If your school billed your for 2016 classes in 2015, and you want the 2016 tax credit, then:
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If you used the 2016 tuition reported on your 2015 1098-T to claim an education credit, you may need to file an amended 2015 return. The AOC and Tuition and Fees Deduction only consider the first $4,000, so if you had more than $4,000 in expenses and claimed either of those credits, you may not need to file an amended return.
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If you amended your 2015 return, you can use the difference in tuition expenses to claim a credit for 2016 (up to the amount of 2016 tuition).
- Or, if you didn't need to amend your 2015 return because your expenses were so high, you can use the difference between what you paid and the maximum amount considered for your 2015 credit, or your 2016 tuition, whichever is lower.
This is how to claim the credit in 2016:
If you received form 1098-T, then enter this information in TurboTax. Below Box 2. Amounts billed for tuition, you will see a sentence in blue, What if this is not what [the student] paid to this school? Click on that link, and you will be able to enter the amount actually paid.
If you didn't receive a 1098-T, you can still enter the amount of tuition paid for Spring 2016 (or the amount unclaimed from 2015, whichever is lower). Just tell the program No, you didn't receive Form 1098-T, and it will guide you through the necessary info.
