The AOTC credit is 4yrs per child. My 1st child allowed us to use the AOTC for the 4yrs, my 2nd child has started college. How can we claim AOTC for the 2nd child?

[ktarullo]

How can we claim AOTC for a second child after claiming all 4yrs with the first child?

[AlanT · Accepted solution]

You can claim your 2nd child just as you did your first.  The credit is 4 years per child, not a total of 4 years for all of your children.  

The American opportunity tax credit (AOTC) is a credit for qualified education expenses paid for an eligible student for the first four years of higher education. You can get a maximum annual credit of $2,500 per eligible student.  

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

[ktarullo]

Thank you for the response. Where in TurboTax do I select this option. I think I have missed this credit all 4yrs of my 2nd child.

[AlanT]

To enter education expenses as well as financial aid in TurboTax Deluxe:
Click My Account (Top right of your screen).
Select Tools.
In the pop-up window, select Topic Search.
In the search bar, type in 1098-t
See it highlighted, click GO, and follow the prompts