Illinois Department of Revenue January 2020 Publication 132 Education Expense Credit General Rules and Requirements for Parents and Guardians The information in this publication About this publication is current as of the date of the publication. Please visit our website at Publication 132, Education Expense Credit General Rules and Requirements for tax.illinois.gov to verify you have the Parents and Guardians, provides parents and guardians the requirements for qualified most current revision. education expenses. This publication is written in the plain The objectives of Publication 132 are to English style so the tax information is easier to understand. As a result, we identify who is eligible to take an education expense credit. do not directly quote Illinois statutes identify qualified schools. and the Illinois Administrative Code. The contents of this publication are identify qualified education expenses. informational only and do not take the place of statutes, rules, and court identify education expenses that do not qualify. decisions. For many topics covered list required attachments to Form IL-1040, Individual Income Tax Return, for parents in this publication, we have provided or guardians who are claiming an education expense credit. a reference to the applicable section or part of the Illinois Administrative This publication does not apply to home schooled students. For information Code for further clarification or more about the education expense credit for home schooled students, see Publication 119, Education Expense Credit General Rules and Requirements for Home Schools. detail. All of the sections and parts referenced can be found in Title 86 of the Illinois Administrative Code. Taxpayer Bill of Rights You have the right to call the Department of Revenue for help in resolving tax problems. You have the right to privacy and confidentiality under most tax laws. You have the right to respond, within specified time periods, to Department notices by asking questions, paying the amount due, or providing proof to refute the Department’s findings. You have the right to appeal Department decisions, in many instances, within specified time periods, by asking for Department review, by filing a petition with the Illinois Independent Tax Tribunal, or by filing a complaint in circuit court. If you have overpaid your taxes, you have the right, within specified time periods, to a credit (or, in some cases, a refund) of that overpayment. For more information about these rights and other Department procedures, you may write us at the following address: Problems Resolution Division Illinois Department of Revenue PO Box 19014 Springfield, IL 62794-9014 Get forms and other information faster and easier at tax.illinois.gov |
Education Expense Credit General Rules and Requirements for Parents and Guardians Contents General Information Who may claim an education expense credit? .......................................................................2 What schools qualify for an education expense credit? ..........................................................2 What are qualified education expenses? ................................................................................2 What education expenses do not qualify? ..............................................................................3 How much credit will I be allowed? .........................................................................................3 How should I figure a credit for education expenses, and what must I attach to my Form IL-1040 when I claim this credit? ...................................................................................3 Office Locations .........................................................................................................................4 For Information or Forms ........................................................................................................4 General Information Who may claim an education expense What schools qualify for an education credit? expense credit? You may figure a credit for qualified education expenses, in Public and nonpublic elementary and secondary schools in excess of $250, you paid during the tax year if Illinois that satisfy the requirements of the truancy law in Section you were the parent or legal guardian of a full-time student 26-1 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/26-1] and, if required, are who was under the age of 21 at the close of the school year , in compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 qualify as Illinois schools for the purpose of the education expense you and your student were Illinois residents when you paid credit. the expenses, and your student attended kindergarten through twelfth grade at a public or nonpublic school in Illinois during the tax year. What are qualified education expenses? If you are the parents or legal guardians of a qualified student and you are filing separate Illinois returns, you may each In general, qualified education expenses are the amounts paid claim an education expense credit. However, you both may not in excess of $250 for tuition, book fees, and lab fees at the claim a credit for the same expenses, and the total amount of school where the student is enrolled in kindergarten through credit claimed between both parents or guardians may not twelfth grade during the regular school year. exceed $750 for tax years ending on or after December 31, 2017 Specifically, qualified education