Can I still fill out form 8862 on TurboTax if I'm not sure if I received a letter from IRS saying I need to fill the form out to claim my educational credits?

[coils_17]

My educational credits were claimed the last tax year when I was still a dependent. I don't recall receiving a letter saying that I need to fill form 8862 out. Is there a way to check if IRS sent me a letter saying that?

[KrisD15]

No, there is no way of checking through the IRS.

You need to check with your parents, or whoever claimed you as their dependent. 

The American Opportunity Tax Credit may only be claimed four times per student, so if they claimed the credit, that counts against your limit. 

The TurboTax software asks if the IRS sent a letter regarding a denial of the credit. If the IRS has not informed you that you improperly claimed the credit in the past, select "No" to that interview question.   

[coils_17]

Okay. Does this still apply if I have been to more than one college during diffent time periods? 

[AmyC]

You can attend multiple colleges. You can only claim the AOTC for 4 tax years and then you switch to Lifetime Learning Credit. See Tax Benefits for Education: Information Center| IRS.

[coils_17]

Okay. So, If a went to a college from 2017 to 2018 and then went to a different college from 2019 to 2021, am I no longer able to claim the AOTC tax credit? Also, on TurboTax I didn't qualify for the Lifetime education credit.

[ThomasM125]

Yes, if you went to College for four years, you can no longer qualify for the American Opportunities credit. There is no such limitation for the lifetime learning credit, however.

[coils_17]

Okay. Thank you. Why is it that I didn't qualify for the Lifetime education credit?

[RaifH]

To qualify for the lifetime learning credit:

• You paid qualified education expenses for higher education
• The qualified education expenses were for an eligible student
• The eligible student is you, your spouse, or a dependent on your tax return
• For the full credit, your 2021 MAGI (modified adjusted gross income) is less than $80,000 ($160,000 if you are filing jointly)
  • For a reduced credit, your MAGI is between $80,000 and $90,000 ($160,000 and $180,000 if you're filing jointly)

If your entire tuition was covered by a scholarship or paid using a distribution from an education savings account, then you would not be eligible for the Lifetime Learning Credit. You can get around this limitation in some circumstances by adding the distribution or scholarship to your taxable income and using the tuition expenses for the Lifetime Learning Credit. This may reduce your taxes or it may make no difference at all. In some cases, it will actually increase your taxes.

If you had no taxable income then the Lifetime Learning Credit would not help you because it is a nonrefundable credit, meaning it cannot give you money back if you already do not owe any tax.