College Room and Board

[4evertexan]

I used a 529 plan to pay for my daughter's collect for the 2019-2020 school year including room and board.  Can I enter the total amount for room and board for the fall 2019 and spring 2020 on the screen that is asking for education expenses.

[DavidS127]

Yes, you can enter the total amount paid for room and board, as long as the room and board were paid in the same year the 529 plan distribution was taken.

[4evertexan]

Ok.  So I took a 529 distribution in Aug 2019 to pay for the fall 2019 semester (including room and board).  Then I took another 529 distribution in Jan 2020 to pay for the spring 2020 semester (including room and board).  Are you saying I can enter the total amount for room and board for both semester on my 2019 taxes in the college expenses section?

[DavidS127]

No, match the 529 distribution taken in January 2020 with the spring 2020 semester payment.

[bx]

Many colleges have closed dorms for the balance of the Spring 2020 semester and may be refunding  a portion of room and board.  If the room/board were billed in 2019 (for Spring 2020)  paid with a 529 plan in 2019, but the credit is issued in 2020, how is that handled? 

[NCperson]

given any credit would be a 2020 transaction, deal with it next February.  

[SallyRandall]

I'm so glad I found this message board!  I'm struggling with the 1098-T numbers (which show the total payments received in box 1, in my case from 529 funds) and total scholarship received in box 5.  But the Tuition, room and board is much higher than the payments in box 1.  I'm struggling with where to report the sticker price of tuition, room and board, from which the scholarship would be deducted to equal, presumably, my total payments received reported in box 1.  I can't find where to enter room and board, for example.  Thanks!