expenses include the amount of or $500 for tax years ending prior to December 31, 2017, tuition (including summer school classes required for regardless of the number of qualifying students. elementary or secondary graduation requirements). book fees paid for the rental of books that were required as a For tax years ending on or after December 31, 2017, part of the school’s education program. an education expense credit is not allowed if the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income for the taxable year exceeds $500,000 for lab fees paid for the use of supplies, equipment, materials, or returns with a federal filing status of married filing jointly, or instruments that were required as part of a lab course in the $250,000 for all other returns. school’s education program. For example, if you rented a musical instrument from the school (not from a business) for a class, or for participation in an extracurricular activity that resulted in a credit toward completion of the school’s education program, then this rental expense qualifies as an education expense. Page 2 of 4 PUB-132 (R-01/2020, R-06/22 back page updated) |
Education Expense Credit General Rules and Requirements for Parents and Guardians What education expenses do not qualify? 2008 and 2009, you must complete Schedule ICR, Illinois Credits, to figure a credit for education expenses. Education expenses that do not qualify for an education expense credit include expenses paid Schedule ICR and the “Receipt for Qualified K-12 to a daycare, preschool, college, university, independent Education Expenses” that you received from the school to tutoring service, or trade school. your Form IL-1040. If you did not obtain a receipt from the for the purchase of supplies, books or equipment that school, you must also complete Section B, Lines 12 are not significantly used up during the school year (e.g., and 13 of Schedule ICR to figure your qualified education purchasing musical instruments, costumes for a play). expenses. for the use of supplies, equipment, materials, or 2007 and earlier, see the Instructions for the year you are instruments if the program does not result in a credit filing. toward completion of the school’s education program. The receipt you received from the school must contain directly to a business (e.g., renting a musical instrument the following information: from a music store). the calendar year during which you paid the education for tutoring or enrichment classes that do not count expenses, toward meeting your required curriculum. the name of the school, for after school care, even if paid to the school. the name and address of the parent or guardian who paid, for yourself or your spouse. the name of each qualifying student, with a scholarship. the grade in which each student was enrolled during the calendar year, and How much credit will I be allowed? the total education expenses paid for each student for tuition, book fees, and lab fees during the calendar year. You will be allowed 25 percent of your student’s qualified education expenses after the first $250. Your total credit may If the receipt does not contain all the information required, you not exceed $750 for tax years ending on or after December 31, should contact the school for a proper receipt. In addition, if the 2017 or $500 for tax years ending prior to December 31, 2017, receipt you received from the school does not contain the Social regardless of the number of qualifying students. Security number of the parent or guardian, or the Social Security number for each qualifying student, you should provide the information on the receipt yourself. All information on the receipt is confidential information How should I figure a credit for for use only as supporting documentation of the education education expenses, and what must I expense credit claimed and shall not be used for any other purpose. attach to my Form IL-1040 when I claim this credit? For tax year 2017 and after, you must complete Schedule ICR, Illinois Credits, including the K-12 Education Expense Credit Worksheet, Lines 10 and 11, to figure a credit for education expenses. Schedule ICR. 2010 - 2016, you must complete Schedule ICR, Illinois Credits, including Section B, Lines 12 and 13, to figure a credit for education expenses. Schedule ICR and any “Receipt for Qualified K-12 Education Expenses” that you received from the school to your Form IL-1040. PUB-132 (R-01/2020, R-06/22 back page updated) Page 3 of 4 |
Education Expense Credit General Rules and Requirements for Parents and Guardians Office Locations Suburban North Regional Building 9511 Harrison Street FA 203 Des Plaines, Illinois 60016-1563 200 South Wyman Street Rockford, Illinois 61101-1237 555 West Monroe Street Suite 1100 Chicago, Illinois 60661 Willard Ice Building 101 West Jefferson Springfield, Illinois 62702-5145 15 Executive Drive Business Center One, Suite 2 Fairview Heights, Illinois 62208-1331 2309 W. Main, Suite 114 Marion, Illinois 62959-1196 Contact Information Visit our website at tax.illinois.gov. For specific phone number and email contacts see our Contact Us page. Call us at 1 800 732-8866 or 217 782-3336. Call our TDD (telecommunications device for the deaf) at 1 800 544-5304. Write us at Illinois Department of Revenue, PO Box 19001, Springfield, IL 62794-9001. Call our 24-hour Forms Order Line at 1 800 356-6302. Page 4 of 4 Printed by authority of the State of Illinois - Web only, one copy. PUB-132 (R-01/2020, R-06/22 back page updated) |