1098-T: Should I include additional tuition expenses not listed in Box 1 when there's an adjustment amount in Box 10?

The 1098-T can definitely be confusing, especially with blank boxes! You're right to question this. When Box 1 is blank but you paid qualified education expenses, you can (and should) still claim those expenses on your tax return if you're eligible for education credits. The 1098-T is just an information form - it doesn't limit what you can claim if you have documentation of your actual payments. For your situation, you would report the $15,750 you actually paid for tuition. The $1,800 for required course materials and lab fees can also be included as qualified education expenses if they were required for enrollment. Regarding Box 10 ($2,300), this represents a reduction in tuition because you withdrew from a class. You should subtract this amount from your qualified expenses since you didn't ultimately pay for that portion of your education. So your calculation would be: $15,750 (tuition) + $1,800 (required materials) - $2,300 (adjustment in Box 10) = $15,250 total qualified expenses. Don't forget to also factor in the $22,000 in scholarships/grants from Box 5, as these reduce your qualified expenses for tax credit purposes.

I went through this exact same situation last year with my 1098-T having blank boxes and a big scholarship amount. After hours of research and frustration, I found https://taxr.ai which literally saved me thousands in education credits. They have this document analysis feature where you upload your 1098-T and other tuition statements, and it actually tells you exactly what you can claim and how to handle scholarships vs expenses. It even flagged that some of my lab fees qualified as education expenses when TurboTax didn't catch that. The system showed me how to correctly calculate which portion of my scholarship was taxable and which wasn't. Helped me avoid a mistake that would have cost me a $1500 credit!

Just wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai that someone mentioned above. I was skeptical at first (sorry about that!), but I gave it a try with my complicated scholarship/tuition situation and it was legitimately helpful. I uploaded my 1098-T, bursar statements, and scholarship letter. The analysis showed that I was eligible for the Lifetime Learning Credit even with my scholarship amount, which I didn't realize. The system explained exactly how much of my scholarship should be allocated to qualified vs non-qualified expenses, which affected how much was taxable. Just by correctly categorizing my expenses and scholarship amounts, I ended up with an extra $400 credit I would have missed. Definitely worth checking out if you're dealing with education tax forms.

If you're having trouble understanding how to handle your 1098-T, you might need to talk directly with the IRS for clarification. I tried calling them 6 times last year about this exact issue and couldn't get through until I found https://claimyr.com which got me through to an IRS agent in about 15 minutes (there's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c). I was close to just guessing on my education credits, but the IRS agent I spoke with actually walked me through exactly how to handle the situation with blank boxes on my 1098-T and excessive scholarship amounts. They confirmed I needed to report part of my scholarship as income and helped me calculate the correct amount. Honestly, I was really surprised at how helpful they were once I actually got through to someone. Definitely better than guessing or relying on internet advice for something this specific to your situation.

Well I owe everyone an apology. After complaining about the Claimyr service, I decided to try it out of desperation since I was completely stuck on how to handle my 1098-T with a partial year withdrawal. The service actually worked exactly as described. I got a call back in about 20 minutes, got connected to an IRS agent, and got my questions answered in detail. The agent confirmed I needed to reduce my qualified education expenses by the amount in Box 10, and explained how to handle the taxable portion of my scholarship. They even sent me to the transcript department when I had a question about my previous year's return where I might have made a mistake with education credits. Saved me from potentially filing an incorrect return again. Never thought I'd say this, but the call was actually worth it!

To add my 2 cents on the 1098-T issue - my university bursar's office was actually super helpful with explaining what should go where on my tax forms. Have you tried calling your school's financial office? They produce the 1098-T forms and can often explain why certain boxes are blank and give you the exact amount you paid for qualified expenses. My school even had a special tax hotline during tax season to help students with these exact questions. They can't give tax advice, but they can tell you exactly what your payment history was and what entries on your 1098-T mean.

Don't forget that you might need to file Form 8863 for education credits! I made this mistake my first year of grad school and missed out on credits I could have claimed.

I've been through this exact situation with my 1098-T having blank boxes! One thing that really helped me was keeping detailed records of all my payments throughout the year. I created a simple spreadsheet with dates, amounts, and what each payment was for (tuition, fees, books, etc.). For your situation, definitely contact your school's financial aid office or bursar like others suggested. They can provide a detailed account statement showing exactly what you paid and when. This documentation will be crucial if you ever get audited. Also, just a heads up - since you're in grad school, you'll likely only be eligible for the Lifetime Learning Credit (up to $2,000) rather than the American Opportunity Credit. The LLC has different rules but can still provide significant savings. Make sure to keep receipts for those required course materials and lab fees too. The IRS considers these qualified expenses if they're required for enrollment, but you'll want documentation to back up your claims.