Employer Tuition Assistance

[Grae2121]

My employer included in my paycheck $5k to pay for my school. Payroll has advised this is included on Box 1 of my w-2 form. When Im filling out online the college information it says the information below. Am I to put the $5k under employer assistance even though it says "do not include amount already listed on my w-2"?

[rjs]

No, do not enter the $5,000 as Employer-Provided Assistance. If it's included in box 1 of your W-2, it's not employer-provided educational assistance. It's just extra taxable pay. Employer-provided educational assistance means assistance that is provided tax-free under an educational assistance program. Tax-free employer-provided educational assistance would not be included in box 1 of your W-2.