EDUCATION/TAXES: “Universities and companies are joining forces to lobby Congress to keep a tax provision that allows employers to give staff as much as $5,250 in yearly tax-free tuition help.
The tax-overhaul package passed by the Senate earlier this month includes the provision, which has been part of U.S. tax law since the late 1970s. The House version would require employees to pay taxes on the benefit for the first time. Congressional leaders are working to send a final bill to President Donald Trump by Christmas.
Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. , Starbucks Corp. and others say offering tax-free tuition assistance makes it easier for them to keep and train employees.
Schools say they could lose thousands of students if the tuition program is taxed. The nation’s economic development would be stunted if employees shy away from pricey training programs, they say…
The association, which represents nearly 1,800 schools and education groups, is also part of a coalition of more than 80 schools, companies and trade associations, including Emory University, the United Auto Workers and Texas Instruments , that is lobbying to include the tax-free tuition benefit in the final version of the tax bill.
Many of these same groups had been pushing to increase the amount of tuition assistance that could be provided tax-free. The benefit has been set at $5,250 since 1986.”
-Melissa Korn, “Universities, Companies Fight to Keep Tax-Free Tuition Assistance,” The Wall Street Journal online, Dec. 11, 2017 07:00am