Can I deduct tuition paid in 2019 but reported on a 2018 1098T if I did deduct it in 2018?

Forum|Forum|6 years ago
April 23, 2020
1 reply
0 views

My 1098T for 2019 does not include payments I made for the Winter 2019 term during January through March of 2019. The only thing I can find says, "Schools are supposed to give a Form 1098-T to students by Jan. 31 of the calendar year following the tax year in which the expenses were paid.", but my university said my Winter 2019 tuition was included on my 2018 1098T. I did make my first installment payment in December 2018. Can I deduct the payments that were made in 2019 that are not listed on my 2019 1098T? I have receipts for those payments. No deduction was taken by me or anyone on my behalf for tuition in 2018.

Hal_Al

Employee

Yes. But, you may not include the first installment payment made in December 2018.

The 1098-T is only any informational document. The numbers on it are not required to be entered onto your tax return. However receipt of a 1098-T frequently means you are either eligible for a tuition credit or deduction or possibly your student has taxable scholarship income.

If you claim the tuition credit, you do need to report that you got one or that you qualify for an exception (the TurboTax interview will handle this)

You claim the tuition credit, or report scholarship income, based on your own financial records, not the 1098-T. In the 1098-T screen, click on the link "What if this is not what I paid the school" underneath box 1. You will then be able to enter the actual amounts paid.

" No deduction was taken by me or anyone on my behalf for tuition in 2018". You, or your parents, should consider filing an amended 2019 return to claim that.

4stersmiAuthor

Thank you. My parents counted me as a deduction until 2018, but their income was too high to qualify for any education credits.

Carl11_2

Employee

My parents counted me as a deduction until 2018, but their income was too high to qualify for any education credits.

that's fine. But understand their income level has absolutely nothing to do with them qualifying to claim you as a dependent. So if your parent's qualify to claim you as their dependent, it does not matter if they actually claim you or not. YOu still have to select the option for "I can be claimed on someone else's tax return".

Also note the following for your education stuff.

- Schoarships, grants, 529 distributions are claim as taxable income (initially) in the tax year they are received. It "does" "not" "matter" what tax year those funds may have been *for*.

- Qualified education expenses are claimed/deducted in the tax year they are paid. It "does" "not" "matter" what year was paid *for*.