ChildrenandFamilyFinances PayingforCollege RevisedbyCeliaRayHayhoe,Ph.D.,CFP,FamilyResourceManagementSpecialist,VirginiaTech Withcollegecoatsrisingeachyear,payingforcollegecanseemlikea theotherwaystocovercollegecosts. ScholarshipsandGrants dauntingtask.inadditiontousingexemptincomefromwithdrawalsfor CoverdellESAsandQualifiedStateTuitionProgram(QSTP),alsoknownas529 plans,regularirasandcashedsavingbonds,thisfactsheetcoverssomeof Theadvantageofusingscholarshipsandgrantstopayforcollegeisthattherearenoupfrontcostsandthe moneydoesnothavetobepaidback.themoneyisnottaxableifusedforquailededucationexpenses.the mainplacetoapplyisusingthefreeapplicationforfederalstudentaid(fafsa)athttp://www.fafsa.ed.gov/. Manyuniversitiesandcollegesalsorequirethefamilytofillouttheirownstudentaidforminadditiontothe FAFSA.Theywillusetheinformationtoprovidethestudentwithafinancialaidawardthatmayconsistof FederalGrants,Schoolrelatedgrantsandscholarships,workstudyjob,andsubsidizedandnonsubsidizedloans basedonacademicsandfinancialneed. Scholarshipsarealsoavailableforathletesandsometimesfortheperformingarts.Departmentsmayalsohave scholarshipsthatareavailablefortheirmajors.organizations,onandoffcampus,offerscholarshipsbasedon affiliation,ethnicity,interests,leadership,communityservice,religionandmanyothercriteria.checkwiththe highschoolguidancecounselorandcollegeoruniversitytoseewheretoget moreinformation. BusinessandVeteran stuitionassistance Somebusinessoffertuitionassistancefortheiremployees.Thisusuallyrequirestheemployeestopaythe tuitionwhichisthenreimbursedwhenthecoursehasbeencompletedsatisfactory. TheDepartmentofVeteranAffairsoffersassistancetomembersofthearmedforces.TheoldGIBill (MontgomeryGIBill)requiredveteranstopayintoaprogram.Whenaveteranattendedaschoolorjobtraining program,he/shecouldaccessthemontgomerygibillsavingsandreceiveamonthlydepositbasedonhow 2009 Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University 2912-7045 Virginia Cooperative Extension programs and employment are open to all, regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, or marital or family status. An equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia State University, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating. Rick D. Rudd, Interim Director, Virginia Cooperative Extension, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg; Wondi Mersie, Interim Administrator, 1890 Extension Program, Virginia State, Petersburg.
manycreditsarebeingtaken.thismoneycanbeusedtopayfortuitioncosts,books,groceries,rent,etc. However,withrecenttuitionhikes,thismoneymaynotevencovertuition. Thecurrentprogram(Post 9/11GIBill)doesnotrequirethevettopayintotheprogram.Itissimplyabenefit formilitaryservice.thosewhoservethreeyearsormorereceive100%ofthebenefitsover36monthswhile thosewhoservelessandaredischargedhonorablyreceivealowerpercentage.thisprogrampaysuptothe highestin statetuitionofthemostexpensivestateschool.so,ifastudentdecidestoattendaprivateuniversity, thentheveteranwouldberequiredtomakeupthedifference.inadditiontopayingtuitioncosts,veteranswill receivea$1,000annualstipendforbooksaswellastheequivalenthousingallowancethatsergeants(e 5) wouldreceivewhilelivinginthezipcodewheretheschoolislocated. TaxDeductionsandCreditsforEducationExpenses Thefollowingtaxdeductionsandcreditsbelowwillhelpyoupayforcollege.Seethefactsheetentitled, ChildrenandFamilyFinances SavingforCollege,formoreinformationonsavingforcollege. Remember,youcannotdoubledip.Thesamequalifyingexpensecannotbeexcludedfromincomeandusedto meetthetestforataxdeductionorcredit.mosttaxsoftwarepackages (includingthefreee filesoftwareontheirswebsite)willassistyouin decidingifitwouldbemoreadvantageousforyoutousethedeductionor oneoftheeducationcreditscoveredbelow. TaxDeductions In2009,upto$4,000canbetakenasanadjustmenttoincomeonFederalTaxform1040Aor1040.Sincethisis anadjustmenttogrossincome,youcantakeitevenifyoudonotitemizeyourdeductions.youcanclaimthe expensesforyourself,yourspouse,andanydependentyoucanclaimonyourtaxreturn.themainqualified expenseistuition.relatedfeescanonlybeincludedifthey mustbepaidtotheinstitutionasaconditionof enrolment. HopeCredit Upto$1,800infederaltaxcreditsmaybetakenforeacheligiblefirstandsecondyear,post secondarystudent. Thestudentmustbepursuinganundergraduatedegreeorotherrecognizededucationcredentialandbe enrolled atleasthalf timeforoneacademicperiodduringtheyear.thestudentmaynothaveanyfelonyor drugconvictions.thecreditcannotbeclaimedifyourfilingstatusismarriedfilingseparately.youcannotbe 2
