What Is the American Opportunity Tax Credit? (2024)

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Written by a TurboTax Expert • Reviewed by a TurboTax CPAUpdated for Tax Year 2023 • November 19, 2023 5:33 PM

What Is the American Opportunity Tax Credit? (10)What Is the American Opportunity Tax Credit? (11)What Is the American Opportunity Tax Credit? (12)

OVERVIEW

The American opportunity credit allows students or their parents the opportunity to reduce the cost of attending college. The credit typically offers greater tax savings than other education related tax benefits since it reduces the tax you owe on a dollar-for-dollar basis and a portion of it can be refunded even if you don't owe any tax. However, there are several requirements for eligibility.

What Is the American Opportunity Tax Credit? (13)

Eligibility requirements

A student eligible for the American Opportunity tax credit:

  • Has not completed the first four years of post-secondary education
  • Enrolls in at least one academic semester during the applicable tax year
  • Maintains at least half-time status in a program leading to a degree or other credential
  • If the student has ever been a state or federal criminal because of a drug conviction, then they likely aren't eligible for the tax credit.

Qualifying expenses

Paying tuition and fees to an eligible educational institution can make you eligible for the credit.

  • Eligible educational institutions can be more than just colleges and universities; they can also include any post-secondary school that satisfies the requirements to participate in the U.S. Department of Education financial aid program.
  • Purchased items relating to the program of study can typically qualify as an expense for the American Opportunity credit. These can include the cost of:
    • Books
    • Supplies
    • Equipment
  • The credit does not cover costs associated with:

The IRS does not require you to reduce qualified expenses by any amount you pay with borrowed funds, such as student loans or credit cards. However, you may not include any amount you receive from:

  • Tax-free scholarships or fellowships
  • Federal Pell grants
  • Tuition grants from an employer
  • Refunds from the school
  • Other non-taxable assistance you receive, other than gifts and inheritances

Calculating the American Opportunity Tax Credit

Only one American Opportunity Tax Credit is available per eligible student each tax year.

  • If you have two dependents who are eligible students, you can claim a different educational tax benefit for one student if you claim the American Opportunity Credit for the other student; you can, but do not have to, claim the same credit for both dependents.
  • You can’t claim more than one tax benefit per year for each student.

The credit amount is equal to:

  • 100% of the first $2,000 of qualified expenses plus 25% of the expenses in excess of $2,000
  • The maximum annual credit per student is $2,500

Claiming the American Opportunity Tax Credit

Either the student or another taxpayer who claims the student as a dependent can take the credit on a personal tax return. You need to complete the relevant sections of IRS Form 8863 and include it with your income tax return to claim the credit.

For tax year 2023, the credit begins to phase out for:

The credit is unavailable to taxpayers whose adjusted gross income exceeds the $90,000 and $180,000 thresholds.

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TurboTax Online: Important Details about Filing Form 1040 Returns with Limited Credits

A Form 1040 return with limited credits is one that's filed using IRS Form 1040 only (with the exception of the specific covered situations described below). Roughly 37% of taxpayers are eligible.

If you have a Form 1040 return and are claiming limited credits only, you can file for free yourself with TurboTax Free Edition or TurboTax Live Assisted Basic (if available), or you can file with TurboTax Full Service at the listed price.

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Situations not covered:

  • Itemized deductions claimed on Schedule A
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What Is the American Opportunity Tax Credit? (34)
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What Is the American Opportunity Tax Credit? (2024)

FAQs

How does the American Opportunity Tax Credit work? ›

Taxpayers will receive a tax credit based on 100 percent of the first $2,000 of tuition, fees and course materials paid during the taxable year, plus 25 percent of the next $2,000 of tuition, fees and course materials paid during the taxable year.

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.

Is the American Opportunity Tax Credit worth it? ›

What the American Opportunity Credit is worth. The American Opportunity Tax Credit lowers the amount of taxes you pay. For example, if you owe $3,000 in taxes and get the full $2,500 credit, you'll only have to pay $500 to the IRS.

