Managing Money Related To Schooling Costs For Tax Breaks

Word Count:
378

Summary:
Student loans are eligible for interest deductions on taxes.  For example, the student loan interest deduction will allow you to take up to $2,500 as a deduction on any interest you paid on a student loan debt.  Of course, the deduction is only good if you are actually using the loan to pay for a qualified program of higher education for yourself, your spouse, or your children – basically, anyone who can be listed as a dependent on your tax forms.  To more easily identify the...


Keywords:
consolidate debt, managing money, finance


Article Body:
Student loans are eligible for interest deductions on taxes.  For example, the student loan interest deduction will allow you to take up to $2,500 as a deduction on any interest you paid on a student loan debt.  Of course, the deduction is only good if you are actually using the loan to pay for a qualified program of higher education for yourself, your spouse, or your children – basically, anyone who can be listed as a dependent on your tax forms.  To more easily identify the interest payments, consolidate debt related to student loans. 

The tax deduction can be claimed if the money was used for college or vocational school related expenses including tuition, fees, books, equipment, room and board, transportation, and supplies. It cannot be claimed if someone else can claim the exemption, you are married filing separately, the loan was made by a relative, or in other limited instances.  

Like any tax deduction that is based upon federal student loan monies,  any costs you incur have to be reduced non-taxable distributions, other forms of assistance, and other non-taxable payments that were received for educational expenses.  Because the world of finance can be confusing to the non-professional, if you have any doubt about whether or not your interest is deductible, you should check with the tax agency and/or a personal financial advisor.  He can help you identify ways of managing money expenditures and tracking student related payments.  It is hard to keep up with student loan and tax requirements, so you are better asking the professionals to help you on top of the ever changing rules.  For example, in 2002 there was a change to the student loan program that discontinued the “first 60 months” requirement on interest paid, and made deductions for voluntary interest payments permissible as well as the required payments that were deductible from previous years.  Tax forms were altered to allow the deductions to be taken from either Form 1040 or 1040.

Tax deductions related to school tuition benefits are a great benefit to families who want to help their children obtain higher education but simply cannot find sufficient funding.  The costs associated with higher education are a big burden to anyone who incurs them, a tax break of this sort can offer a little bit of relief.