You can take an Education Credit for the amount you paid out of pocket. Ideally, you have a Form 1098-T.
Here's how to enter your 1098-T:
- Open or continue your return
- Select Search and search for 1098t
- Select the Jump to link in the search results
- On the Do you want to enter your higher education expenses? screen, answer Yes
- Answer Yes to Did you get a 1098-T for the year? and Continue
- On the next screen, you can choose how you'd like to add your 1098-T. You can upload a digital copy from your computer or type it in yourself. Select which option you'd like and Continue
- If you need to enter a 1098-T for someone else, continue through the screens until you get to the Your Education Expenses Summary screen, then select Add A Student
Some important tips about entering this form:
- Enter your 1098-T exactly as is, even if the amounts are wrong (this is common). You'll get a chance to correct this info and enter additional expenses later on
- Leave blank boxes blank. Don't enter 0 for any blank boxes on the form, as this generates errors
- Parents: If the student listed on the 1098-T is your dependent, enter the 1098-T on your return, even if your dependent paid the tuition
- Students: If you're not being claimed as a dependent, enter the 1098-T on your return regardless of who paid the tuition, unless it was your employer. In that case, just keep the 1098-T with your tax records
- TurboTax Free Edition doesn't support Form 1098-T
