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Facing exorbitant higher education costs? Your Uncle Sam might be able to help

September 19, 2012


Group of graduatesEvery parent with a kid in or about to enroll in college knows that the cost of higher education keeps going, well, higher.

That's why so many take advantage of help from Uncle Sam.

Yep, the Internal Revenue Code is chock full of education tax breaks, which are collected in today's Weekly Tax Tip.

You've got your 529 plans and Coverdell savings accounts and a couple of tax credits (American Opportunity and Lifetime Learning) and some deductions (for tuition and fees and student loan interest) that you don't have to itemize to claim.

Of course there are eligibility requirements and rules on how you can and can't combine the various tax breaks.

But it's definitely worth doing your educational tax benefits homework to see if you can get some help in paying those ever increasing school costs.

You also might find these items of interest:

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The More Tax Posts tab at the top of this page will take you to, well, more tax posts. You also can search below for a tax topic. 

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TAX-SAVVY WAYS 
TO WRAP UP 2026

It’s over! With October’s extended filing deadline behind us, it is now time to focus on year-end moves to reduce your 2026 tax bill. 

You’ll find ways to do just that on the Tax Tips page (see the More Tax Posts drop-down menu at the top of the blog), as well as the separate tax tip pages for each month, notably October through December. If you’re on the Tax Tips page, you’ll find a monthly list at the end of this column. If you’re on another blog page, you can head straight to the October tips; at the bottom of that tips page you’ll find links to all the other 11 months’ collections of tax advice.

Not to spoil what you’ll find in that tax advice, but it does cover such things as tax deductions for charitable donations, investment moves that could reduce tax due, and ways to max out your tax-favored retirement savings. 

Finally, as the year winds down, things get hectic. There are lots of other things to occupy our time, like the much more fun upcoming holidays. But don’t lose sight of taxes, since timing is key. To be of use, most tax moves must be made by the end of the tax year. That’s Thursday, Dec. 31, which also is the last business day of the year. 

So that you don’t miss that final tax year deadline, also keep an eye on the countdown clock below. It will keep you on top of just how much time is left to make important, tax-saving moves. (Note: I’m in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.)

Comments
  • It’s hard to be confident that government will help and college eduation will become more affordable so there will be more ways to avoid taking out student loans. That’s why I am sure that it’s necessary to rely on yourself and 529 plan only. I believe that it’s possible to save for college, if you decide where you want to attend, how much money you need for that and will use all the ways available to save then possible you will have a chance to avoid a student loan debt.
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