1098e lowered my refund, why? do i have to report this form on my taxes?

posted

Claiming the student loan interest deduction lowers your income amount. If doing so resulted in a smaller refund, then you most likely are seeing a change in a tax credit that is calculated based on your income. One example of this type of credit is the Earned Income Credit.

There is not a requirement to claim the student loan interest on your tax return. Generally it is beneficial to do so, but it is not mandatory.