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Form 8815: Exclusion of Interest From Series EE and I U.S. Savings Bonds Issued After 1989 (For Filers With Qualified Higher Education Expenses)
IRS Form 8815 is used to exclude interest from Series EE and I U.S. Savings Bonds issued after 1989 for filers with qualified higher education expenses. This form is necessary if you cashed bonds in 2025.
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IRS Form 8815 - Exclusion of Interest From Series EE and I U.S. Savings Bonds Issued After 1989 (For Filers With Qualified Higher Education Expenses)
IRS Form 8815 is used to exclude interest from Series EE and I U.S. Savings Bonds issued after 1989 for filers with qualified higher education expenses. This form is necessary if you cashed bonds in 2025.
Risk Radar
Scan points- 1Failure to correctly calculate the prior year interest on the Line 6 worksheet will result in an incorrect exclusion amount.
- 2Failing to list all eligible educational institutions on Line 1 Column (b).
- 3Including room and board expenses on Line 2 without justification.
- 4Forgetting to subtract nontaxable benefits from total expenses on Line 3.
- 5Not using the worksheet correctly when prior year interest was reported.
Plain English
This form allows a taxpayer to reduce their taxable income by the amount of interest earned on certain U.S. savings bonds that were purchased after 1989. You must file this form if you paid for qualified education expenses in 2025 for yourself, your spouse, or dependents. The resulting exclusion helps lower the total amount of interest income reported.
Submission Date
- Filing date: 2025-12-16 08:10:40
- Preparation window: collect IDs, supporting records, and signatures in advance.
- Final review: verify names, dates, and required fields before submission.
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What this form is for
- Use this form when you cashed Series EE or I U.S. Savings Bonds in 2025 that were issued after 1989 and you have qualified higher education expenses.
- Do not use Form 8815 if your filing status is married filing separately, even if the other three conditions are met.
- Check Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR when attaching this form to your tax return.
Form selector
Use this form or another form?
Filing Status
You cannot take the exclusion, even if all other criteria are met.
✓ Check Line 3 on Form 8815.
Bonds Issued Before 1989
The interest from these bonds will not be eligible for this specific exclusion calculation.
✓ Ensure you use Form 8815 for post-1989 bonds.
Not stated in the official source — verify on the agency site
No Qualified Expenses Paid
If no qualified expenses were paid, the primary purpose of using Form 8815 is not met.
✓ Line 2 must reflect your total qualified higher education expenses for 2025.
Not stated in the official source — verify on the agency site
Deadline or filing window
The filing trigger is cashing qualified U.S. savings bonds in 2025. Since the form relates to 2025 activity, it must be filed by the standard tax deadline for that year (which is not stated here). No specific extension period is mentioned in the provided excerpts.
Checklist
What you need before filling it out
Form Purpose
Cashing post-1989 EE/I bonds while having qualified higher education expenses in 2025 · Form 8815 (p.3)
Filer Eligibility Condition 1
Cashed qualified U.S. savings bonds issued after 1989 in your name, or jointly with spouse · Form 8815 (p.3)
Line 2 Amount
Total qualified higher education expenses paid in 2025 for the person(s) listed on Line 1 · Form 8815 (p.1)
AGI Threshold (Single/HoH/QS)
Modified AGI must be less than $114,500 · Form 8815 (p.3)
Line 1 Entry
Name of person enrolled or attended an eligible educational institution · Form 8815 (p.3)
Recordkeeping Detail
Serial number, issue date, face value, and total redemption proceeds for each bond · Form 8815 (p.3)
Before you submit
- 1Confirm you cashed qualified Series EE or I U.S. Savings Bonds issued after 1989 in 2025.
- 2Verify that at least one person listed on Line 1 paid qualified higher education expenses in 2025 (Line 2).
- 3Check that your filing status is not married filing separately.
- 4Confirm your modified AGI is below the required thresholds ($114,500 if single/HoH/QS or $179,250 if MFJ).
- 5Ensure Line 2 reflects total expenses, correctly excluding nontaxable benefits paid directly to the institution (Line 3 adjustment).
- 6Verify that you have kept records detailing the serial number and issue date of each bond cashed.
- 7Confirm you will subtract Line 13 from Line 8 and enter that result on Schedule B, line 3.
How to file this form
- 1Complete Line 1 by entering the name(s) of the person(s) who attended an eligible educational institution.
- 2Enter the total qualified higher education expenses paid in 2025 onto Line 2 for each person listed on Line 1.
- 3Determine and enter any nontaxable benefits paid directly to the educational institution onto Line 3, adjusting Line 2 accordingly.
- 4Calculate the final exclusion amount by subtracting Line 13 from Line 8, and then enter this result on Form 8815 (p.1) and Schedule B, line 3.
- 5Keep all supporting documentation—bills, receipts, and a written record of each bond—to verify the interest excluded.
- 6Attach Form 8815 to your Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR before mailing.
Known limitations
- 1The exclusion applies only if qualified U.S. savings bonds were cashed in 2025 and were issued after 1989.
- 2A filer can take the exclusion only if their filing status is any status except married filing separately.
