Tax Credits Flashcards
Types of Tax Credits
What are they? (2)
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1) Personal Tax Credits
- -reduce tax, but no refund
2) Refundable Credits
- -reduce tax, and can create refund
Personal Tax Credits
What are they? (7)
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–reduce tax, but no refund
“CAGE REF” mnemonic
Personal Tax Credits
What are they?
“CAGE REF” mnemonic
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–reduce tax, but no refund
C– Child and Dependent Care credit
A– Adoption Credit
G– General Business credit
E– Education credit (lifetime learning)
R– Retirement Savings Contribution credit
E– Elderly and Permanently Disabled credit
F– Foreign Tax credit
Refundable Credits
What are they? (5)
R2-33
–reduce tax, and can create a refund
“WE ACE” mnemonic
Refundable Credits
What are they?
“WE ACE” mnemonic
R2-33
–reduce tax, and can create a refund
W– Withholding Taxes (W-2)
E– Excess Social Security paid
A– American Opportunity credit
C– Child Tax credit
E– Earned Income credit
Personal Credit
Child and Dependent Care credit
(“C” in CAGE REF mnemonic)
Who is eligible?
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1) Both parents working
2) Pay someone to care for:
- -qualifying child (under 13)
- -disabled dependent
- -disabled spouse
Personal Credit
Child and Dependent Care credit
(“C” in CAGE REF mnemonic)
What expenses qualify?
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Exp to allow taxpayer to work
- -baby sitter
- -nursery school
- -day care
- -Not grammar school
Personal Credit
Child and Dependent Care credit
(“C” in CAGE REF mnemonic)
What amount?
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20% to 35% of eligible expenses
1 dependent: $3,000
2+ dependents: $+6,000
Personal Credit
Child and Dependent Care credit
(“C” in CAGE REF mnemonic)
What amount?
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Max (AGI under $15k)
–35%
Phase-Out (AGI over $15k)
- -20% to 35%
- -credit decreases by 1% for each $2k exceeding AGI $15k but not below 20%
Min (AGI over $43k)
–20%
Personal Credit
Elderly and Permanently Disabled credit
(“E” in CAGE REF mnemonic)
Who is eligible?
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credit of 15% of eligible income is available to individuals
- -age 65+
- -under 65 and retired bc permanently disabled
Personal Credit
Elderly and Permanently Disabled credit
(“E” in CAGE REF mnemonic)
Calculation
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Base Amount for # of qualifiers:
1 person: $5,000
2 people: $7,500
Reduce by:
- -SS payments, pensions, annuities
- -50% of AGI exceeding:
- 1 qualifier: $7,500
- 2 qualifiers: $10,000
Multiply by 15%
Personal Credit
Education Tax Incentive
Lifetime Learning Credit
(“E” in CAGE REF mnemonic)
How much
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- -($2,000) 20% of exp. up to $10,000
- -use for unlimited number of years
- -only one credit per family
Phase-Out:
–modified AGI over $55k
Full Phase-Out:
–modified AGI = $65k
Personal Credit
Education Tax Incentive
Lifetime Learning Credit
(“E” in CAGE REF mnemonic)
What exp. qualifies?
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- -undergrad courses
- -grad-level courses
- -prof. degree courses
- -courses to acquire/improve job skills
Education Tax Incentive
Can more than one education credit be claimed?
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Using both American Opportunity credit and Lifetime Learning Credit = OK.
Education Tax Incentive
Coverdell Education Savings Account Distributions
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- -can take education credits and also exclude from Gross Income amounts distributed from Coverdell
- -distribution cannot be used for same ed. exp. for which the credits were claimed