Hi all,

I have 2 tax related questions for preparing my taxes:

1) I started a college last year in the United States pursuing a 2 years Associate Degree, this is my first college education in the US. I paid tuition fees and was at least half-time student. Based on the first 2 statements, I would qualify for the Hope Credit. However, I still have some higher education courses from a foreign university that were transferred towards my Associate Degree. Would classes taken in a foreign university disqualify me from the Hope Credit because of the "first 2 years of college" rule ? If yes, to what extent, and how can you calculate the "first 2 years of college" based on US classes and foreign university classes ?

2) I work as a freelance photographer and received a 1099-MISC form.

My usual work day is as follow:

- drive from home (H) to studio (A) to take photo equipment;
- drive from studio (A) to shooting place (B) where I take the pictures;
- drive from the shooting place (B) back to the studio (A) to process the pictures;
- drive from the studio (A) back to the shooting place (B) to sell the pictures;
- drive from the shooting place (B) back to the studio (A) to leave the equipment;
- drive from studio (A) back home (H).

I wonder if any or all of these travels are considered commuting... Driving from Home to the Studio might be considered commuting, but what about driving from the Studio to the Shooting Point back and forth ? Is this still considered commuting, considering that the Shooting Point (B) is fixed and I go the same place all the time ?

Considering the above work schedule, should I rather need to be a W2 employee than a 1099 ? Is my employer at fault for this ?

Thanks a lot !

Hi all,

I have 2 tax related questions for preparing my taxes:

1) I started a college last year in the United States pursuing a 2 years Associate Degree, this is my first college education in the US. I paid tuition fees and was at least half-time student. Based on the first 2 statements, I would qualify for the Hope Credit. However, I still have some higher education courses from a foreign university that were transfered towards my Associate Degree. Would classes taken in a foreign university disqualify me from the Hope Credit because of the "first 2 years of college" rule ? If yes, to what extent, and how can you calculate the "first 2 years of college" based on US classes and foreign university classes ?

2) I work as a freelance photographer and received a 1099-MISC form.

My usual work day is as follow:

- drive from home (H) to studio (A) to take photo equipment;
- drive from studio (A) to shooting place (B) where I take the pictures;
- drive from the shooting place (B) back to the studio (A) to process the pictures;
- drive from the studio (A) back to the shooting place (B) to sell the pictures;
- drive from the shooting place (B) back to the studio (A) to leave the equipment;
- drive from studio (A) back home (H).

I wonder if any or all of these travels are considered commuting... Driving from Home to the Studio might be considered commuting, but what about driving from the Studio to the Shooting Point back and forth ? Is this still considered commuting, considering that the Shooting Point (B) is fixed and I go the same place all the time ?

Considering the above work schedule, should I rather need to be a W2 employee than a 1099 ? Is my employer at fault for this ?

Thanks a lot !
Anybody ?