What if box 1 is blank on my student's 1098-T? Should I use the amount from the tuition bill we paid or call the school to revise the 1098-T?

[kimber343]

she had a scholarship reported in box 5, but no tuition in box 1... so it looks like we have to pay tax on the scholarship.  But the tuition statement we have shows the amount of her tuition, the amount of the scholarship and the amount of the check that we wrote.  Should I just enter what I think the correct amount is for box 1?  Or call the school again?  they were no help after my first call.

[Bsch4477]

The 1098-T is an informational document so if you know the correct amount of tuition and other qualified education expenses feel free to use those amounts. 

[Hal_Al]

What you have is a problem we frequently see, in this forum. Typically the school is no help. They are overwhelmed with requests for corrected 1098-Ts and almost always insist that they are right. 

As, @Bsch4477 said, the 1098-T is only an informational document. The numbers on it are not required to be entered onto your tax return. However receipt of a 1098-T frequently means you are either eligible for a tuition credit or possibly your student has taxable scholarship income. 

If you claim the tuition credit, you do need to report that you got one or that you qualify for an exception (the TurboTax interview will handle this)

You claim the tuition credit, or report scholarship income, based on your own financial records, not the 1098-T.  TurboTax is somewhat set up for this. In the 1098-T screen, click on the link "What if this is not what I paid the school" underneath box 1. You will then be able to enter the actual amounts paid. You will also reach a screen that allows you to adjust the scholarship amount for "amounts not awarded for 2023 expenses".

Or if you find it easier, just change the numbers in boxes 1& 5 to what your records show. The 1098-T that you enter in TT is not sent to the IRS.