Previous Page: Publication 970 - Tax Benefits for Education - Reporting Early Distributions Next Page: Publication 970 - Tax Benefits for Education - Figuring the Tax-Free Amount Use   to find additional occurrences of topic items.

taxmap/pubs/p970-044.htm#TXMP4e839c4e Chapter 10 Education Savings Bond Program(p55)

Education Savings Bond Program

taxmap/pubs/p970-044.htm#TXMP3332a8aa What's New(p55)

taxmap/pubs/p970-044.htm#TXMP3fbec299
Income limits for exclusion reduction increased.(p55)

For 2007, the amount of your interest exclusion is phased out (gradually reduced) if your filing status is married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er) and your MAGI is between $98,400 and $128,400. You cannot exclude any of the interest if your MAGI is $128,400 or more. For 2006, the limits that applied to you were $94,700 and $124,700.

For all other filing statuses, your interest exclusion is phased out if your MAGI is between $65,600 and $80,600. You cannot exclude any of the interest if your MAGI is $80,600 or more. For 2006, the limits that applied to you were $63,100 and $78,100. See Effect of the Amount of Your Income on the Amount of Your Exclusion, later.

taxmap/pubs/p970-044.htm#TXMP138043c7
Introduction

Generally, you must pay tax on the interest earned on U.S. savings bonds. If you do not include the interest in income in the years it is earned, you must include it in your income in the year in which you cash in the bonds.

However, when you cash in certain savings bonds under an education savings bond program, you may be able to exclude interest from income.

taxmap/pubs/p970-044.htm#TXMP56d22481 Who Can Cash In Bonds  Tax Free(p55)

Who Can Cash In Bonds Tax Free

You may be able to cash in qualified U.S. savings bonds without having to include in your income some or all of the interest earned on the bonds if you meet the following conditions.

• You pay qualified education expenses for yourself, your spouse, or a dependent for whom you claim an exemption on your return.
• Your modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) is less than $80,600 ($128,400 if married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er)).
• Your filing status is not married filing separately.

taxmap/pubs/p970-044.htm#TXMP51aa9807 Qualified U.S. savings bonds.(p55)

A qualified U.S. savings bond is a series EE bond issued after 1989 or a series I bond. The bond must be issued either in your name (as the sole owner) or in the name of both you and your spouse (as co-owners).

The owner must be at least 24 years old before the bond's issue date. The issue date is printed on the front of the savings bond.

The issue date is not necessarily the date of purchase—it will be the first day of the month in which the bond is purchased.

taxmap/pubs/p970-044.htm#TXMP60075f59 Qualified education expenses.(p55)

These include the following items you pay for either yourself, your spouse, or a dependent for whom you claim an exemption.

1. Tuition and fees required to enroll at or attend an eligible educational institution. Qualified education expenses do not include expenses for room and board or for courses involving sports, games, or hobbies that are not part of a degree or certificate granting program.
2. Contributions to a qualified tuition program (QTP) (see chapter 8).
3. Contributions to a Coverdell education savings account (ESA) (see chapter 7).

taxmap/pubs/p970-044.htm#TXMP7969e654 Adjusted qualified education expenses.(p55)

You must reduce your qualified education expenses by all of the following tax-free benefits.

1. Tax-free part of scholarships and fellowships (see chapter 1).
2. Expenses used to figure the tax-free portion of distributions from a Coverdell ESA (see chapter 7).
3. Expenses used to figure the tax-free portion of distributions from a QTP (see chapter 8).
4. Any tax-free payments (other than gifts or inheritances) received as educational assistance, such as:
   1. Veterans' educational assistance benefits (see chapter 1),
   2. Qualified tuition reductions (see chapter 1), or
   3. Employer-provided educational assistance (see chapter 11).
5. Any expenses used in figuring the Hope and lifetime learning credits (see chapters 2 and 3).

taxmap/pubs/p970-044.htm#TXMP6a24e88b Eligible educational institution.(p55)

An eligible educational institution is any college, university, vocational school, or other postsecondary educational institution eligible to participate in a student aid program administered by the Department of Education. It includes virtually all accredited public, nonprofit, and proprietary (privately owned profit-making) postsecondary institutions. The educational institution should be able to tell you if it is an eligible educational institution.

Certain educational institutions located outside the United States also participate in the U.S. Department of Education's Federal Student Aid (FSA) programs.

taxmap/pubs/p970-044.htm#TXMP7b4df7f2 Dependent for whom you claim an exemption.(p55)

You claim an exemption for a person if you list his or her name and other required information on Form 1040 (or Form 1040A), line 6c.

taxmap/pubs/p970-044.htm#TXMP549daa20 (p55)

taxmap/pubs/p970-044.htm#TXMP5b049949 Modified adjusted gross income (MAGI).(p55)

For most taxpayers, MAGI is adjusted gross income (AGI) as figured on their federal income tax return without taking into account this interest exclusion. However, as discussed below, there may be other modifications.

taxmap/pubs/p970-044.htm#TXMP118170cd MAGI when using Form 1040A.(p55)

If you file Form 1040A, MAGI is the AGI on line 22 of that form figured without taking into account any savings bond interest exclusion and modified by adding back any amount on line 18 (Student loan interest deduction) and line 19 (Tuition and fees deduction).

taxmap/pubs/p970-044.htm#TXMP0f8b3596 MAGI when using Form 1040.(p56)

If you file Form 1040, your MAGI is the AGI on line 38 of that form figured without taking into account any savings bond interest exclusion and modified by adding back any:

1. Foreign earned income exclusion,
2. Foreign housing exclusion,
3. Foreign housing deduction,
4. Exclusion of income for bona fide residents of American Samoa,
5. Exclusion of income for bona fide residents of Puerto Rico,
6. Exclusion for adoption benefits received under an employer's adoption assistance program,
7. Deduction for student loan interest,
8. Deduction for tuition and fees, and
9. Deduction for domestic production activities.

Use the worksheet in the instructions for Form 8815, line 9, to figure your MAGI. If you claim any of the exclusion or deduction items (1)–(6) listed above, add the amount of the exclusion or deduction to the amount on line 5 of the worksheet. Do not add in the deduction for (7) student loan interest, (8) tuition and fees, or (9) domestic production activities. Enter the total on Form 8815, line 9, as your modified AGI.

Because the deduction for interest expenses attributable to royalties and other investments is limited to your net investment income, you cannot figure the deduction until you have figured this interest exclusion. Therefore, if you had interest expenses attributable to royalties and deductible on Schedule E (Form 1040), Supplemental Income and Loss, you must make a special computation of your deductible interest without regard to this exclusion to figure the net royalty income included in your modified AGI. See Royalties included in modified AGI under Education Savings Bond Program in chapter 1 of Publication 550.

Previous Page:  Publication 970 - Tax Benefits for Education - Reporting Early Distributions Next Page:  Publication 970 - Tax Benefits for Education - Figuring the Tax-Free Amount Use   to find additional occurrences of topic items.