How can i enter room and board expenses for 529 plan?

When you are entering your education expenses you will be asked if you used a 529 plan to pay for the expenses. If you answered YES, in the next couple of screens you will be given the opportunity to enter the Room and Board expenses.

 

To enter the education expenses, you would:

1. Enter education expenses in the Search Magnifying Glass in the upper right hand corner of the screen.
2. Select Jump to education expenses
3. Answer the questions on the screens.

There is no place to enter room and board, so what Turbo Tax worksheet do I have to go to?

 

That is the problem with TT - not enough detail provided in the step through.

Assuming the student is your dependent and you are the recipient of the 1099-Q:

 

Enter the 1099-Q before you enter the 1098-T. TurboTax will only give your the R&B screen if it knows you have a 529 plan distribution. Later, in the 1098-T (educational expenses and scholarships) interview, answer yes when asked if you have book expenses. That  screen includes the box  to enter Room & Board. 

For you to enter room and board as a qualified education expense that was paid for with a 529 plan distribution, you must first enter the 1099-Q for the student.

 

To enter the 1099-Q in TurboTax Online:

1. Launch TurboTax
2. In the search box type: 1099-Q and select the Jump to 1099-Q
3. Follow the screens to enter your information.

Once you enter the 1099-Q, you will go back and edit the education expenses for the student.

To enter the education expenses:

1. Type education expenses in the Search Box and select Jump to education expenses
2. Select Edit by the student’s name
3. Select Edit by Other Education Expenses (for all schools)
4. You should see the screen below which is where you enter the room and board:

 

Please note, the 529 Plan withdrawal only needs to be reported on the tax return of the person whose SSN is on the form if the withdrawal is more than the tuition paid in Box 1 of the 1098-T and other adjusted qualified educational expenses.

 

Please review the TurboTax article Guide to IRS Form 1099-Q: Payments from Qualified Education Programs for further details.

@cas007