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March 25, 2025
Question

1098-T Scholarship funds applied to last year's tuition

  • March 25, 2025
  • 1 reply
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I paid a full year of my graduate program's tuition and then was awarded a full scholarship that back-paid my tuition. The scholarship also includes a hefty award for living expenses. Therefore, this year my 1098-T reported $20,000 paid toward tuition and related expenses, $4,200 adjustments made for a prior year (Box 4), and $81,000 paid in scholarships or grants. This amount includes crediting me for the $20,000 I paid in last year's tuition as well.

 

I am trying to file appropriately and reduce my tax burden as much as possible. I am confused about the adjustments for the prior year as the scholarship applied this year was directly used to refund my student loans that I had taken out to pay for the first year of the program, refunding the full cost of tuition. I know that I can reduce the amount I have spent on required books/supplies for the program, but am confused how best to approach the Box 4 adjustments and the prior year's tuition. Would it be best to file an amended return for last year showing what amount of the scholarship was applied to last year's tuition, or do I deduct the amount from the scholarship that went to tuition and related expenses manually from my own records and accounting and file it all on this year's return since it is when the funds were awarded? Any advice for handling the Box 4 adjustments?  

1 reply

KrisD15
March 25, 2025

Please clarify which years you're referring to. 

Did you pay in 2023 or 2024?

 

Is this what is on your 2024 Form 1098-T

Box 1      20,000

Box 5      81,000

Box 4       4,200

 

Is the 20,000 in Box 1 20,000 ADDITIONAL Paid in 2024 for classes in 2024 or 20,000 that you originally paid? 

 

When you say "back-pay" did it back pay for expenses you paid in the same year or a previous year? 

 

I THINK you're saying you paid in 2023 and the scholarship posted on the 2024 Form 1098-T is including the 20,000 that was reimbursing you for the 20,000 you paid in 2023. 

 

If yes, then was there was another 20,000 tuition for 2024?

Did you get an education credit for tax year 2023? 

 

And what is the 4,200 adjustment for? 

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March 25, 2025

Yes, for 2024, my 1098-T has the following: 

 

Box 1      20,000

Box 5      81,000

Box 4       4,200

 

Box 1 refers to the tuition paid in 2024. However, part of the scholarship funds reported in Box 5 were used to pay my tuition from 2023, another $20,000. So, a total of $40,000 went directly toward tuition from the $80,000 reported in Box 5. 

 

I don't know what the $4,200 adjustment was for. My financial aid office said they can't tell me details on how it is calculated. 

 

I claimed Lifetime Learning credits in 2023. 

 

Thank you for your help! 

KrisD15
March 25, 2025

Ok, so of the 81,000 20,000 went for 2023 tuition and 20,000 for 2024 tuition. 

Did you only have 20,000 2023 tuition? 

Are there additional expenses like books and supplies for 2023 and also for 2024? 

 

Do you know how much expenses you had for the lifetime learning credit? 

You can look at your 2023 Form 8863 Part II line 10 

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