Can I write off vocational CDL training on my taxes as an educational expense?

What if my employer paid for half the training but I had to sign an agreement to work for them for a year? Do I report the employer portion as income? Also does the Lifetime Learning Credit have income limits?

If your employer paid for half the training with a one-year work commitment, that portion is generally not taxable to you as income - it's considered a working condition fringe benefit since it's job-related education required by your employer. The Lifetime Learning Credit does have income limits. For 2024 taxes (filed in 2025), the credit begins to phase out for single filers with modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) above $80,000 and is completely eliminated at $90,000. For married filing jointly, the phase-out range is $160,000-$180,000. If your income is below these thresholds, you could claim the credit for the portion you paid out of pocket.

Does it work for other occupational licenses too? I paid for real estate courses last year and wasn't sure if I could deduct those either.

Seems sus that it could tell you exactly what to do. Wouldn't you need a real tax pro to review your specific situation? Did you just upload all your financial docs to some random AI?

Yes, it works for all types of occupational training and education expenses. The system has specific guidance for real estate licensing courses too. It'll analyze your situation and let you know which tax benefits apply to your specific coursework. I had the same concerns initially about privacy. The tool uses the same encryption standards as banking websites, and you can choose exactly which documents to upload. It's not "random AI" - it's specifically designed for tax analysis. I didn't need to upload all my financial docs, just the training receipts and answered some questions about my employment situation. The recommendations were based on established tax laws for vocational training, and I verified everything with the IRS publications it referenced.

How does this actually work? Does it just call the IRS for you or something? I've been trying to get through for weeks about education credits.

Sounds like a scam. Why would I pay someone else to call the IRS when I could just keep trying myself? The IRS is free to call, this service is just taking advantage of people's frustration.

It uses a priority connection service that navigates the IRS phone system and waits on hold for you. When an agent is about to pick up, it calls you and connects you directly to them. I just put my number in and went about my day until they called me when an agent was ready. This isn't about paying someone to call the IRS for you - it's about not wasting hours of your life on hold. I tried calling myself multiple times and kept getting disconnected after 30-45 minutes. The IRS itself estimates average hold times of 90+ minutes during tax season. With Claimyr, I got through in under 15 minutes. For me, that time savings was absolutely worth it when I needed answers about my education credits before filing deadline.

How do you find out if your state has something like this? I'm in Pennsylvania and did emergency medical training that was required for my job.

The best way to find out is to google "[your state] workforce development tax credit" or "[your state] job training tax credit." Pennsylvania does have some workforce development credits, but they're mostly for employers rather than employees. For your specific situation with emergency medical training, PA has a special tax credit for volunteer firefighters and EMS personnel, so if your training was for that type of role, you might qualify. Otherwise, check with your employer - they might be eligible for state tax benefits for paying for your training, which could lead to reimbursement opportunities for you.

Your tax preparer likely didn't take a deduction but instead claimed a tax CREDIT for your college classes - either the American Opportunity Credit (for undergraduate degree programs) or the Lifetime Learning Credit. Prior to 2018, you could deduct certain education expenses, but that deduction was suspended by the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act through 2025. Now, credits are the primary tax benefit for education expenses. The difference is important: deductions reduce your taxable income, while credits directly reduce your tax bill dollar-for-dollar. CDL training and college classes are both potentially eligible for the Lifetime Learning Credit, but neither can be taken as a straight deduction unless you're self-employed and the education expense is a business expense.

Thanks for this breakdown! I'm actually in a similar boat - just finished my CDL training last month and paid about $4,800 out of pocket. Quick question though: do you know if there are any restrictions on what type of CDL training qualifies for the Lifetime Learning Credit? My program included both classroom instruction and behind-the-wheel training, but I'm wondering if the IRS has specific requirements about the school being accredited or anything like that? Also, since you mentioned keeping receipts - did you just keep the tuition receipt or did you also document things like books, testing fees, and other materials? Want to make sure I'm not missing out on any qualifying expenses when I file.

Great questions! For the Lifetime Learning Credit, your CDL training should qualify as long as the school was an eligible educational institution - which generally means they're accredited and authorized to participate in federal student aid programs. Since ELDT requires FMCSA-registered providers, most legitimate CDL schools meet these requirements, but you can verify on the Federal School Code Search tool on the Department of Education website. Regarding expenses, you can include more than just tuition! Qualifying expenses include tuition, required fees, books, supplies, and equipment needed for the course. So yes, keep receipts for your textbooks, testing fees (like permit and skills test fees), any required safety equipment, and even things like logbooks if they were required purchases. Just make sure these were required by the school, not optional. One tip: if you paid for your permit testing separately through the DMV, those fees typically don't qualify since they're licensing fees rather than educational expenses. But everything you paid directly to the training school or for required course materials should count toward that $10,000 limit for the credit calculation.