Tax Credit Eligibility

The federal government allows you to claim tax credits for certain educational expenses through programs known as the Lifetime Learning tax credit and the American Opportunity tax credit.

After the end of each tax year, Cascadia sends IRS form 1098-T to students who may qualify for federal tax credits.  The form lists out-of-pocket tuition and related expenses.

It is the responsibility of the student or other taxpayer to determine actual eligibility for tax credits.  As a college, we cannot provide you with tax advice.  You may wish to find out if you might be eligible by reading information on these websites:

• IRS Frequently Asked Questions for Child Care Credit/other Credits
• IRS Frequently Asked Tax Questions and Answers
• IRS Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education (2010)  

You may also wish to consult the IRS or a tax accountant for help.  Your own check receipts, credit card statements, or copies of receipts showing tuition and fees paid at the time you registered may support your claim.

Verifying the Amount of Your Qualifying Expenses

You can view your IRS form 1098-T statement  [student ID and PIN required] online starting at the end of January each year.

However, the form that is printed and mailed to you may not reflect up-to-date information on student loans or other data.

Therefore, we strongly encourage you to double-check the dollar amount on the 1098-T form.  You can calculate the amount that you paid for tuition by using the student schedule   to generate your class schedules for the previous year.