education expense

[user17699800286]

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.

[Hal_Al]

You can't enter room & board expenses yet. This is a known glitch in TurboTax (TT). They are working on it (no announced fix date).   The 2025 education and 529 sections appear totally redesigned, from last year. 

[user17699800286]

It's not room and board expenses. It's books and course material that was paid out of pocket but not paid directly to the school. The question was there on last years form but not this year.

[Hal_Al]

At the screen "Did (student's name) have any of these common situations in 2025", check the box "had education expenses other than tuition".

That will get you a screen, later, "Time to enter (student's name) educational expenses". Enter those expenses at "Optional books and materials from the school".  

[user17699800286]

Yes, I tired that but the info tab says Don't include expenses you didn't pay directly to your school here. We'll add those separately. But it never asks for the info.  It seems to be a different version from last years and I just don't want to input wrong info. But Thank You for responding

[Hal_Al]

The 2025 education and 529 sections appear totally redesigned, from last year. 

[BK2000]

Hi @user17699800286 ,

You helped me in another post regarding QTP to Roth couple of days ago

I am exactly where you are on this topic and seems like many of us are posting the same thing at the same time. Here is my post where I mentioned that you can enter them in the forms view as a workaround: https://ttlc.intuit.com/community/taxes/discussion/education-section-missing-the-ability-to-enter-ot... (restored link) 

In short you go to the forms view, "Student Info Wk" form. In there you select the gray QuickZoom box to go to the "People Wks" form and enter any additional expenses in the tables near the bottom. That's how I got it to work for now. Reply back if you need more info.

Hope this help you and others move forward.

[sophiedaisy2005]

Any updates regarding this glitch?

[KrisD15]

As stated earlier, the Education section has been redesigned. 

In regard to the original question about entering expenses (books and supplies) for those that are  "required to be purchased from the school" and those that can be purchased elsewhere, (Lifetime Learning Credit can only use the expenses for books that were required to be purchased from the school)

Enter expenses for books REQUIRED to be purchased from the school in the 

"Required books and materials from the school" box

Enter expenses for books you could purchase in any manner (school bookstore, online, from a former student) in the "Optional books and materials from the school" box

Enter the additional expenses in this box for books and supplies. 

DO NOT ENTER EXPENSES SUCH AS ROOM AND BOARD WHICH DO NOT APPLY TOWARDS AN EDUCATION CREDIT.

I don't like the wording, but this has been tested and checked in the program. 

@user17699800286

[sophiedaisy2005]

Where do you enter room and board expenses? I don't qualify for the education credits but want to show qualifying expenses for our 529 distribution.

[MaxA1]

There is a TurboTax update that is expected to fix the issue regarding qualified education expenses for 529 distributions that is set to take place Friday, February 13.  Please check in after February 13th, if you are still experiencing issues.