Trying to understand why I didn't qualify for Tuition credit from form 1098-T. FT student, had job, any guidance would be helpful. How can I get the credit?

[rbk1962]

What excludes me from earning the Tuition credit?  Do I need to indicate that I cover my expenses?

[MonikaK1]

Review and complete all of the items in the Expenses and Scholarships section under Deductions & Credits to confirm they are correct and that you didn't miss any steps.

The amount shown in Box 1 of Form 1098-T should reflect the amount the school received for qualified tuition and related fees. Contact the school if you believe the information on the form isn't correct.

Tuition is what the school charges for the education itself. Room and board is not part of tuition and doesn't qualify for education credits.

Enter expenses for other items such as books under Other Education Expenses.

The final screen in this section tells you whether you qualify for an education credit. If you don't qualify, it may be that your income exceeded the limit, or the expenses paid for qualifying tuition and related expenses didn't exceed the scholarship received. Also, if you qualify to be claimed as a dependent on another person's return, you cannot claim the education credits.

Please see this TurboTax article and this IRS webpage for more information.

You can preview your return before filing to see the forms that TurboTax has prepared from your entries, and to find out how your taxes were calculated. See here for details.