American Opportunity Credit

[zapatami]

My husband and I meet the income requirements for the AOC, my child meet the age criteria and is a full time student but TurboTax says we "can't claim and education tax break".  Why is this?

[xmasbaby0]

Did you claim your child as your dependent?  You have to claim your child as your dependent in order to get the education credit

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/3262983-who-is-eligible-to-take-the-american-opportunity-tax-

You can see your AOC credit on line 18c of your 2019 Form 1040

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/3383321-why-didn-t-i-get-a-credit-or-deduction-for-education-expen...

[zapatami]

Yes, I did claim him as a dependent.  He is showing on the 1040 but the credit does not appear.

[xmasbaby0]

You do not say what year of school he is in.  You (or your son if he is not a dependent)  can get the AOC for a total of four times during his undergraduate college time.  You cannot get it after he achieves a bachelor's degree.  You also cannot get an education credit if you file married filing separately--are you filing a joint return?

I wonder if you answered something incorrectly.  We cannot see your screen or your return.  I suggest deleting the dependent, re-entering him and then going back through the screens to make certain you said he was a full-time student and that you said NO to that weird question about whether the dependent paid for half of his own support.  Then go through the education credit section again.

[zapatami]

I appreciate you assistance.  In 2019 he was only in his second year of college and we are filing a joint return.  We received the credit in 2018, that was the first year.  I just deleted and re-entered all of his information and I am still getting the same response.  I don't understand the issue

[xmasbaby0]

After the holiday weekend is over, call in to customer support.

To call TurboTax customer support

https://ttlc.intuit.com/questions/1899263-what-is-the-turbotax-phone-number

They are available from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pacific time   Monday - Friday

[zapatami]

I appreciate you help. After some more trial and error I figured it out. Under education there was a box asking if he was full time and the type of degree he was seeking. It didn't appear the first time I was entering it or I mistakenly skipped over it but I figured it out.  Thanks again for the help!

[xmasbaby0]

 Yay!  So glad to know that you figured it out and fixed it.  Have a great 4th of July!

[Hal_Al]

If you are eligible, you have answered  something wrong, in the interview. But, a lot of people are just not eligible. See https://www.irs.gov/Individuals/AOTC