Tuition Reimbursement above $5250

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
November 5, 2019
1 reply
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I know you can claim tuition reimbursement above $5250 as a fringe benefit if it is related to your job, but I am not sure how to do so. Is this something my employer would have to designate or something I do while filing taxes?

Best answer by IsabellaG

No, there's no way for you, the employee, to claim a fringe benefit deduction on your tax return. The employer reduces your W-2 wages by the amount of any allowable fringe benefits.

To clarify: if your employer reimburses you for tuition, up to $5250 can be excluded from your wages by your employer as a fringe benefit, so it doesn't show up on your W-2. If you are reimbursed more than that, the excess is included in your W-2, unless it's considered a working condition benefit. The link that @Anonymous_ provided gives an explanation.

The current tax law doesn't allow deductions for employee business expenses, so employees who spend their own money for things like job-related car expenses, travel, education, or tools get no deduction at all.

Anonymous_

Level 15

Please refer to the following IRS web site (link below).

https://www.irs.gov/publications/p15b#en_US_2019_publink1000193671

za369Author

Level 2

So it looks like this would be the employer that does it? What if it the employer does not do this? Is there any way to claim it as a fringe benefit after the fact?

IsabellaGAnswer

Level 13

No, there's no way for you, the employee, to claim a fringe benefit deduction on your tax return. The employer reduces your W-2 wages by the amount of any allowable fringe benefits.

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