Can we claim total tuition paid if the school doesn't accept fin aid, is private, and we haven't claimed any tuition since she began in 2015?

[faireegurl]

My wife has attended cosmetology school part time to less than part time since 2015. The school doesn't accept financial aid, so we were told in the past we could not write off her tuition, even though others she's attended with have written theirs off. Is it possible to write off this tuition, and if so, can we claim all we have paid since 2015 since we've never claimed any of it up to this point?

[MarilynG · Accepted solution]

You can claim what was paid in 2017.  You could go back and Amend your 2016 and 2015 returns to add what you paid those years.

If your wife is working in her field, she could claim Employee Related Expenses for Education on Form 2106 instead.

You may qualify for a Lifetime Learning Credit. Click the link for more info on Lifetime Learning Credit. 

Here's more info on employee related education:

https://ttlc.intuit.com/replies/3300866