A Second Chance at Tax Breaks

If you think you missed a tax break on your 2010 return, it's not too late to file an amended return.

After we filed our 2010 tax return, we realized that we missed claiming the American Opportunity Credit for paying our son’s college tuition last year. Our joint income is less than $160,000, so we qualify. Is it too late to claim the tax credit?

No, it’s not too late to claim the credit, which can knock $2,500 off your income tax bill. Generally, you have up to three years after the date you filed your original federal tax return to amend it, but the sooner you file, the sooner you’ll get a refund. You can file an amended return for any deduction or credit you discover you’ve missed during that time period.

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Kimberly Lankford
Contributing Editor, Kiplinger's Personal Finance

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.