If you or your spouse was over age 18 and attended an eligible college, university, or other higher education institution as a full-time student, you'll need to indicate that status in your return.
Marking someone as a full-time student helps the program apply the correct tax rules. This information may affect eligibility for certain tax benefits, dependency determinations, and other calculations on your return.
Where Do I Enter Full-Time Student Information?
To indicate full-time student status in the software:
- Go to Basic Information
- Select Personal Information
- Choose Additional Personal Information
- Check the Full-Time Student box
Once selected, the software will use this information when determining applicable tax benefits and filing calculations.
Who Qualifies as a Full-Time Student?
Check the Full-Time Student box if all of the following apply:
- The taxpayer or spouse was over age 18
- They were enrolled as a full-time student
- They attended an eligible higher education institution
- They met the school's requirements for full-time enrollment
A student's enrollment status is determined by the school's own definition of full-time attendance.
Why Does Full-Time Student Status Matter?
Reporting full-time student status can affect several areas of your tax return, including:
- Dependency-related rules
- Education-related tax benefits
- Eligibility for certain credits and deductions
- Other tax calculations based on student status
Be sure to enter this information accurately to help ensure your return is calculated correctly.
Additional Tip
If you're unsure whether a school qualifies as an eligible higher education institution or whether the student met the school's full-time enrollment requirements, check with the school's registrar or financial aid office before filing your return.
Summary
If you or your spouse was over age 18 and attended an eligible higher education institution as a full-time student, navigate to Basic Information > Personal Information > Additional Personal Information and check the Full-Time Student box. This helps the software apply the correct tax rules and determine eligibility for education-related benefits and other tax provisions.