I received a 1098T for 2022 with a qualified tuition payment. But it doesn’t include a separate cash tuition payment . How should I report it?

[sebastianaranda]

Should I modify box 1 payment total to include the separate cash payment tuition ?

[AmyC]

Maybe depending on education credit and circumstances. The 1098-T tuition is informational and can be changed to match your records. However, do you want to or need to is another consideration. The school should have listed all tuition paid for the year in that box. You may have made an additional payment for the next year's semester. 

The first question is do you qualify for an education credit? 

• If not, then it doesn't matter what the form says and you don't need to enter it.
• If you do, only $4,000 is needed to qualify for the full AOTC credit. You may want to make some scholarship taxable to the student or you may want to add the additional tuition paid. For variations and references, please look at another of my answers for help. 

The credit and income limits:

• For the full credit, your MAGI (modified adjusted gross income) is less than $80,000 ($160,000 if you're filing jointly)
• For a reduced credit, your MAGI is between $80,000 and $90,000 ($160,000 and $180,000 if you're filing jointly)
• There is no credit given if your MAGI is above $90,000 ($180,000 if you’re filing jointly)

[Hal_Al]

The 1098-T is only an informational document. The numbers on it are not required to be entered onto your tax return. However receipt of a 1098-T frequently means you are either eligible for a tuition credit or possibly your student has taxable scholarship income. 

If you claim the tuition credit, you do need to report that you got one or that you qualify for an exception (the TurboTax interview will handle this)

You claim the tuition credit, or report scholarship income, based on your own financial records, not the 1098-T. In the 1098-T screen, click on the link "What if this is not what I paid the school" underneath box 1. You will then be able to enter the actual amounts paid. You will also reach a screen that allows you to adjust the scholarship amount for "amounts not awarded for 2022 expenses".

Or if you find it easier, just change the numbers in boxes 1& 5 to what your records show. The 1098-T that you enter in TT is not sent to the IRS