IT-272: Claim for College Tuition Credit or Itemized Deduction (full-year New York State residents only). (2024)
New York · NY DTF · Used for tax years 2024
Form IT-272 is used by full-year New York State residents to claim a college tuition credit or elect a college tuition itemized deduction. It reports eligible student information and qualified college tuition expenses and is submitted with Form IT-201. You may claim either the cr
Who files this form
Submit Form IT-272 with Form IT-201 if you are claiming the college tuition credit or college tuition itemized deduction. This form is for full-year New York State residents.
- If another taxpayer claims you as a dependent on their New York State return for 2024, you do not qualify for either benefit.
- To qualify for the credit, you and your spouse, if filing jointly, must have been New York State residents for all of 2024.
- If you were not a full-year resident, you do not qualify for the credit, but you may qualify for the college tuition itemized deduction. The form directs you to the instructions for Form IT-203.
What you'll need
Have the following information ready to complete Form IT-272:
- Your name as shown on your return and your Social Security number.
- Your spouse’s name and Social Security number, including if you are married and filing separate New York State returns.
- Each eligible student’s name, Social Security number, date of birth, and whether you claim the student as a dependent on your New York State return.
- The college or university’s name and employer identification number (EIN).
- Whether the expenses were for undergraduate tuition and the amount of qualified college tuition expenses.
Submit Form IT-272 with Form IT-201. If you elect the itemized deduction, the form also calls for Worksheet 1 from the instructions and Form IT-196. Worksheet 2 is used to compare the tax benefit of the deduction and credit. Those worksheets are not included in the supplied text.
How to file
Submit Form IT-272 with Form IT-201. The supplied form does not give a mailing address or e-file directions.
- Answer the dependency and full-year residency questions at the top of the form.
- Complete Part 1 for each eligible student. On line I, enter the smaller of the student’s qualified tuition expenses on line H or $10,000. Add all line I amounts, including amounts from additional forms, and enter the total on line 3.
- If line 3 is less than $5,000, complete Part 2. The credit is the smaller of line 3 or $200.
- If line 3 is $5,000 or more, complete Part 3. Multiply the line 3 amount by 4% to calculate the credit.
- If you do not itemize deductions on your New York return, enter the credit from line 5 or line 7 on Form IT-201, line 68. If you itemize, continue to Part 4.
To elect the college tuition itemized deduction, complete Worksheet 1 from the instructions and mark line 8. Enter Worksheet 1, line 5, on Form IT-196 instead of claiming the credit on Form IT-201. Use Worksheet 2 to compare which benefit is greater.
Common mistakes
- Leaving out Form IT-272. The form says you must submit it with your return when claiming either benefit.
- Claiming both benefits. You may claim the college tuition credit or the college tuition itemized deduction, but not both.
- Marking line 8 when claiming the credit. Mark this box only if you elect the itemized deduction. If you mark it, do not enter the credit on Form IT-201.
- Omitting your spouse’s information on a separate return. Married taxpayers filing separate New York State returns must still enter their spouse’s name and Social Security number.
- Continuing after a disqualifying answer. If another taxpayer claims you as a dependent on their New York State return, stop. If you do not meet the full-year residency requirement, stop and see the Form IT-203 instructions for possible deduction eligibility.
Questions people ask
Can I claim both the tuition credit and the itemized deduction?
No. You may claim either the deduction or the credit, but not both. The form directs you to Worksheet 2 in the instructions to compare the tax benefits.
How is the tuition credit calculated?
If total qualified tuition expenses on line 3 are less than $5,000, the credit is the smaller of that amount or $200. If line 3 is $5,000 or more, the credit is 4% of that amount. Each student’s line I amount is limited to the smaller of qualified expenses or $10,000.
What if I paid tuition for more than three eligible students?
Part 1 has space for three eligible students. The form directs you to the instructions if you are claiming expenses for more than three students. Include line I amounts from any additional forms in the line 3 total.
Can I claim the credit if I was not a New York State resident all year?
No. The form says you do not qualify for the credit if you fail the full-year residency requirement. You may qualify for the itemized deduction and should see the instructions for Form IT-203.
Where do I report the credit?
If you elect the credit rather than the itemized deduction, enter the credit from Form IT-272, line 5 or line 7, on Form IT-201, line 68. Submit Form IT-272 with Form IT-201.