There could be many reasons why you were not eligible to claim the Lifetime Learning Credit in 2018. It's difficult to know which reason would apply to you without looking at your actual tax situation. Here are some possible explanations:
- The Lifetime Learning Credit is a nonrefundable credit. If you do not owe any taxes on your return, even though you would otherwise be eligible, you would not receive the credit. (Perhaps you received other credits that eliminated your tax liability.)
- You are not eligible for the credit if your modified adjusted gross income is over $68,000 for single filers or $136,000 for married filing jointly
- You cannot claim the credit if your filing status is married filing separately
- You are not eligible for the credit if you can be claimed as a dependent on someone else's return
If none of these exceptions apply, please review the requirements below. Also, check your entries in TurboTax to make sure all of the questions are answered correctly.
- You (or your dependent or a third party) paid qualified education expenses for higher education
- You paid the education expenses for an eligible student
- The eligible student is you, your spouse, or a dependent you claim an exemption for on your tax return
Please see this TurboTax article for additional information.
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