The two popular tax credits for college expenses, the American Opportunity Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit, both survived tax reform unscathed. These are designed to lower the tax bills of people who paid college tuition.
The American Opportunity Credit applies to tuition paid toward a degree or certificate program but only for the first four years of college, while the Lifetime Learning Credit applies to nearly all tuition and fees.
However, it’s worth noting that the tuition and fees tax deduction is no longer available, as the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2018 only made it available through the 2017 tax year — although it’s possible that Congress will still choose to extend it. Previously, certain taxpayers who couldn’t qualify for one of the two credits could deduct as much as $4,000 worth of tuition and fees as an adjustment to income. Now, taxpayers who can’t qualify for either credit are out of luck.