If you pay the tuition anytime in 2017, you can still claim on your 2017 tax return. The amount you pay does not have to match up with the information reported on the Form 1098-T.
To enter the tuition paid in 2017, in TurboTax online edition, here are the steps:
1. After sign into your account and select Take me to my return
2. At the right upper corner, in the search box, type in 1098t and Enter
3. Select Jump to form 1098T
4. On screen, "Do you want to enter your higher education expenses?" answer Yes.
5. Go through the step-by-step interview questions
6. On screen, "Did you get a 1098-T from school for 2017?" answer Yes
7. Next screen, "Type in the info from your 1098-T"
8. Under Box 2- Amounts billed for tuition and related expenses
9 Click on " What if this is not what I paid to this school ?" and enter 2017 paid tuition amount
