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where to report scholarship refund

I am currently attending university on a full scholarship and received a large scholarship refund since the scholarship exceeded the tuition and fees. I believe this money is taxable income so I was wondering where I should report it in the turbo tax process. Thank you!

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1 Best answer

Accepted Solutions
Hal_Al
Level 15

where to report scholarship refund

It goes on line 1 of form 1040 with the notation SCH.

 

In TurboTax (TT), just enter your 1098-T.  TT will treat the difference between box 1 and box 5 as taxable income.

If you have other qualified expenses (books, computer, required course materials), not already included in box 1, be sure to enter those at books. 

 

You may actually want to declare more of your scholarship as taxable to allow you (or your parents) to claim the  tuition credit.  There is a tax “loop hole” available. The student reports all his scholarship, up to the amount needed to claim the American Opportunity Credit (AOC), as income on his return. That way, the parents  (or himself, if he is not a dependent) can claim the tuition credit on their return. They can do this because that much tuition was no longer paid by "tax free" scholarship.  You cannot do this if the school’s billing statement specifically shows the scholarships being applied to tuition or if the conditions of the grant are that it be used to pay for qualified expenses.

Using an example: Student has $10,000 in box 5 of the 1098-T and $8000 in box 1. At first glance he/she has $2000 of taxable income and nobody can claim the American opportunity credit. But if she reports $6000 as income on her return, the parents can claim $4000 of qualified expenses on their return.

Books and computers are also qualifying expenses for the AOC. So, extending the example, the student had another $1000 in expenses for those course materials, paid out of pocket, she would only need to report $5000 of taxable scholarship income. 

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1 Reply
Hal_Al
Level 15

where to report scholarship refund

It goes on line 1 of form 1040 with the notation SCH.

 

In TurboTax (TT), just enter your 1098-T.  TT will treat the difference between box 1 and box 5 as taxable income.

If you have other qualified expenses (books, computer, required course materials), not already included in box 1, be sure to enter those at books. 

 

You may actually want to declare more of your scholarship as taxable to allow you (or your parents) to claim the  tuition credit.  There is a tax “loop hole” available. The student reports all his scholarship, up to the amount needed to claim the American Opportunity Credit (AOC), as income on his return. That way, the parents  (or himself, if he is not a dependent) can claim the tuition credit on their return. They can do this because that much tuition was no longer paid by "tax free" scholarship.  You cannot do this if the school’s billing statement specifically shows the scholarships being applied to tuition or if the conditions of the grant are that it be used to pay for qualified expenses.

Using an example: Student has $10,000 in box 5 of the 1098-T and $8000 in box 1. At first glance he/she has $2000 of taxable income and nobody can claim the American opportunity credit. But if she reports $6000 as income on her return, the parents can claim $4000 of qualified expenses on their return.

Books and computers are also qualifying expenses for the AOC. So, extending the example, the student had another $1000 in expenses for those course materials, paid out of pocket, she would only need to report $5000 of taxable scholarship income. 

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