Make sure you claim the recovery rebate credits if you are claiming yourself this year and either you didn’t receive the stimulus payments or your parents claimed you and “received the stimulus payments for you.”

3) Make sure to claim the American opportunity credit. Depending upon tuition, any W2 income, and scholarships and grants, you may want to consider claiming all or a portion of the scholarships and grants as taxable income in order to maximize the credit.

4) Do your taxes much earlier next year so that if you get in a bind, you aren’t asking for help at the last minute. Also, if you end up owing, it gives you time to come up with the cash.