Student Loan & Education Tax Topics

Education

Education: Deductions, Credits, and Answers

There’s no doubt about it, education tax benefits can make a huge difference in your refund. The American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) typically offers the largest tax break. But if you don’t qualify for that, there’s always the Lifetime Learning Cr... read more

Can I claim my child as dependent or can she file as an independent?

Hello. My child is 23 years old, full time graduate student. She is away for school and will return home for the break. Since she is a PhD student, the school covers her tuition, and she receives the stipend/grant. In 2025, she had the earned income ... read more

education expense

Where is the section to enter education expenses? It only asks for expenses paid directly to school and that you can add additional expenses later but that option never comes up. We have expense to add but no where to input them.

I have a 1098-VLI where do i enter that information

College form 1098-T

my son received the 1098-T and when it asked if he used it to pay room and board I marked yes, because he used it towards that also. I put in the amount and it raised his refund several hundred dollars but yet it says on the side it is not an eligibl... read more

1098-T

My daughter college has given us an incorrect 1098 form this year. 2023 they billed Fall 23/Spring 24, in 2024 they billed Fall 24/Spring 25 and now in 2025 they billed Fall 25 only. I brought this to the attention of the financial aid/student accoun... read more

Where do I enter room and board expenses for college? The 1098-T section only asks about tuition. 1099-Q section is no help either.

When I enter the 1099-Q info, TT is saying that we have $8500 of taxable income, but it clearly has not taken into account nearly $13K of room and board (because there has been no prompt to enter the room and board). All 529 distributions were to my ... read more

I used 529 to cover tuition, room, board, and books. TurboTax appears to only allow tuition and books in 1098-T section. Where do I enter the room and board?

why TurboTax does not show "room and Board" for education expense? I have inputed 1099-Q and 1099-T, but the "Room and board" question/section never showed up.

I have inputed 1099-Q and 1099-T, but the screen a screen that asks: "Did [Child's Name] pay for books or materials to attend school?" never showed up. As a consequence, i cannot input the "Room and board" . how to make it to show this screen/section... read more

Why doesn't turbotax allow me to enter qualified education expenses like room & board? is their a problem with the software?

It allows books and supplies to be entered if charged by the institution, and indicates other expenses can be entered later, but it never then prompts for other expenses before moving out of the 1098-T and 1099-Q sections in the online version.

I take online classes for school

I am strictly doing online full time school and had to buy a new computer as I was told the one I had was not compatible. I have gone through all the school expense sections and nowhere does it list additional expenses not paid to the school. How can... read more

Where do I enter education expenses other than tuition for my student, to avoid paying tax on a 529 distribution? Neither the 1099-Q section nor the 1098-T section has it

I have entered a 1099-Q for a 529 distribution and there is a place in that section where it says I will enter education expenses for my student, but then all it asks is whether I used the money to pay a loan. I have also completed the 1098-T section... read more

is there a software bug that is not allowing me to enter room and board expense to offset a 529 plan qualified distribution?

where do you enter room and board expense?

Standard Deduction for Dependent Taxpayers (think, full-time college student) calculates WRONG in Turbotax

Form 1040 Line 12e is the Standard Deduction. If taxpayer is depdendent, however, must use "Deduction Worksheet for Dependents - Line 12e", which is page 35 in 1040 Instructions. It's not complicated, but Turbotax screws it up anyway. In our case, de... read more