Unable to access 1098-T

Many schools no longer mail out the 1098-T.  You obtain it from your school account, on line.

 To be eligible for the tuition credits, the course must be taken at "an eligible institution". The school should be able to tell you if it is an eligible educational institution. In general, an eligible educational institution is an accredited college, university, vocational school, or other postsecondary educational institution, including accredited, public, nonprofit, and proprietary (privately-owned, profit-making) postsecondary institutions. Additionally, in order to be an eligible educational institution, the school must be eligible to participate in a student aid program administered by the Department of Education. If they issue a 1098-T they are probably an eligible institution.

Enter your school at the link below, to see if it's on the dept. of education list.

   https://www.savingforcollege.com/eligible-institutions   

 

If you still can't get a 1098-T, from the school, enter at Educational Expenses and Scholarships, under Deductions and credits.

After answering no to having a 1098-T, answer yes to qualifying for an exception (that gets you to the entry screens). 

*If you haven't received your 1098-T form, you can still file your taxes in TurboTax by manually entering your education expenses. Here's how:

Finding Your Educational Expenses

1. Check your school's billing statements or online student account for tuition and mandatory fees.
2. Gather receipts for books, supplies, and equipment required for your courses
3. Include any other expenses required for enrollment or attendance, such as student activity fees

Entering Expenses in TurboTax

1. Log In: Sign in to TurboTax and open your tax return.
2. Open or continue your return.  Be sure you are signed in for link in Step 3 to work.
3. Navigate to Form 1098-T:
   • TurboTax Online/Mobile: Go to 1098-T 
   • TurboTax Desktop: Select Search Topics. Search for and select Form 1098-T..
   • Choose Education and then Expenses and Scholarships (Form 1098-T).
4. Enter Expenses Manually:
   • When asked if you received a 1098-T, select No.
   • Enter your qualified education expenses manually

For more details, check these resources:

• Qualified Education Expenses - IRS
• Can I file without my 1098-T info, and just add that in later?

*Note if your school issued a 1098-T they also sent a copy to the IRS and your amounts may differ from the amounts reported due to timing differences, adjustments, or other factors. There is a risk of not waiting for the 1098-T, as you might miss out on important tax credits or deductions, or report incorrect information to the IRS.

 

Also see post from @Hal_Al as expense must from an eligible institutions.