The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2016, enacted Dec. 18, 2015, extends a long list of expired tax provisions into the future. Unlike past extension legislation, Congress extended many provisions permanently. In more traditional fashion, some of the others were extended for five years, and many for two years. The Joint Committee on Taxation estimates that the total cost of the tax provisions in the bill will be $622 billion over 10 years. Without Congress extending these various provisions, millions of Americans were in danger of losing these beneficial tax breaks by 2017.
BACK TO SCHOOL EDUCATION CREDITS
If you or a loved one like a spouse or child is enrolling in college in the near future, remember that there are tax credits which may reduce your tax bill. Before reviewing these credits, it is important to note that you can claim only one type of education credit per student on your tax return each year. If more than one student qualifies for a credit in the same year, you can claim a different credit for each student.