1/2 time grat student & received 4k scholarship tuition & fee. But I paid for books and laptop which required for online courses. Can I still get a tax deduction on this?

[moonsuni82]

If you were 1/2 time gratuate student and you received 4k scholarship which covered 100% tuition & fee in year of 2017. However, You still had to pay for books, supplies and laptop which required for online courses. School admin said that you don’t have to claim the tax since tuition and fee covered 100%.

My question is this, for this case, can you still get a tax deduction on “expenses” when claim education tax?

Please advise,

Thank you.

[Hal_Al · Accepted solution]

Yes, books and computers count toward the Lifetime Learning Credit which is 20% of your qualifying expenses. It is a non-refundable credit  and can only reduce your tax liability.

You school is not telling you that you don't qualify, just that they will not send you a form 1098-T. You can claim the credit without it. 

In TurboTax (TT), enter at:

Federal Taxes Tab 

Deductions & Credits

-Scroll down to:

--Education

  --Education Expenses

[moonsuni82]

If you get a donation of 4k (not considered as scholarships) and you use that money toward to tuition and fee (4k) + own expenses related to education (2k). How much tax do you have to pay for donation and how much deduction or refund can you get it from school?

[Hal_Al]

There are no "donations" to individuals. You are going to have to better describe what you got, why you got it and who gave it to you. In tax lingo, donations are what a person gives to a legally recognized charity
.

[moonsuni82]

How about fund for missionary purpose use which received from religious organization?  do you still have to pay for tax? is this consider as income, if yes then how much % tax do you have to pay?

[Hal_Al]

I assume this money was given to you in 2017. How did the religious organization tell you they were treating it?  If they say it's a scholarship; it's a scholarship. If they give you a form 1099-Misc or W-2 for the money; then it's wages (W-2) or self employment (1099-Misc) and taxable. If they don't say anything, and it's you understanding it was pay for missionary work; then you report it as self employment income. The IRS  considers undocumented cash income (no W-2 or 1099-MISC), for work performed, to be self employment income.