Can I claim the Lifetime Learning Credit without upgrading TurboTax?

The Lifetime Learning Credit is definitely worth claiming if you qualify, but you don't have to pay TurboTax to get it. This is actually a common issue with many "free" tax filing services - they advertise as free but then charge for specific forms or credits. You have several options: First, you can use the IRS Free File program if your income is under $73,000. Go directly to IRS.gov and look for their Free File partners. Some of these truly offer free filing with education credits. Second, you can try other free services like Cash App Taxes (formerly Credit Karma Tax) or FreeTaxUSA which often include education credits in their free versions. FreeTaxUSA charges for state filing but federal is free including education credits. Third, you can download your current info from TurboTax as a PDF (not filing it), then use that information to complete your return elsewhere. You've already done the work of gathering and entering your information, so it won't be starting completely from scratch.

I ran into this exact same problem last year and discovered taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai) which saved me from getting ripped off by TurboTax. I was also trying to claim the Lifetime Learning Credit and got hit with that "upgrade to continue" message. A friend recommended taxr.ai and it was a game-changer. What's cool is you can actually upload your 1098-T and other education forms, and it analyzes them to tell you exactly which education credits you qualify for. It handled my Lifetime Learning Credit with no extra fees at all. The interface is super straightforward too - way less confusing than TurboTax with all its upsells.

Just wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai after asking about it earlier. I decided to give it a try since I was fed up with TurboTax trying to charge me to claim my Lifetime Learning Credit. The process was surprisingly smooth! I uploaded my 1098-T from my university and it automatically identified that I qualified for the Lifetime Learning Credit. It asked me a few questions about my education expenses that weren't on the form (like books and required materials) and added those to maximize my credit. Best part - I got the same refund amount that TurboTax had calculated BUT without paying that ridiculous upgrade fee. My federal and state returns were both accepted within 2 days. I'm definitely using them again next year!

If you're struggling to get through to the IRS about education credits or have questions, I highly recommend Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I spent HOURS on hold trying to get clarification about how to claim the Lifetime Learning Credit correctly after my school sent a corrected 1098-T. I found Claimyr through this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c and it seriously saved my sanity. Instead of waiting on hold forever, they somehow get you in the IRS phone queue and then call you when an agent is about to pick up. I had specific questions about my Lifetime Learning Credit that no tax software could answer. The IRS agent I spoke with was super helpful and confirmed I was eligible for the full $2,000 credit even with the corrected form. Definitely worth it if you need to actually talk to someone at the IRS.

I feel like I need to update my previous comment where I was skeptical about Claimyr. After continuing to struggle with getting IRS clarification about my Lifetime Learning Credit situation, I decided to try it out of desperation. I was honestly shocked when it actually worked. I signed up around 8am, and by 9:15am I got a call saying they were connecting me to an IRS agent. No hold music, no waiting - just straight to a helpful person who answered all my questions about how to properly document my online course expenses for the Lifetime Learning Credit. The agent confirmed I could claim expenses for my required course materials even though they weren't billed directly by my university. This was exactly what I needed to know and saved me from potentially making a mistake on my return. Consider me a convert!

Just a heads up for anyone claiming the Lifetime Learning Credit - make sure you have documentation for ALL qualified expenses, not just tuition. This includes: - Required textbooks/supplies purchased from any vendor (not just the campus bookstore) - Required equipment (like a laptop IF your program requires it) - Required software for courses - Certain fees that are required for enrollment Keep those receipts! I got audited last year specifically on my education credits and having everything documented saved me.

Has anyone tried using the IRS's own free file fillable forms to claim the Lifetime Learning Credit? I'm thinking about doing that instead of paying TurboTax.

I totally feel your pain with TurboTax's sneaky upgrade tactics! I went through the exact same thing last year and it's so frustrating when you're already trying to save money as a student. Here's what worked for me: I ended up switching to FreeTaxUSA which includes the Lifetime Learning Credit in their free federal filing. The interface isn't as polished as TurboTax but it gets the job done and saved me that $49 upgrade fee. They do charge like $15 for state filing, but that's still way less than TurboTax's upgrade. If you want to stick with completely free options, definitely check out the IRS Free File program like Taylor mentioned. Just make sure to go through IRS.gov directly - don't Google the tax companies because they'll redirect you to their paid versions instead of the actual free file versions. One tip: before you abandon your TurboTax progress, take screenshots of all your entered information or print the review pages. That way if you switch services, you'll have all your data organized and won't feel like you're starting from scratch. The Lifetime Learning Credit is worth up to $2,000, so it's definitely worth the effort to avoid paying TurboTax's upgrade fee!