Educational Tax Benefits

Qualified scholarships and fellowships are treated as non-taxable amounts if the following 3 criteria are met: Amounts you receive as a scholarship or fellowship are used for tuition and fees required for enrollment or attendance at the institution or for supplies, books and equipment required for courses of instruction.
The amount you receive is not payment for your services, since you are a candidate for a degree at a educational institution.

No. If you make a contribution to a college and receive the right to buy football tickets, then the amount of the contribution is limited to 80% of the contribution to the school. The deduction is allowed only to the extent that you received the right to purchase the tickets rather than the ticket costs themselves.

Qualified educational expenses would include tuition and required fees, but would not include room and board, insurance, transportation or other personal living or family expenses, medical expenses, supplies or equipment.
The credits are subject to income limitations. The credits are not available for married filing separate returns. Both credits are claimed on IRS Form 8863.
The American Opportunity and Lifetime Learning credits are two federal credits available for qualifying higher education expenses paid to eligible educational institutions.
There may also be similar state credits or deductions available. Generally, the American Opportunity credit is available for the qualified expenses for the first 4 years of post-secondary education leading to a degree.
The Lifetime Learning credit is available for both degree and non-degree courses. This includes undergraduate courses not claimed as a American Opportunity credit, graduate studies, and students acquiring or improving their job skills.

No. Scholarships received by full time students do not count in the 50% dependency support test. In this case, a full-time student would be one that is in school for at least 5 calendar months.

Yes since this would not be considered a new job or meeting the minimum requirements of the current job. The following teaching position changes qualify as deductible job changes: elementary to secondary teacher; teacher in one subject changing to another subject; classroom teacher to guidance counselor; or classroom teacher to school administrator, such as a principal.

No. The costs of courses preparing you for a new job or profession are not deductible. Law school or Law Review course costs are not deductible because they are leading to a new profession.

Generally, the cost of ordinary and necessary expenses paid for employee education and training are deductible.
Business owners can deduct costs of education to maintain and improve skills required in their trade or business.
If you are self-employed you will claim the deduction on Schedule C.
If you are an employee you will claim the deduction on Schedule A as a miscellaneous expense subject to the 2% limitation.

The costs are deductible if they: enhance the skills required in your current position is not a minimum job requirement; or do not qualify you for a new business career. The courses must be related to your current job responsibilities.

There are currently educational credits available for the costs of tuition, fees and books , such as the American Opportunity and Lifetime Learning Credit which can be used to offset the cost of sending your child to college. There are many factors which determine whether any of these credits are available to you. Also, some states have special programs to aid parents with college costs.