Can I claim IT Help Desk Coursera certificate expenses and new computer on my taxes without a 1098-T?

The key question here is whether your program qualifies for education tax benefits. There are two main education credits - the American Opportunity Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit. For the Lifetime Learning Credit (which is more likely to apply to certificate programs), you don't necessarily need a 1098-T, though it certainly helps document your expenses. The course must be at an eligible educational institution and be part of a program that can help you acquire or improve job skills. Your computer purchase might qualify as a related expense if it's needed for the course, but there are limitations. The IRS generally considers computers as qualified expenses only when they're required for enrollment or attendance. Keep detailed records of all your payments to Coursera and documentation showing the computer was required for your coursework. You'll need these if you claim the expenses and are audited later.

I was in a similar situation last year with an online coding bootcamp and was really confused about tax deductions. I ended up using taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) to figure out what I could claim. Their system analyzed my course documentation and receipts, then gave me a detailed report on exactly what qualified for the Lifetime Learning Credit. The coolest part was that it helped me understand that while the bootcamp didn't issue a 1098-T, I could still document and claim the expenses properly. I was able to claim about 20% of my expenses including some of my computer costs since the course specifically required certain hardware specifications.

Just wanted to follow up and say I tried taxr.ai after reading about it here! It was super helpful for my situation. I'm taking UX design courses that don't provide 1098-Ts either, and I was able to upload my course syllabus, computer specs requirement document, and all my payment receipts. The tool confirmed that my specific program does qualify for the Lifetime Learning Credit and gave me a detailed breakdown of which expenses I can include. It even created a documentation package that I can keep with my tax records in case of an audit. Turns out I can claim about $2,400 in qualified expenses between the course fees and required tech purchases!

If you need to talk to the IRS about education credits (which can be confusing), I'd recommend using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I spent days trying to get through to the IRS on my own to get clarity about my education expenses and kept hitting dead ends with the automated system. With Claimyr, I got connected to an actual IRS agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours or getting disconnected. The agent walked me through exactly what documentation I needed for my online courses even without the 1098-T. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c Seriously saved me so much frustration and I got definitive answers straight from the IRS.

Well I need to eat my words. I tried Claimyr yesterday after posting my skeptical comment. I was literally connected to an IRS agent in 15 minutes when I'd been trying for weeks on my own. I asked specifically about claiming expenses for online IT courses without a 1098-T, and the agent was super helpful. She confirmed that I could claim the Lifetime Learning Credit if the program helps improve job skills (which IT definitely does), even without the form. She recommended keeping all receipts, course descriptions showing job relevance, and any requirements documentation for the computer purchase. Saved me hours of frustration and now I actually have clear guidance directly from the IRS. Definitely worth it.

I was in a similar situation with online courses and found out that if coursera partners with an actual accredited college for your certificate, you might be able to get a 1098-T directly from that college. Worth checking if your specific program has a university partner! Also, make sure you're keeping detailed records of the computer specs required by your program. You'll need to prove it wasn't just a personal upgrade but actually required for the coursework.

Has anyone actually successfully claimed the Lifetime Learning Credit for Coursera courses before? I tried last year with TurboTax and it kept asking for a 1098-T which I didn't have. Ended up not claiming anything because I was worried about triggering an audit.

I actually went through this exact situation last year with my Coursera IT certificate! Here's what I learned: You absolutely can claim these expenses without a 1098-T. The key is documenting everything properly. I kept screenshots of my course enrollment showing the required computer specs, all my monthly payment receipts from Coursera, and the computer purchase receipt with a note explaining why it was needed for the course. For the Lifetime Learning Credit, what matters is that the course helps you acquire or improve job skills - which IT Help Desk training definitely does. The computer counts as a qualified expense if it's required for the course (not just convenient). I ended up claiming about $1,800 total between the course fees and my laptop. No audit issues, got the credit approved. Just make sure you can show the computer was actually required, not just a personal upgrade you wanted to make anyway. The IRS doesn't require a 1098-T for the Lifetime Learning Credit - they just want proof you paid qualified educational expenses. Keep those receipts organized and you should be fine!