1098-T and Full Time Student

[idcdodge]

My wife was enrolled in the spring semester of 2017-2018 academic school year as a full time student at her institution. However, I paid for her tuition and books out of pocket in December of 2017 and received a 1098-T from 2017 from her school. I am looking at filling an amendment to my 2017 return and it's a $2,500 dollar difference on my 2017 taxes with the education tax credits. Turbo Tax says they only need to be a half-time for one academic period that began during 2017 (or the first 3 months of 2018) which I assume means she qualifies. However my 1098-T does not have block 8 checked.... Do I qualify for these credits?

[Carl]

It "should" work out just fine even without that box checked. If I recall correctly, when the box is not checked the program will ask you if they were a full time student, or "at least" half time. Can't recall which.

[KrisD · Accepted solution]

Yes, sounds as if she would meet the requirements for an education credit on the 2017 tax return because it was paid in 2017 and the classes were for the first 3 months of 2018. 

I would guess that the box was not checked because she was not attending in 2017, but in your situation, she was at least half time for at least one academic period. 

According to the IRS:

Prepaid expenses. Qualified education expenses paid in 2017 for an academic period that begins in the first 3 months of 2018 can be used in figuring an education credit for 2017 only. See Academic period, earlier. For example, if you pay $2,000 in December 2017 for qualified tuition for the 2018 winter quarter that begins in January 2018, you can use that $2,000 in figuring an education credit for 2017 only (if you meet all the other requirements).

You can't use any amount you paid in 2016 or 2018 to figure the qualified education expenses you use to figure your 2017 education credit(s).”

CLICK HERE for IRS Pub 970 Education Credits