Heather14
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Education

If the education expenses were paid with scholarship funds please see the following:

You cannot include the room and board expense, as is not an option in TurboTax when you enter Form 1098-T and other qualified education expenses. If you could include it,  that would not negate the taxable portion of the excess scholarship funds. A scholarship or fellowship grant is tax free only to the extent that it doesn't exceed your qualified education expenses.  Room and board are not qualified education expenses. You can see the following IRS link for more information: https://www.irs.gov/publications/p970/ch01.html


However, if your education expenses were paid with funds from a Qualified Education/Tuition Program (payments from those programs would be reported on Form 1099-Q), then the qualified education expenses would include room and board, as long as the room and board expenses meet the following requirements:

  1. Expenses for room and board must be incurred by students who are enrolled at least half-time.

    The expense for room and board qualifies only to the extent that it isn't more than the greater of the following two amounts.

    1. The allowance for room and board, as determined by the eligible educational institution, that was included in the cost of attendance (for federal financial aid purposes) for a particular academic period and living arrangement of the student.

    2. The actual amount charged if the student is residing in housing owned or operated by the eligible educational institution.

    You may need to contact the eligible educational institution for qualified room and board costs. 

    Please see the following IRS link for more information: https://www.irs.gov/publications/p970/ch08.html