Uncle Sam. The refundable portion is 40 percent of the credit, up to a maximum of $1,000.



The list of qualified expenses also has grown. In addition to the standard tuition and required school fees, students now can count the cost of required course materials, such as books, lab supplies and computer software.



Special rules also apply to students attending college in a Midwestern disaster area. For tax-year 2009 only, taxpayers can choose to claim either a special expanded Hope credit of up to $3,600 for the student or the regular American Opportunity Credit.



Lifetime Learning lives: The other widely-used educational credit, the Lifetime Learning Credit, remains on the tax books as is. This tax break can be claimed for 20 percent of your first $10,000 in qualified education expenses, up to a maximum of $2,000. This credit is available for all four years of college, as well as post-school training, and can be claimed by part-time as well as full-time students.



Students attending an eligible institution in a Midwestern disaster area in 2009 get an added break. They can claim a maximum Lifetime Learning Credit of 40 percent of their first $10,000 in eligible expenses, or up to $4,000 per return.



Pell Grants, 529 plans enhanced: Also as part of the ARRA stimulus, the maximum amount of a federal Pell Grant, demand for which has increased during the economic downturn, was increased. Eligible students in the 2009-10 school year can get a $5,350 Pell Grant award.



As for 529 college savings plans, which afford students and families a chance to pay for educational expenses without any tax worries, the new stimulus bill expanded the list of college expenses that can be paid for by such a plan.



For 2009 and 2010, the definition of qualified higher education expenses includes expenses for computer technology and equipment or Internet access and related services as long as they are used by the designated beneficiary of the 529 plan while enrolled at an eligible school.