How much of the $6,250 reimbursement can Renee exclude from her gross income?

The maximum amount that can be excluded from gross income under an employer's educational assistance program is a crucial aspect of the Internal Revenue Code. The threshold for tax-free educational assistance provided by an employer is set at $5,250 per calendar year. This means that any reimbursement that exceeds this amount will be subject to taxation and included in gross income.

In this scenario, since Renee received a total reimbursement of $6,250, she can only exclude the portion that falls within the allowable limit of $5,250. Therefore, she would need to include the remaining $1,000 in her gross income. This makes it clear that she cannot exclude the entire amount of $6,250 because it surpasses the exclusion cap established by the IRS.

Thus, the focus is on the exclusion limit set for educational benefits, demonstrating why the correct answer is significant in understanding the tax implications of employer-sponsored educational reimbursements.