<p>EmoMama, my S is not taking his car to USC either. Public transportation is available but time-consuming for kids used to jumping in their car and getting somewhere fast. LA is spread out and the distance to get somewhere fun (like the beach) means the 30 minute drive by car can take well over an hour by bus (with many stops). Still, I think they find friends with cars who can help out and I hope the kids are busy on campus and with school-related activities too. My S likes downtown (has favorite ethnic restaurants there) and also Koreatown, etc which are not far. I also have great hopes for the newly developed shopping/restaurant area near the downtown Nokia Center--and I have heard there will be a DASH bus directly from USC which is only 15 minutes away. Does anyone know if that will start this year or next?</p>
<p>As for whether your D will ever move back to Wisconsin. Um, I'm from Chicago and started working in television, met my wonderful husband, and... I'm still here in LA. On the other hand, my dear brother graduated from RISD and visited me in SoCal, and then moved here. And my mom and dad, visiting their two transplants here one sunny winter, decided to retire out here too. So.... you never know. (Don't know if this will be looked at as a comforting story or as a scary one. Oops.)</p>
<p>Daughter DEFINITELY has one. Beginning and end of story. My older daughter had a friend who didn't...took the wonderful RTD for internships. A 15 minute car ride took over an hour by bus. Los Angeles has very poor rapid transit and not only that it is an experience. (I grew up in LA and I rode the buses when I was young so I know of what I speak)</p>
<p>Before you rely on zipcar, check and see if your kid is old enough to use their service. I telephoned zipcar the night before we bought our kid's parking permit; they said that you have to be 21. I had heard that the age was 18, but they said no.</p>
<p>Nester, perhaps they were unclear that you were inquiring about membership for a university student. The membership age for the general public is indeed 21. However, for students on participating campuses, the age is 18.</p>
<p>Regarding the student health insurance, yes you can opt out and save more than $200 per semester. However, you must go to the health insurance office (separate from the health center) to show that your plan provides sufficient coverage. I believe this needs to be done within the first few weeks of every semester to take effect.</p>
<p>Doesn't it make sense to pay the on campus health fee in case your child needs a doctor ASAP on campus who may not be on your insurance list? I would think the $200. would be tax deductible as well, no?</p>
<p>Yeah, I switched to the non-HMO, more general PPO health insurance last year in anticipating of D's entering college this year. As long as your insurance is not too restrictive than switching out is ok.</p>
<p>I'm not entirely sure what is covered by USC's policy or if university doctors are part of the plan.</p>
<p>However, all students still have access to primary care and consultations at the student health center regardless of insurance. This is financed through a separate health center fee which you cannot opt out of.</p>
<p>I found the info: I think it means we can opt out of the insurance, but that every student pays the "health fee" to have access to the clinic services on campus.</p>
<p>
[quote]
USC requires that ALL students have supplemental health insurance. This will help to cover the cost of care that cannot be obtained on campus, especially in emergency situations where hospitalization may be required.
The Student Health Insurance Plan works in conjunction with the University Park Health Center and the Eric Cohen Health Center located on the Health Sciences Campus.** For this reason, all students enrolled in the USC Student Health Insurance Plan are also required to pay the health fee.**
You are automatically enrolled in the USC Health Insurance Plan if you are:
Taking 6 or more units
Enrolled on the Health Sciences campus
An international student
If you already have a health insurance plan (or you are on your parents' plan) you may be eligible to waive enrollment in the USC Health Insurance Plan by providing proof of comparable coverage.
Enrollment may be waived only if documented proof of comparable coverage
from another plan is presented to the Student Health Insurance Office
and it meets the University’s requirements.
<p>If you look on the website for the USC Health Center you can click on Health Insurance and get all the details, including the proof of insurance you will need to provide to get a waiver. I believe that we turned in the waiver form at orientation along with a photocopies of my daughter's health insurance card and the summary of her coverage.</p>
<p>Again, the fee for the Health Center is an entirely different thing and I don't believe you can opt out of it.</p>
<p>Good grief, Ned 5555, Now kid has the world's most expensive parking space, to go with his world's most expensive health insurance. Perhaps I'm being unfair to his car, but I suspect that by the end of the four years, the cost of the parking space might outstrip the depreciated value of the vehicle. Oh, zipcar!</p>
<p>
[quote]
Doesn't it make sense to pay the on campus health fee in case your child needs a doctor ASAP on campus who may not be on your insurance list? I would think the $200. would be tax deductible as well, no?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Maybe, maybe not... I just did a mock-up of our 2008 taxes and was "pleasantly" surprised that with AGI>$160k none of the college expenses are tax deductible. Zero, zip, nada! So, in addition to getting hit by a full tuition payment, phaseout of the personal exemption, AMT for simply claiming state taxes and mortgage interest, and the "income phaseout addback" rule, the IRS adds insult to injury... </p>
<p>This means that as much as I am offended by McCain's kissing of Jerry Fowell's and the NRA's a** after all the "agent of evil" grandstanding, I may have to vote for him this fall, because at least he has not said that he wants to soak people like me even more. I have no problem paying my fair share of taxes, but this is starting to border on the ridiculous. 50% of my wife's salary goes to feed government waste. Grrrrr...</p>
<p>GroovyGeek: What kind of college expenses are tax deductible with lower income? I realize that $200. is very small, but I understand that anything over 7.5% of your income for medical expenses is a tax deduction (I am not a CPA and that would have to be verified by your CPA). Do you know of other college expenses which count towards a tax deduction for a child? I would love to know. Also, sorry to hear that you are not getting more tax benefits. It is hard for lots of people.</p>
<p>As far as I know, everything tuition-related (tuition, books, travel required by the studies) is tax deductible, but is subject to phaseout. Once AGI hits $160k, the deduction is zero. Room and board are not deductible, because you need to eat and a place to live anyway :D. Don't know about insurance for students, my guess is that it is treated the same way as insurance for the self-employed.</p>
<p>You're welcome. You can tell, I love to google. AGI stands for Adjusted Gross Income, which is the income after deduction I believe.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Adjusted Gross Income (AGI)
Income (including wages, interest, capital gains, income from retirement accounts, alimony paid to you) adjusted downward by specific deductions (including contributions to deductible retirement accounts, alimony paid by you); but not including standard and itemized deductions.
AGI is the number you write at the bottom of page 1 of your 1040 form, and then copy again to the top of page 2.