Do I have to pay back the American Opportunity Credit? ›

A4. You reduce the amount of tax you owe dollar for dollar by the amount of the AOTC for which you qualify up to the amount of tax you owe. If the amount of the AOTC is more than the tax you owe, then up to 40 percent of the credit (up to $1,000) can be refunded to you.

How many times can I claim the American Opportunity Credit? ›

Claiming the AOTC previously – You can only claim the American Opportunity Tax Credit four times per student. The Hope Credit, a predecessor of the American Opportunity Credit available through 2009, will also count in the four available uses of the American Opportunity Credit.

What is the income limit for American Opportunity Credit? ›

What Are the Income Limits for the AOTC?
Income Limits for the American Opportunity Tax Credit
SingleMarried Filing Jointly
Full Credit$80,000 or less$160,000 or less
Partial CreditMore than $80,000 but less than $90,000More than $160,000 but less than $180,000
No CreditMore than $90,000More than $180,000

What would disqualify you from claiming the American Opportunity Credit? ›

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).

Why do I not get the full American Opportunity Credit? ›

A full time unmarried student, under age 24, even if you don't qualify as a dependent, is only eligible for the refundable portion of the American Opportunity Credit if he supports himself by working. You cannot be supporting yourself on parental support, 529 plans or student loans & grants.

What is the American Opportunity Credit for $4000? ›

The American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) is a partially refundable tax credit that provides up to $2,500 per student per year to pay for college. The tax credit is based on up to $4,000 in eligible higher education expenses, equal to 100% of the first $2,000 in eligible expenses and 25% of the second $2,000.

How do I know if I got the American Opportunity Credit? ›

Look for form 8863. Is it there? If yes, lines 8 and/or 19 will tell you how much (if any) credit was claimed. If you don't see Form 8863, there was no way to claim any refundable or nonrefundable credits that year.

Why only $1,000 for American Opportunity Credit? ›

The American Opportunity Credit is worth $2,500 maximum, which includes the refundable portion of $1,000 and the nonrefundable portion of $1,500. If you have income tax liability based on your income, the $1,500 will reduce your taxes to $0, the unused portion will be unused and not refunded.

Do I qualify for the American Opportunity Tax Credit if I get financial aid? ›

Answer: Yes, you may claim the excess expenses by filling out Form 8863, Education Credits (American Opportunity and Lifetime Learning Credits). To claim the credit, qualified expenses are reduced by the amount of any tax-free educational assistance.

How to get $2500 American Opportunity Credit? ›

Eligibility requirements

A student eligible for the American Opportunity tax credit: Has not completed the first four years of post-secondary education. Enrolls in at least one academic semester during the applicable tax year. Maintains at least half-time status in a program leading to a degree or other credential.

What is the difference between the Hope Credit and the American Opportunity Credit? ›

Eligibility Criteria: Both credits have different eligibility criteria. Hope Credit is available for the first two years of a student's post-secondary education, while American Opportunity Credit is available for the first four years of a student's post-secondary education.

When should I stop claiming my college student as a dependent? ›

Make sure your dependent meets the IRS requirements. Generally, the IRS requires that the child is under the age of 19 (or under 24 if a full-time student), lives with you for more than half the year, and does not provide more than half of their own financial support.

Why is American Opportunity Credit only $1 000? ›

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.

How much tax can you have forgiven if you qualify for American Opportunity Credit? ›

American opportunity tax credit (AOTC)

If the credit brings what you owe to the IRS to $0, you can have up to 40% of the remaining amount refunded to you, up to a maximum of $1,000. Here's how it works: AOTC gives you credit for 100% of the first $1,000 of qualified education expenses.

What is the difference between an LLC and an AOTC? ›

What are the main differences between LLC and AOTC? Perhaps the main difference here is that AOTC is really aimed at helping college students through their studies. It can be claimed for only four years (LLC is unlimited) and the student must be pursuing a degree or other recognized education qualification.

What is the difference between the American Opportunity Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit? ›

The AOTC has a maximum of $2,500, and the Lifetime Learning Credit maximum is $2,000. Both credits cannot be claimed in the same tax year for the same student. The AOTC can only be used for undergraduate expenses, while the Lifetime Learning Credit is more flexible.

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