We’re in the extremely nice situation of struggling to reach $4000 to maximize the AOC tax credit for our daughter.
She only owes $784 for Spring semester tuition and fees, which will bring her up to about $3500 for the calendar year (including books). Her loans cover that amount completely, and she’ll get a refund.
We want that to count on this year’s taxes since she this is her 4th year and she won’t be eligible next year. For it to count on this year’s taxes, I know we need to pay it this month. Do we need to literally pay it, and then get refunded, or can it be applied against the loans before Dec. 31?
The school says the 1098T only shows calendar year charges, not payments. I’ve always gone off what we actually pay (keeping records of course), but this is the first year we’ve had loans in the picture (younger kid started college, so we took them) and her scholarships were increased.
She can’t shift any of the scholarships to room and board, as she’s an RA with room and board covered 100%.
Pay for it with loan proceeds by December 31 in order to take the credit in 2016. But will the school apply the loan to spring 2017 tuition by December 31?
Since a normal four year college career covers five tax years and the American Opportunity Credit can only be used for four of those tax years, one strategy that works for many people is to use the AOC for the first four tax years (starting with fall of freshman year), and then use the less generous Lifetime Learning Credit for the fifth tax year (spring of senior year). Of course, this assumes that the taxpayer is eligible for the credits, and that there are qualified expenses available to take advantage of the credits.
Sorry OP, I don’t have a good answer for your question, but it wouldn’t hurt to be on the safe side and literally pay the bill in 2016, and then wait for the refund once the loans are applied. Maybe ask the school’s billing office when the loans will actually be available and credited to the account?
Yes, we started with her fall Freshman year taking the AOC, always prepaying a bit to make the $4000 max benefit threshold. We could do the $748 using the Lifetime Learning, but seems more advantageous to pay the $748 a month early to get the higher benefit.
The college applies anticipated aid to the account, but will not disburse until January 15.
Right, but when you use her spring 2017 expenses to claim the AOC for tax year 2016, that means those same expenses cannot be used to claim a fifth year of tax credits using the Lifetime Learning Credit.
Just looked it up, and after the first $2000 the AOC is worth 25%. The LLC is worth 20%. So I guess jumping through the hoops to get the higher AOC on the 2016 return would net me $39.20. (5% difference on $784).
You could buy the books in 2016 too. Will she have other required fees for graduation in 2017 that you could pay now? I don’t think the 1098 will be accurate.
If the school won’t apply the loan until 2017 then you would need to pay it in 2016 if you want to count it toward the 2016 AOTC and can then reimburse yourself from the 2017 financial aid refund.
This is your last chance to use the AOTC, while the Lifetime Learning Credit will remain a future possibility. So maximize it since you say it’s not a big deal to pay the amount due before the end of the year.
This is what the school’s financial aid office said -
“The 1098T form, which is reported to the IRS reflect charges only, not payments for the calendar year. I would suggest that you talk to a tax advisor to see if making a payment would impact your taxes.”
Lasy year I worked as a VITA tax preparer and we were told to view the 1098T only as a starting point. As long as you can properly document QEE you’re good.
And a note about my earlier comment #9: I didn’t mean that the AOTC is ending, just that the student will soon be completing 1st 4 years of secondary education, after which AOTC does not apply.