Can you receive the Lifetime Learning Credit while taking the standard deduction?

So I've been trying to figure out my taxes and I'm feeling pretty lost. I've always just taken the standard deduction because it seemed simpler, but this year I'm taking some night classes at the community college to upgrade my skills. I'm wondering if I can still get the Lifetime Learning Credit for my tuition expenses (about $3,200 so far) even though I'm planning to take the standard deduction? Someone at work mentioned I might be able to get both, but then my brother-in-law said I had to itemize to get any credits. I'm confused now. Does anyone know if these two things can work together or if I have to choose between them? I really don't want to miss out on a tax break for my education expenses, but I also don't think I have enough other deductions to make itemizing worth it.

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18 comments

Ava Martinez

•8M

Yes, you absolutely can claim the Lifetime Learning Credit while taking the standard deduction! This is a common misconception that people have. The Lifetime Learning Credit is what's known as an "above-the-line" credit, which means it's completely separate from your decision to take the standard deduction or itemize. Many tax credits work this way. The deduction choice (standard vs. itemized) affects how your taxable income is calculated, while credits like the Lifetime Learning Credit reduce your actual tax liability after your taxable income has been determined. Just make sure you qualify for the credit - there are income limits, and you'll need to file Form 8863 with your tax return. For 2025, the credit is worth up to 20% of the first $10,000 in qualified education expenses, so potentially up to $2,000 depending on your situation.

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Ava Martinez

•8M

For 2025, the Lifetime Learning Credit begins to phase out for single filers with modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) above $80,000 and completely phases out at $90,000. For married filing jointly, the phase-out range is $160,000 to $180,000. At $67k for a single filer, you'd be below the phase-out threshold, so you should be eligible for the full credit amount you qualify for based on your education expenses. Just keep all your tuition statements and receipts for qualified expenses to support your claim.

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Zainab Abdulrahman

•8M

I was in exactly your situation last year! I was taking courses to switch to a new career and was totally confused about education credits. I spent hours going through IRS publications trying to figure out if I could take both the standard deduction AND education credits, and it was driving me crazy. I ended up trying https://taxr.ai because someone recommended it, and it was actually super helpful. You just upload your tax documents or take pictures of them (I had a 1098-T from my school), and it explains everything in plain English. It confirmed that I could definitely take the Lifetime Learning Credit with the standard deduction and explained exactly how to claim it. Saved me from making a mistake on my return because I was actually about to skip claiming the credit altogether!

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Zainab Abdulrahman

•8M

It definitely works with 1098-T forms from schools - that's exactly what I uploaded. It showed me which expenses on my form qualified for the credit and which didn't. For example, it pointed out that while my tuition counted, some fees for campus parking and health services didn't. This is different from tax filing software because it's specifically focused on analyzing documents and explaining them, not filing your return. It's more like having a tax expert look at your forms and explain what they mean. I still used my regular tax software to file, but I knew exactly what to enter because of the document analysis.

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Connor Byrne

•8M

Just wanted to follow up - I tried that taxr.ai site someone mentioned above for my education credit questions. It actually helped a TON with my 1098-T form! I was confused because my form showed amounts for "payments received" and "amounts billed" that were different. The tool explained that I needed to use the amount actually paid in 2025 (not necessarily what was billed), and it highlighted which box on my form showed that. It also told me which expenses weren't eligible (like the optional health insurance fee my university charges). Really cleared things up and definitely confirmed I can take the standard deduction AND claim the Lifetime Learning Credit! Already filled out my Form 8863.

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QuantumQuasar

•8M

If you're having trouble with anything related to the Lifetime Learning Credit, trying to call the IRS directly can be a nightmare. I spent literally 3 hours on hold last year trying to get clarification about my education credits. I ended up using https://claimyr.com and it actually got me through to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent confirmed that the Lifetime Learning Credit is completely separate from the standard deduction vs. itemizing decision. They also helped me understand which of my expenses qualified since I was taking a mix of degree-required courses and some certificate courses.

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QuantumQuasar

•8M

They use an automated system that waits on hold for you. Basically, they call the IRS and navigate through all the initial prompts, then wait in the queue. When they finally get a human on the line, you get a call back and are connected with the IRS agent. So you don't have to sit there listening to hold music for hours. No, it's not BS - it's just technology handling the waiting part for you. There's no "skipping the line" - you're still in the same queue as everyone else, but their system is waiting instead of you personally sitting there. It saved me hours of time and frustration, and the information I got from the IRS agent about my education credits was super helpful.

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Yara Elias

•8M

Ok I need to eat my words about Claimyr. I was extremely skeptical about this whole "get through to the IRS faster" thing, but I had a question about my education credits that I couldn't find a clear answer to online. I tried it yesterday and it actually worked! I still had to wait, but their system held my place in line and called me when an agent was available. Took about 35 minutes total instead of the 2+ hours I spent last time I tried calling the IRS myself. The agent confirmed that yes, you can absolutely take the standard deduction AND claim the Lifetime Learning Credit. Also learned that if you're eligible for both the Lifetime Learning Credit and the American Opportunity Credit, you should compare them because you can only take one type of education credit per student per year.

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Paolo Moretti

•8M

Just a tip from someone who's been claiming education credits for years - make sure you keep all your receipts for qualified education expenses! Not just tuition, but also required books and supplies. The Lifetime Learning Credit can be claimed for an unlimited number of years (unlike the American Opportunity Credit which is only for 4 years), so it's great for graduate school or professional development courses. And yes, it works with the standard deduction! They're completely separate parts of your tax return.

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Paolo Moretti

•8M

Student loan interest deduction and the Lifetime Learning Credit are separate tax benefits and yes, you can claim both in the same year if you qualify for both! The student loan interest deduction allows you to deduct up to $2,500 in interest paid on qualified student loans, and it's also an "above-the-line" deduction that you can take regardless of whether you itemize or take the standard deduction. So potentially, you could take the standard deduction, deduct student loan interest, AND claim the Lifetime Learning Credit all on the same return.

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