claimedasadependentonanotherperson staxreturn.therearealsoincomerestrictions.youcannotusethis creditifyouclaimthelifetimelearningcreditoratuitionandfeesdeductionforthesamestudent. WhataretheQualifiedHigherEducationExpenses? Tuitionandfeesrequiredtoenrollinorattendanycollege,university,vocationalschool,orother postsecondaryeducationalinstitutioneligibletoparticipateinastudentaidprogramadministeredby thedepartmentofeducation(qualifiedexpensesdonotincludeexpensesforroomandboardorfor coursesinvolvingsports,games,orhobbiesthatarenotpartofadegreeprogram.) Expensesmustbereducedbytheamountofanyofthefollowingbenefitsreceivedbythestudent. Tax freescholarships Tax freewithdrawalsfromacoverdellesa Anynontaxablepayments(otherthangifts,bequests,orinheritances)received foreducationexpensesorforattendinganeligibleeducationalinstitution,such as: Veterans educationalassistancebenefits Benefitsunderaqualifiedstatetuitionprogram Tax free,employer providededucationalassistance AnyexpensesusedinfiguringtheHopeScholarshipCreditandLifetime LearningCredit EligibleEducationalInstitution Eligibleeducationalinstitutionsincludeanycollege,university,vocationalschool,orotherpostsecondary educationalinstitutionthatisdescribedinsection481ofthehighereducationactof1965(20u.s.c. 1088)and,therefore,eligibletoparticipateinthestudentaidprogramsadministeredbytheDepartment ofeducation.thiscategoryincludesvirtuallyallaccreditedpublic,nonprofit,andproprietary postsecondaryinstitutions. LifetimeLearningCredit OnceyoucannotclaimtheHopeCredityoumaybeabletoclaimtheLifetimeLearningCredit.Youcannotclaim bothcreditsforthesamestudent.iftheexpensesaremorethan$9,000peryear,youareusuallybetteroff takingthelifetimecredit.youcannotclaimataxdeductionandalifetimecreditforthesameexpensesorany expensesthatwerepaidwithincomethatisreceivedtax free.thiscreditallowsyouacreditofupto$2,000. Thestudentdoesnotneedtobepursuingadegreeorothercredential.Itisavailableaslongasthestudent takesoneormoreclassesandthefelonydrugconvictionruledoesnotapply.thelifetimelearningcreditis 3
basedonqualifiededucationexpensesforyourself,yourspouse,oradependentthatyouclaimonyourtax return.ifthestudentcannotbeclaimedasdependent(forexample,theyareover24)thentheyareconsidered tohavepaidtheexpensesandmaytakethecredit.qualifiedexpensesandeducationalinstitutionsaresimilarto thehopecredit StudentLoans Becauseyoumustrepayyourstudentloans,theyarenotconsideredincome.Expensespaidwithstudentloan fundsarenotconsideredpaidwithtax freemoneywhenfiguringthetuitions deductionsoreducationalcreditsdescribedearlierinthisfactsheet.thefollowing sectionisabriefexplainofthedeductionofstudentloaninterestpaymentsformore detailedinformationseeirspublication970,chapter4. InterestDeduction Youcandeductquailedstudentloaninterestonloansforyourself,yourspouse,orastudentwhowasa dependentwhentheloanwastakenout.seechapter4ofirspublication970toseewhoqualifiesasyour dependent.toqualifystudentloanmusthavebeenusedfortuition,fees,roomandboard,books,supplies,and equipment,orothernecessaryexpensessuchastransportation.roomandboardcannotbemorethanthe allowanceforroomandboarddeterminedbytheinstitutionortheactualamountofstudenthousing.in additiontothesimpleinterestontheloanyoucandeducttheloanoriginationfeeandcapitalizedinterest (interestthatisaddtotheoutstandingprincipal)interestonrevolvinglinesofcreditifthelineofcredit(credit card)isusedsolelyforqualifiededucationexpenses,interestofvoluntaryinterestpayments,andinterestedon consolidatedorcollapsedstudentloans.youcanclaimthedeductionifyourfilingstatusisanystatusother thanmarriedfilingseparatelyandnoeoneelseisclaimingthededuction. Youcandeductthesmallerof$2,500ortheactualamountofinterestpaid.Theamountyoucandeductis furtherlimitedbyyourincome.youshouldreceiveaform1098 Ewiththeamountofinterestthatqualifies fromyourlender.seechapter4ofirspublication970foraworksheettohelpyoufiguretheamountofinterest youcanclaim. ThisoneisofasetoffactsheetsentitledChildrenandFamilyFinances.Youmayalsowanttoseetheseries PlanningforBaby. ThisfactsheetwasrevisedfromPlanningforBaby FamilyFinancesbyHayhoe,C.,Jamison,S.Dillard,A.F.,andChase,M. Reviewers:CristinSprenger,ExtensionAgent,FamilyandConsumerSciences,AugustaCounty 4
KimberlyCardwell,ExtensionAgent,FamilyandConsumerSciences,SpotsylvaniaCounty ShereeJones,GraduateStudentinApparel,Housing.&ResourceManagement,VirginiaTech 5