Unfortunately, the answer is no. For the Education Credits, the Tuition is usually reported on form 1098-T Tuition by an accredited school.
The costs of education, including tuition, fees, books, and other learning materials are deductible business expenses only if the education:
- helps maintain or improve skills required in your existing business, or
- is required by law or regulation to maintain your professional standing.
You cannot currently deduct as a business expense education expenses you incur to qualify for a new business or profession.
- This means you cannot deduct the costs of education courses you take to help prepare for your state’s real estate license exam.
- Nor is the fee to take the exam itself deductible.
- This rule applies even where a licensed real estate agent, salesperson, or sales associate pays for education to pass the state exam to become a real estate broker. Courts have reasoned that the tasks performed by licensed real estate brokers are so different from those performed by licensed real estate agents that courses taken to prepare for the broker's examination qualify an agent for a new trade or business. (Goldstein v. Comm’r, 52 TCM 1481 (1987).)
