- KIRTI SOLANKI
The American Opportunity Tax Credit is a credit for qualified education expenses paid for the first four years of higher education for an eligible student.
AOTC is a partially refundable credit for undergraduate college education expenses. If the credit nullifies the amount of tax you owe, 40 percent (up to $1,000) of the credit balance may be refunded to you.
Eligible education expenses in American Opportunity Tax Credit include the tuition and certain related costs required to attend an eligible educational institution.
To claim the full AOTC, your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) must be $80,000 or less and $160,000 or less for married filing jointly.
Eligible students or their parents can claim 100% of the first $2,000 spent on expenses related to educational costs and 25% of the next $2,000. The maximum annual credit per student is $2,500.
To claim AOTC, you must complete Form 8863 and attach the completed form to your tax return.