What does "first four years of post-secondary education" mean?

Taxes -- hope credit -- 2 years??

• for the hope credit it says you can take it for the first 2 years of postsecondary education. does this mean 2 years as in 730 days after starting college, or until an associates degree is completed. if i went part time to college for 4 years and the fifth year went full time and completed a 2 year associates degree could i claim the hope credit the fifth year if i have never previously claimed it?

• Answer:

  The 2 years has two requirements attached. One is that you can't take it for more than two tax years. The other is that you have not completed the first two years of post-secondary education. So if you hadn't claimed the Hope Credit twice before, and you are still working on what is your second year of academic credit (completing the associates degree) then yes you are eligible to take it.