Beginning in 1998 you may be able to deduct up to $1,000 for interest you pay on a qualified student loan. This applies to loan interest payments due and paid after 1997. And, if your student loan in canceled, you may not have to include any amount in income.

You may only deduct interest paid during the first 60 months that interest payments are required. Months when you do not have to make payments because your loan is deferred or in forbearance do not count against the 60 month period.

The deduction is claimed as an adjustment to income so you do not need to itemize your deductions on Schedule A, Form 1040.

You cannot claim the deductions if:

1. Another taxpayer claims you as a dependant, or
2. your filing status is married filing separately.

A qualified student loan is a loan you took out to pay qualified expenses. The expenses must have been:

1. For you, your spouse, or a person who was your dependant when you took out the loan,
2. Paid or incurred within a reasonable time before or after you took out the loan, and
3. For education furnished during a period when the recipient was an eligible student.

Qualified higher education expenses are the costs of attending an eligible educational institution, including graduate school. These costs include tuition, fees, room and board, books, equipment, and other necessary expenses, such as transportation.

Costs you incur have to be reduced by:

1. non-taxable employer - provided assistance benefits,
2. Non-taxable distributions from an educational IRA,
3. U.S. Savings bond interest that is non-taxable because you paid qualified higher education expenses,
4. Qualified scholarships that are non-taxable,
5. Veterans educational assistance benefits, and
6. Any other non-taxable payments (other than gifts, bequests, or inheritances) received for educational expenses

The student must have been enrolled in a degree, certificate, or other eligible educational institution and must have carried at least one half of a normal full-time work load.

The deduction is phased out ratably over a range that:

1. Begins when modified AGI exceeds $40,000 ($60,000 if married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er) and
2. Ends at $55,000 ($75,000 if married filing jointly or qualifying widow(er).

If you paid $600 or more of interest on a qualified student loan during the year, you will receive a Form 1098-E, Student Loan Interest Statement, from the financial institution, or from a governmental unit (or any of its subsidiary agencies), from educational institutions, or any other person to whom you had paid student loan interest of $600 or more in the course of their trade or business.

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