- 3Qualified expenses do not include costs for room and board, nor courses involving sports, games, or hobbies that are outside a degree- or certificate-granting program.
- 4Expenses covered by nontaxable educational benefits paid directly to, or by, the educational institution are excluded from the total qualified higher education expenses reported on line 2 of Form 8815.
Field map
Compact field-by-field guide
Entity Info
1 items
Name and taxpayer ID of the entity claiming the credit.
Credit Info
1 items
Type of credit or incentive being claimed.
Calculation
2 items
The base amount used to calculate the credit.
Calculated credit amount after applying formulas and limitations.
Certification
1 items
Detailed breakdown supporting the credit calculation.
Signatures
1 items
Sign and date the form.
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Fillable formOpen in Editor->The current edition is 20/25, created on 12/3/25; readers should check www.irs.gov/Form8815 for the latest information regarding developments.
What changed or needs a fresh check
- Edition date — confirm the revision date reads 20/25.
- Form number — confirm the form number listed is Form 8815.
- Attachment requirement — confirm you are attaching this to Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR.
- Creation date — confirm the creation date reads 12/3/25.
Quick Facts
Downloads
After you file
- 1Keep a copy of the completed IRS Form 8815 for your records.
- 2If you used the Line 6 Worksheet, keep a copy of that worksheet as well.
- 3If you use the Line 9 Worksheet, keep a copy of that worksheet.
- 4When calculating deductible interest without regard to this exclusion (Line 9), consider using a 'dummy' Form 4952 for computation.
- 5After figuring the bond interest exclusion on Form 8815, line 9, use a *separate* Form 4952 to determine your actual deduction for investment interest expenses and attach that form to your return.
Sources
- SRCInstructions p.1 — Form 8815 attaches to Form 1040 or 1040-SR.
- SRCInstructions p.1 — The form is titled: Exclusion of Interest From Series EE and I U.S. Savings Bonds Issued After 1989 (For Filers With Qualified Higher Education Expenses).
- SRCInstructions p.3 — Purpose: If you cashed series EE or I U.S. savings bonds in 2025, you may exclude part or all of the interest using Form 8815.
- SRCInstructions p.3 — You qualify if you paid qualified higher education expenses in 2025 for yourself, your spouse, or your dependents, and your filing status is not married filing separately.
- SRCInstructions p.3 — Line 2 requires entering total qualified higher education expenses paid in 2025.
- SRCInstructions p.3 — Line 3 requires entering the total qualified higher education expenses from line 2 that were covered by nontaxable educational benefits.
Common confusion points
What is the difference between Line 2 and Line 3 on Form 8815?
Line 2 is the total qualified higher education expenses paid in 2025, while Line 3 is only those expenses covered by nontaxable educational benefits.
Should I include all payments that qualify for line 2 if some were covered by a scholarship?
Yes, but you must also report the amount of the scholarship on line 3.
If my son received a $2,000 nontaxable scholarship paid directly to him, how does that affect the lines?
Enter the full expense ($10,000) on Line 2, and enter only the scholarship amount ($2,000) on Line 3.
What is the purpose of using a 'dummy' Form 4952 when filing Form 8815?
The dummy Form 4952 helps compute deductible interest without regard to this exclusion; its result is used only for figuring net royalty income included in your modified AGI.
Workflow map
Related forms and next steps
Before
Current
After
Often used with
⚠ If something goes wrong
- Form 8818 (Use this form's Line 8 amount if you did not report any previous bond interest for bonds cashed in 2025.)
Questions about IRS Form 8815
What is IRS Form 8815 used for?
This form allows a taxpayer to reduce their taxable income by the amount of interest earned on certain U.S. savings bonds that were purchased after 1989. You must file this form if you paid for qualified education expenses in 2025 for yourself, your spouse, or dependents. The resulting exclusion helps lower the total amount of interest income reported.
Who must file IRS Form 8815?
The exclusion can be taken by a filer if all four conditions apply: they cashed post-1989 bonds in 2025, paid qualified higher education expenses in 2025 for themselves, spouse, or dependents, and their filing status is not married filing separately.
What information does IRS Form 8815 require?
The form collects details on the person benefiting (Line 1 Column (a)), the educational institution (Line 1 Column (b)), total qualified higher education expenses (Line 2), and any benefits covered by nontaxable sources (Line 3). Line 6 requires calculating prior year interest to determine the final exclusion amount.
When is IRS Form 8815 due?
The form must be filed for bonds cashed in 2025. Not stated in the official source regarding a specific deadline date, but it relates directly to the 2025 tax year filing period.
How do I complete IRS Form 8815?
First, complete Lines 1 through 3 detailing the education and bond details. Next, calculate the exclusion amount using the worksheet down to Line 6 (or use Form 8818). Finally, enter this calculated amount on Line 6 of Form 8815 before submitting.
What happens if IRS Form 8815 is filed incorrectly?
If the exclusion is not calculated or reported correctly on Form 8815, the taxpayer may pay tax on interest that should have been excluded from income. Furthermore, Line 9 requires a separate computation to ensure proper net royalty income inclusion.
Should I include all payments that qualify for line 2 if some were covered by a scholarship?
Yes, but you must also report the amount of the scholarship on line 3.
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