On my 1098-T form, it only has box number 5 filled out. Tuition was paid in the previous year and was on that years 1098-T form. How do i do this?

[LeeM · Accepted solution]

You will need to enter the 1098-T form as it appears in the Education Expenses section by selecting Federal Taxes and then Deductions and Credits.

Scholarships are typically shown on Form 1098-T, box 5 Scholarships/Grants. When entered as a part of that form, TurboTax applies the scholarship towards any qualified education expenses that were entered. Since you did not have any expenses that were paid in 2015, the scholarship amount would be considered taxable income.

Each year, you can be eligible for a credit/deduction for qualified education expenses to the extent they exceeded tax free scholarships/grants/etc.

Last year, you were able to deduct those tuition expenses but did not claim the scholarship monies that were used to pay those expenses. In essence, you were claiming credits for expenses that you later received scholarship money for. This year, you are reporting the scholarship monies and that will even everything out in total.

I would verify with your school that the scholarship monies were not included in your 1098-T form for 2014 and that your 2015 Form 1098-T accurately reflects the scholarship amount.

[Hal_Al]

If the box 5 amount went fully to the prior year tuition,  just don't enter the 1098-T.  This assumes, you did not claim a tuition credit, last year, based on last year's 1098-T.