Did you enter the tuition on Form 1098-T into the program yet? The program needs to match the distribution with the tuition.
Here's how to get to the 1098-T screen if you haven't visited the Education section yet:
- Open (continue) your return, if you don't already have it open.
- Search for 1098t and select the Jump to link at the top of your 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.
From the Education Expenses Summary screen you can:
- Select Add A Student if you need to enter a 1098-T for someone else (and then resume steps 4 and 5 above); or
- Select Edit to revisit the 1098-T for a previously-entered school or Add New School to enter a new 1098-T.
Some important tips about entering this form:
- 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, you can 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.
- 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 in the Education interview.
- Leave blank boxes blank. Don't enter 0 for any blank boxes on the form, as this generates errors
