To be eligible for AOTC, the student must:
- Be pursuing a degree or other recognized education credential
- 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
- Not have claimed the AOTC or the former Hope credit for more than four tax years
- Not have a felony drug conviction at the end of the tax year
****Academic Period can be semesters, trimesters, quarters or any other period of study such as a summer school session. Academic periods are determined by the school. For schools that use clock or credit hours and do not have academic terms, the payment period may be treated as an academic period.
What are the income limits for AOTC?
- To claim the full credit, your MAGI modified adjusted gross income must be $80,000 or less ($160,000 or less for married filing jointly).
- You receive a reduced amount of the credit if your MAGI is over $80,000 but less than $90,000 (over $160,000 but less than $180,000 for married filing jointly).
- You cannot claim the credit if your MAGI is over $90,000 ($180,000 for joint filers).
If you've reviewed these qualifiers and believe you should receive a credit:
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Sign in and Continue your/take me to my return
- Click Federal Taxes across the top (or tap the three white lines in the left corner). Go to Deductions and Credits
- Choose Edit/Add/Start for Expenses and Scholarships (Form 1098-T)
- On the Your Education Expenses Summary, Edit or Add Another Student
- Enter the information as it is requested. TurboTax will do the rest.
If your information is entered correctly and you still don't qualify, there is no AOTC available.
