Question

Lionel is an unmarried law student at State University Law School, a qualified educational institution. This year Lionel borrowed $24,000 from County Bank and paid interest of $1,440. Lionel used the loan proceeds to pay his law school tuition. Calculate the amounts Lionel can deduct for higher education expenses and interest on higher-education loans under the following circumstances: (Leave no answer blank. Enter zero if applicable.) b. Lionel's AGI before deducting interest on higher-education loans is $79,000.

Answer 1

Since 2019, the deduction limit for interest expense deductions on qualified higher education loans is $2,500. In order to qualify for this deduction, the taxpayer's adjusted AGI must be less than $85,000 for single filers (Lionel's income is below the threshold).

So Lionel will be able to deduct $1,440 as interest expense (above the line deduction).

Lionel can also deduct $2,500 form the American Opportunity Tax Credit for higher education expenses.