My husband attended a private college (not federally funded, doesn't have an federal filing number, doesn't send out a 1098-T for tuition). Where can I claim the tuition?

[vckunz]

The school was a private college, out of state, that we paid for without student loans. They are not federally funded in any way, thus, they do not send out 1098-T's for tuition. Even without the 1098-T, I still can't claim it as tuition because they don't have a federal filing number.  I don't know where to claim this in turbotax... as educational expenses?

[Opus 17 · Accepted solution]

If the college is eligible for student loan programs but chooses not to participate, the expenses are allowable.  But if the school has never gotten Dept. of Education accreditation, then you can't take any tuition tax benefits.

An eligible educational institution is a school offering higher education beyond high school. It is any college, university, trade school, or other post secondary educational institution eligible to participate in a student aid program run by the U.S. Department of Education.

This includes most accredited public, nonprofit and privately-owned–for-profit postsecondary institutions.

If you aren’t sure if your school is an eligible educational institution:

• Ask your school if it is an eligible educational institution, or
• See if your school is on the U.S. Federal Student Aid Code List. 

https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/individuals/earned-income-tax-credit/eligible-educational-ins...

[canyonfisher]

I went to the irs.gov link provided and my institution is "preaccredited".  Are tuition tax breaks available for preaccredited institutions?

[MaryM428]

You can enter the information and see if it gives you any tax break.

If you have a 1098-T then follow the directions to enter it.  Where do I enter Form 1098-T?

If you do not receive a 1098-T because the school is not required to send one, then follow these steps:

1. Search in TurboTax for 1098-T and jump to 1098-T
2. Answer No to the question, Did you get a 1098-T
3. Since the school is not required to send a 1098-T you qualify for an exception
4. You won't have a federal ID number, so select I can't find the ID number
5. Then fill in the rest of the information about your education.