The phaseout of the education credit is 160K to 180K for either the AOTC or Lifetime Learning Credit (LLC) for 2021, is based on Modified Adjusted Gross Income (MAGI).
If you file Form 1040 or 1040-SR, your MAGI is the AGI on line 11 of
that form, modified by adding back any:
1. Foreign earned income exclusion,
2. Foreign housing exclusion,
3. Foreign housing deduction,
4. Exclusion of income by bona fide residents of American Samoa, and
5. Exclusion of income by bona fide residents of Puerto Rico.
