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Different tax softwares display education credits differently on the summary screens, which causes so much confusion! In my experience: - TurboTax tends to show the "impact" of the AOTC on your refund, not just the refundable amount - H&R Block typically separates the refundable and non-refundable portions more clearly - TaxAct sometimes lumps all credits together which makes it look like you're getting more back The key is to look at Form 8863 in the actual PDF of your return. Line 8 is your total AOTC, and line 8c specifically shows the refundable portion which cannot exceed $1,000 per eligible student.
Is there any way to see this breakdown before finalizing the return? I'm using TaxAct and it's just giving me a big total number for "education credits" without splitting it up.
Yes, in TaxAct you can view the forms directly before filing. Go to the "Review" section, then look for an option like "View Tax Forms" or "Preview Tax Return." Find Form 8863 (Education Credits) in the forms list. On that form, you'll see the breakdown with line 8c showing specifically how much is refundable. In general, any good tax software should let you preview the actual IRS forms before filing. This is the best way to see exactly what's happening with your credits, rather than relying on the simplified summary screens which can be misleading.
Amina Diop
I got audited last year specifically for AOTC and learned the hard way what happens when software gets it wrong! Make sure you have documentation for ALL your qualified education expenses: 1) Your 1098-T from your school 2) Receipts for required textbooks and supplies (even if not purchased from the school bookstore) 3) Receipts for required course-specific fees not included on 1098-T 4) Proof you were enrolled at least half-time for at least one academic period The IRS specifically looks for people claiming the refundable portion of AOTC incorrectly. Double check that you're eligible - you must be pursuing a degree, cannot have completed 4 years of college already, and need to meet the income requirements.
Oliver Weber
•Did you end up owing money back after your audit? I'm worried because I claimed some textbooks but don't have all the receipts.
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Just FYI - I work in university administration (not at a COE) and what that bursar told you is complete nonsense. There's no special tax status for Colleges of Education that prevents students from claiming education tax benefits. My guess is the person you spoke with was confused about how the institution itself is funded or taxed, which has absolutely nothing to do with your personal tax situation as a student paying tuition. ALWAYS consult with a tax professional rather than university administrative staff about tax matters. We're not trained in personal tax law and shouldn't be giving that kind of advice to students.
Ethan Brown
•That's what I suspected! I was so confused because it directly contradicted what other teachers in my district told me about their education expenses. Is there any documentation I should specifically request from the university to help with claiming education credits?
You should definitely request Form 1098-T from your university, which shows your tuition payments and is required for claiming education credits. Also keep all receipts for required books, supplies, and equipment as these can sometimes be included in qualified education expenses depending on the credit you're claiming. Make sure the 1098-T shows your payments rather than just amounts billed. Some universities only report billed amounts by default, which can cause issues with your tax filing. You may need to specifically request a 1098-T that shows actual payments made during the tax year.
Amara Chukwu
Has anyone here successfully claimed both the LLC (Lifetime Learning Credit) AND deducted professional development expenses on Schedule C if you do some independent consulting work? I've been told different things by different tax preparers.
You can potentially do both but NOT for the same expenses. If you claim certain expenses for the LLC, you cannot also deduct those same expenses on Schedule C. It would be considered double-dipping. However, if you have enough education expenses, you could use some for the LLC (up to the $10k limit) and then deduct additional, separate expenses on Schedule C if they're directly related to your self-employment work.
Amara Chukwu
•Thanks for clarifying! That makes sense - I wasn't sure if it was an either/or situation or if I could split the expenses between the two. I'll make sure to track which expenses I'm applying to each category.
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Has anyone had issues with the state return portion of Cashapp Tax? I tried using it for my rentals that are in a different state from where I live and it seemed confused about how to handle the income allocation. Ended up switching to FreeTaxUSA and it handled the multi-state situation much better.
Yes!! Cashapp was a disaster for my multi-state situation. I have rentals in Colorado but live in Texas. It kept trying to make me file resident returns in both states and the support was clueless. FreeTaxUSA correctly set up non-resident return for the rental state.
I had exactly the same experience! The software seemed to get confused between resident and non-resident state filing requirements. It kept prompting me to enter information that wasn't relevant to my situation. FreeTaxUSA immediately recognized that I needed a non-resident return for the state where my rental was located. The questionnaire was much more straightforward and accurately allocated income to the appropriate states. Their state filing support is definitely superior for rental property owners with multi-state situations.
Does anyone know if either of these can handle depreciation recapture if you sell a rental? I might sell one of my properties next year and I know that's a tax nightmare with the different rates for regular gains vs depreciation recapture.
Oliver Cheng
•FreeTaxUSA handles it pretty well. I sold a rental last year after owning it for 9 years and it walked me through calculating the recaptured depreciation at the 25% rate separate from the long-term capital gains. Just make sure you have good records of all the depreciation you've taken over the years!
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GalacticGuru
Just to add some clarity - Form 2439 is related to regulated investment companies (mutual funds) or real estate investment trusts (REITs) that retain their long-term capital gains instead of distributing them to shareholders. The reason your cost basis increases is because you're being taxed on money you didn't actually receive. The basis adjustment prevents double taxation when you eventually sell your shares. Think of it this way: if you're taxed on $124.67 of gains but didn't get that money in your pocket, your investment effectively cost you that much more. That's why your basis goes up.
Amina Diallo
•Thank you for explaining this! So when I eventually sell these shares, I'll be using $913.49 as my cost basis instead of the original $815 I paid? Does this adjustment happen automatically in my brokerage account or do I have to keep track of it myself?
GalacticGuru
•You're exactly right - when you sell, you'll use the adjusted basis of $913.49 instead of $815. As for tracking, it depends on your broker. Some brokers automatically adjust your cost basis in their systems after receiving Form 2439 information, but many don't. I'd recommend checking your online brokerage account in about a month to see if they've updated it. If not, you'll need to maintain your own records. It's a good idea to keep a copy of the Form 2439 with your investment records so you have documentation for the basis adjustment if you're ever audited.
Quick question for anyone - do I need to file this Form 2439 with my tax return or just keep it for my records?
You don't attach Form 2439 to your tax return - you just use the information from it to complete your return. You should keep the form with your tax records for at least 3 years (the standard IRS audit timeframe), or ideally for as long as you own the investment since it affects your cost basis. Make sure you report the amount from Box 1 as capital gains on your return, claim the tax paid (Box 2) as a credit, and keep track of the basis adjustment for your own records. Most tax software has a specific section for entering Form 2439 information.
Libby Hassan
One thing nobody's mentioning - check if the W-2C affects your county or city taxes too! Some places have local income taxes that piggyback off state reporting.
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Hunter Hampton
•This!!! I had a W-2C a couple years ago and completely overlooked my city taxes. Ended up getting a notice 6 months later for underpayment and penalties ðŸ˜
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KingKongZilla
•Thanks for bringing this up! Fortunately Arizona doesn't have county income taxes, just state-level. So I think I'm ok on that front but it's definitely something important for others to consider.
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Sofia Peña
I'm an accountant and deal with these all the time. The most important question: did you file state returns based on the incorrect W2? If yes, then yes you need to amend. If no, then just file the correct state returns now. And keep copies of EVERYTHING for at least 7 years!
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