What is the difference between a tax deduction and a tax credit for education expenses?

@ena.rippin 

A tax deduction and a tax credit are both ways to reduce your overall tax liability, but they work in different ways when it comes to education expenses.

1. Tax Deduction: A tax deduction reduces your taxable income. It allows you to deduct a portion of your education expenses from your total income, which in turn reduces the amount of income that is subject to tax. Deductions are usually calculated based on a percentage of the eligible expenses.

For example, if you have $10,000 in education expenses and you can claim a 20% tax deduction, your taxable income would be reduced by $2,000 ($10,000 x 20%). If you are in a 30% tax bracket, this deduction would result in a tax savings of $600 ($2,000 x 30%).

1. Tax Credit: A tax credit, on the other hand, directly reduces the amount of tax you owe. It is a dollar-for-dollar reduction in the amount of tax you are required to pay. Tax credits for education expenses are often available for specific purposes, such as the American Opportunity Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit.

Using the same example as above, if you have $10,000 in education expenses and you can claim a $2,000 tax credit, your tax liability would be reduced by the full $2,000. This means you would pay $2,000 less in taxes without considering your tax bracket.

In summary, a tax deduction reduces your taxable income and can result in a lower tax liability based on your tax bracket, while a tax credit directly reduces the amount of tax owed and can provide a more substantial savings.