Tax Deductions for Student-Loan Interest
You can deduct up to $2,500 in interest if you meet the income limits.
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What are the rules for deducting student-loan interest on my tax return?
Up to $2,500 in student-loan interest can be tax-deductible in 2013 if your modified adjusted gross income is less than $60,000 if you’re single or $125,000 if you are married and file a joint return. The deduction is phased out at higher income levels, disappearing completely if you earn more than $75,000 if single or $155,000 if filing a joint return.
You can take the deduction regardless of whether you itemize deductions. Even if your parents pay the interest on a loan for which you are liable, you can deduct the interest, as long as you are not claimed as a dependent on your parents’ tax return.
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For more information about the tax rules, see IRS Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education. And for more information about student loans, see our Student Loan Special Report.
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As the "Ask Kim" columnist for Kiplinger's Personal Finance, Lankford receives hundreds of personal finance questions from readers every month. She is the author of Rescue Your Financial Life (McGraw-Hill, 2003), The Insurance Maze: How You Can Save Money on Insurance -- and Still Get the Coverage You Need (Kaplan, 2006), Kiplinger's Ask Kim for Money Smart Solutions (Kaplan, 2007) and The Kiplinger/BBB Personal Finance Guide for Military Families. She is frequently featured as a financial expert on television and radio, including NBC's Today Show, CNN, CNBC and National Public Radio.