Education Tax Credits

The Tax Payer Relief Act of 1997 made available two tax credits, the Hope Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit, for people who pay for higher education costs. The Hope Credit is for the payment of the first two years of tuition and related expenses for an eligible student for whom the taxpayer claims an exemption. The Lifetime Learning Credit is available for all post-secondary education for an unlimited number of years.

• For more information on these government programs, see IRS Publication 970: Tax Benefits for Education.
• For details on eligibility for tax credits and how to claim them, see Overview: Education Tax Credits, in the Student section of this web site.