Taxpayers may be eligible to claim a nonrefundable
Hope Scholarship or Lifetime Learning Tax Credit to help them pay
for postsecondary education for themselves and/or their dependent
children. These tax credits can reduce the amount of federal income
tax.
Hope Scholarship Tax Credit. This tax credit
is available to a taxpayer for qualified tuition and related expenses.
It is available to parents of dependent students or to students
who are not claimed as dependents on their parents’ federal
tax return. A student must enroll at least half time during at
least one academic period during the tax year (January 1, 2005
- December 31, 2005). The Hope credit can be claimed only for two
tax years and applies only to the first two years of postsecondary
education. The tax credit is equal to all of the first $1,000 of
tuition and fees (less scholarships, grants, and tax-free tuition
benefits) and half of the next $1,000 of tuition and fees. The
maximum credit is $1,500. A student cannot have been convicted
of a drug felony conviction in a year that the credit applies.
Lifetime Learning Tax Credit. This credit applies
to tuition and fees for undergraduate, graduate, and continuing-education
course work taken part time to improve or upgrade job skills. A
family can claim a credit equal up to 20% of $10,000 of eligible
expenses paid after January 1, 2004. The maximum benefit is $1,000
each tax year. Eligible education expenses are reduced by scholarships,
grants, and other tax-free tuition benefits.
(Note: the credit is phased out for joint filers adjusted
for inflation. See the 2003 IRS Form 8863 for the revised A61
limits.)
What You Need to Do:
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Keep copies of documents related to payment of qualified
tuition and fees, such as canceled checks or credit card statements,
financial aid awards, scholarships received, and employer-paid
tuition benefits for each tax year. You may reference some
of this information on NovaConnect at http://www.nvcc.edu/novaconnect/.
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Obtain relevant IRS forms and documents, such as IRS Publication
970, Tax Benefits for Higher Education. Telephone: 1-800-829-3676
for forms and 1-800-829-1040 for information.
-
Visit the IRS Web site at www.irs.ustreas.gov/hot/not97-601.html
or NVCC’s Web site at http://www.nvcc.edu/sis/web/default.htm
for more information.
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Make sure that Admissions and Records has an accurate
social security number (SSN) or individual taxpayer identification
number (ITIN) and address for you and any individual who can
claim you as a dependent on the federal tax return for College
reporting to the IRS.
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Update your mailing address on NovaConnect no later than
December 31, 2004, to receive a copy of IRS 1098-T reporting
form.
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