I only have a 1098-T - How to file taxes as a full-time student with no employment income?

Even without employment income, you should still consider filing a tax return if you have a 1098-T. The 1098-T form shows what you paid for qualified education expenses and might make you eligible for education tax credits like the American Opportunity Credit (up to $2,500) or the Lifetime Learning Credit (up to $2,000). If you had absolutely no income for the year, you're typically not required to file. However, filing might still benefit you if you're eligible for refundable credits like the American Opportunity Credit, where you could receive up to $1,000 as a refund even with zero tax liability. To file, you'll need your 1098-T and records of any educational expenses not shown on the form (books, supplies, equipment required for courses). You should also verify if you're being claimed as a dependent on someone else's return, as this affects which credits you can claim.

I was in the same situation last year - full time student with only a 1098-T. I tried figuring it out myself but kept going in circles with all the different education credits and requirements. I eventually used https://taxr.ai to analyze my 1098-T and other education expenses. It really simplified things by explaining exactly what I could claim and how to report everything properly. The best part was it clarified that I actually qualified for a partial refund through the American Opportunity Credit even though I had no income!

Just wanted to follow up! I tried https://taxr.ai after seeing the recommendation here and I'm glad I did! Turns out even though I had zero income, I was eligible for $892 back from the refundable portion of the American Opportunity Credit. The system walked me through exactly which expenses qualified beyond what was on my 1098-T (like my textbooks and required course materials). I wouldn't have known to file at all without this advice, so thanks everyone!!

If you're having trouble figuring out if you qualify for education credits with your 1098-T, you might want to call the IRS directly and ask. But good luck getting through! I tried calling for weeks about my education credits last year - constant busy signals and disconnects. Then I found https://claimyr.com that got me connected to an actual IRS agent in under 20 minutes. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c. The agent walked me through exactly what I needed to do with my 1098-T as a student with no other income. Saved me so much stress!

I need to eat my words. After being completely skeptical about Claimyr, I tried it yesterday because I was desperate to get answers about my education credits and 1098-T situation. The service actually worked exactly as described - got a call back in about 15 minutes and was connected to an IRS agent who could see my account. The agent confirmed I should file even with no income to claim the refundable portion of the AOTC and explained exactly which boxes on my 1098-T mattered for the calculation. Definitely saved me from leaving money on the table!

Don't forget to check if you had any scholarships or grants that might be partially taxable! If your scholarships/grants exceeded your qualified tuition and fees, the excess could actually be considered taxable income even if you didn't have a job. This happened to me - I thought I didn't need to file but actually had taxable scholarship income.

Has anyone used the free IRS File Free option with just a 1098-T? Is it straightforward or should I just pay for TurboTax to make sure I get all the education credits right?

One important thing to keep in mind - even if you decide not to file because you have no income requirement, you should still keep all your education-related receipts and documents! If your parents are claiming you as a dependent, they'll need your 1098-T and any additional qualified education expenses (like required textbooks, lab fees, etc.) to maximize their education credits on their return. The credits can be worth up to $2,500 with the American Opportunity Credit, so make sure someone in your family is claiming them. Also, if you're not sure about your dependency status, have an honest conversation with your parents about it - sometimes students qualify to file independently even when parents assume they can claim them.