Clarification about Reporting Tuition Payment

[shbqqa]

So I was a student in Spring 2021 and I made my final tuition payment in January '21 for that semester. I didn't receive a 1098-T. Can I still claim that tuition payment as a deduction in TurboTax? I asked why I didn't get a 1098-T and my school told me: 

"A 2021 1098-T was not generated because we billed Spring 2021 charges in December 2020. This impacts Spring 2021 graduating students’ 1098-T because the reportable Spring 2021 Qualified Tuition and related expenses (QTRE) that are related to payments made in calendar year 2021 were reported on your 2020 1098-T.   Charges and payments are reported on the 1098-T based on the date assessed or paid in the student information management system.  Since the charges were previously reported in 2020, the system did not have QTRE to associate the payment made in 2021."

Thank you!

[Hal_Al]

Q. . Can I still claim that tuition payment or a tuition credit, in TurboTax. without  a 1098-T?

A. Yes. After saying you did not get a 1098-T. Answer that you qualify for an exception.

[shbqqa]

Ok thanks so much! So in other words, what matters for tax purposes is when the payment was made, rather than when the school billed me for the payment? 

[Hal_Al]

Q. So in other words, what matters for tax purposes is when the payment was made, rather than when the school billed me for the payment? 

A. Yes. 

The 1098-T is only an informational document. The numbers on it are not required to be entered onto your tax return.  You claim the tuition credit, or report scholarship income, based on your own financial records, not the 1098-T.