College Tuition Deduction Revived - Available for 2018-2020 Tax Years

Just found out that the deduction for college tuition costs was actually brought back to life for tax years 2018 through 2020! I was going through some old paperwork and realized I might have missed claiming this on my taxes. From what I understand, you can deduct up to $4,000 from your gross income for eligible education expenses you paid in tax year 2019. This includes tuition, fees, books, supplies, and other required school materials. But personal stuff like transportation and housing don't count for this deduction. Apparently this tuition and fees deduction had expired after 2017 and wasn't available for 2018 tax returns initially, but then some new legislation extended it through tax year 2020. I think there are income limits too - you need to have earned less than $85,000 (or $170,000 if filing jointly) in 2019. If you made between $85,000 and $105,000 (or up to $210,000 filing jointly), you might still qualify for a $2,500 deduction. One important note: you can't claim both this tuition and fees deduction AND an education tax credit in the same year for the same student. Has anyone claimed this? Can I still go back and amend my returns for those years?

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18 comments

NightOwl42

•8M

You're absolutely right about the tuition and fees deduction being resurrected! It was a bit of a surprise when Congress retroactively extended it. The good news is that yes, you can still amend your returns to claim this deduction if you qualify. The deadline for amending a tax return is generally within three years from the date you filed your original return. So for 2019 taxes (filed in 2020), you should still be within that window. Remember to weigh whether this deduction or an education tax credit (like the American Opportunity Credit or Lifetime Learning Credit) would be more beneficial. Usually, the credits provide more tax savings than the deduction, so calculate both ways before amending. To amend, you'll need to file Form 1040-X along with a revised Schedule 1 where the tuition deduction is claimed. Make sure you have all your documentation for qualified expenses readily available.

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NightOwl42

•8M

That's correct - if you already claimed the American Opportunity Credit for your son, you can't claim the tuition and fees deduction for the same student in the same tax year. You'd need to decide which is more beneficial before choosing one. For the amendment, you'll need Form 1040-X and a revised Schedule 1 (where the tuition deduction is claimed on line 21). You should also include Form 8917 (Tuition and Fees Deduction) to show how you calculated the deduction amount. Keep all your supporting documentation (tuition statements, receipts for books and required supplies) in case of questions, though you don't submit these with your amendment.

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Dmitry Ivanov

•8M

After struggling with this exact issue, I found an amazing tool that helped me figure out whether to claim the tuition deduction or education credits. I used https://taxr.ai to analyze my education expenses and tax situation, and it was a game-changer. You just upload your tax docs and education receipts, and it tells you exactly which option maximizes your refund. The tool showed me that for my situation, amending my 2019 return to claim the tuition deduction instead of the Lifetime Learning Credit would get me an additional $720 back! It also prepared the amendment forms for me, which saved tons of time.

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Dmitry Ivanov

•8M

The tool handles all the calculations automatically. It compares what you originally filed with what you'd get using the tuition deduction, showing the exact difference in your tax liability. It then generates the filled-out 1040-X and other necessary forms so you just need to sign and mail them in. For complicated situations with scholarships, that's actually where it really shines. It knows exactly how to allocate scholarship money between qualified and non-qualified expenses to maximize your tax benefit. It follows all IRS rules about how scholarships affect both education credits and the tuition deduction, so you don't have to become an expert yourself.

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Miguel Herrera

•8M

Update: I tried https://taxr.ai after posting my skeptical question, and I have to admit I was really impressed. My situation with partial scholarships was actually handled perfectly. The system showed me that for 2019, I should have claimed the tuition deduction instead of the Lifetime Learning Credit I originally took. The difference was about $540 in additional refund! The tool created all my amendment paperwork and even gave me a detailed explanation of why the deduction was better in my case (had to do with how my scholarship affected the qualified expenses calculation). Just mailed in my amendment last week and now waiting for the refund. If you're trying to figure out whether to amend for this resurrected deduction, it's definitely worth checking out.

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Zainab Ali

•8M

I spent HOURS trying to get through to the IRS to ask questions about amending for this tuition deduction. After being on hold for 2+ hours and getting disconnected twice, I was ready to give up. Then I found https://claimyr.com which got me connected to an IRS agent in under 20 minutes! You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent confirmed that I could still amend my 2019 return to claim this deduction and walked me through the exact forms needed. Saved me so much frustration compared to the endless hold music and "your call is important to us" messages.

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Zainab Ali

•8M

It uses a legitimate callback technology that navigates the IRS phone system for you. Basically, their system stays on hold so you don't have to, then calls you when it reaches an actual human agent. It's not bypassing anything - just automating the wait time. It's definitely real - I was skeptical too until I tried it. The IRS has a system where you can request a callback instead of waiting on hold, but the problem is getting to that option in the first place. This service handles that part. The agent I spoke with was definitely a real IRS employee who answered all my questions about amending for the tuition deduction.

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Yara Nassar

•8M

Holy crap, I need to eat my words. I tried the Claimyr service after posting that skeptical comment, and IT ACTUALLY WORKED. Got a call back in about 35 minutes with a real IRS agent on the line. The agent confirmed I can still amend my 2018 and 2019 returns for the tuition deduction. She explained exactly which forms to file and advised me to write "TUITION AND FEES DEDUCTION" in red at the top of my 1040-X to help it get processed faster given all their backlogs. Worth every penny just to avoid the hold music torture and wasted hours!

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StarGazer101

•8M

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - make sure you're comparing the RIGHT numbers when deciding between the tuition deduction and education credits. The tuition deduction reduces your taxable income, so its value depends on your tax bracket. If you're in the 22% bracket, a $4,000 deduction saves you about $880. The American Opportunity Credit can be worth up to $2,500 and is partially refundable. The Lifetime Learning Credit can be worth up to $2,000. In most cases, the AOTC is the best choice if you qualify, followed by LLC, with the tuition deduction usually being the last choice. But everyone's situation is different!

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StarGazer101

•8M

Sure! The calculation depends on your tax situation and what education expenses you had. For a master's degree, you wouldn't qualify for the American Opportunity Credit (it's only for undergrad), so you're choosing between the Lifetime Learning Credit and the tuition deduction. With $12,000 in qualified expenses, you could claim a Lifetime Learning Credit of 20% of that amount, up to the maximum of $2,000. So your LLC would likely be the full $2,000. For the tuition deduction, you could deduct up to $4,000, but the tax savings depend on your tax bracket. If you're in the 22% bracket, that's a savings of $880. In the 24% bracket, it's $960. So in your specific case with graduate school expenses, the Lifetime Learning Credit would likely be more beneficial than the tuition deduction.

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