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June 3, 2019
Question

Do you have to enter 1098-T and 1099-Q if you paid tuition with 529 distributions and therefore, I don't believe you can take Tuition tax credits?

  • June 3, 2019
  • 4 replies
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My son's  tuition was paid by two 529 distributions in 2017, one from my mom's account for him and one from my account for him.  I entered all the 1098-T info and my 1099-q into my return on turbo tax and my mom's 1099-q info on her return.  My mom's return in fine but on mine, Turbo Tax is giving me the American Opportunity credit for $2500, which I'm not sure I am entitled to since the 529 distributions cover the tuition 100%.  How do I enter correctly?  Am I missing something?

4 replies

PopeyeTheSalior
Employee
June 3, 2019
Are the 1099-Q reported in your son's name and SSN?  Are you claiming your son as your dependent?
dmactaxAuthor
June 3, 2019
Thank you for your prompt response. The 1099-Q is reported in my name and SSn and my mom's name and SSN as the owner of the 529s
dmactaxAuthor
June 3, 2019
and yes I am claiming my son as a dependent
Hal_Al
Employee
June 3, 2019

TurboTax is doing it correctly.  At least, the part about giving you the  American Opportunity credit for $2500. That may result in some of your 1099-Q being taxable. It's best explained by example. 

 

Total qualified expenses (including room & board) less amounts paid by scholarship less amounts used to claim the Tuition credit equals the amount you can use to claim the earnings exclusion on the 1099-Q. 
Example:
  $10,000 in educational expenses(including room & board)

   -$3000 paid by tax free scholarship***

   -$4000 used to claim the American Opportunity credit

 =$3000 Can be used against the 1099-Q 

 

Box 1 of the 1099-Q is $5000

Box 2 is $600

3000/5000=60% of the earnings are tax free

60%x600= $360

You have $240 of taxable income (600-360)

Full explanation follows.

 

For 529 plans, there is an “owner” (usually the parent), and a “beneficiary” (usually the student dependent). The "recipient" of the distribution can be either the owner or the beneficiary depending on who the money was sent to. When the money goes directly from the Qualified Tuition Plan (QTP) to the school, the student is the "recipient". The distribution will be reported on IRS form 1099-Q. 
The 1099-Q gets reported on the recipient's return.** The recipient's name & SS# will be on the 1099-Q.
Even though the 1099-Q is going on the student's return, the 1098-T should go on the parent's return, so you can claim the education credit. You can do this because he is your dependent.

You can and should claim the tuition credit before claiming the 529 plan earnings exclusion. The educational expenses he claims for the 1099-Q should be reduced by the amount of educational expenses you claim for the credit.
But be aware, you can not double dip. You cannot count the same tuition money, for the tuition credit,  that gets him an exclusion from the taxability of the earnings (interest) on the QTP. Since the credit is more generous; use as much of the tuition as is needed for the credit and the rest for the interest exclusion. Another special rule allows you to claim the tuition credit even though it was "his" money that paid the tuition.
In addition, there is another rule that says the 10% penalty is waived if he was unable to cover the 529 plan withdrawal with educational expenses either because he got scholarships or the expenses were used (by him or the parents) to claim the credits. He'll have to pay tax on the earnings, at his lower tax rate (subject to the “kiddie tax”), but not the penalty.

**Alternatively; you can just not report the 1099-Q, at all, if your student-beneficiary has sufficient educational expenses, including room & board (even if he lives at home) to cover the distribution. You would still have to do the math to see if there were enough expenses left over for you to claim the tuition credit. Again, you cannot double dip!  When the box 1 amount on form 1099-Q is fully covered by expenses, TurboTax will enter nothing about the 1099-Q on the actual tax forms. It will prepare a 1099-Q worksheet for your records, in case of an IRS inquiry.

***Another alternative is have the student report some of his scholarship as taxable income, to free up some expenses for the 1099-Q and/or tuition credit.

 

 

 

dmactaxAuthor
June 3, 2019
Thank you for your very detailed answer.  I think this would be more straight forward if I had paid the entire amount of his tuition from my 529.  Does the fact that my mom's 529 paid the other half of his tuition come into play?  She received a 1099-Q and I entered it on her taxes.  Should that be on my taxes instead since my son is the beneficiary?