I used to work at a college financial aid office and we got this question a lot. Schools are only required to issue 1098-Ts if the student is enrolled in a degree-seeking program. Certificate programs often don't qualify, which is why your community college didn't issue one. Buuut that doesn't mean you can't claim the expenses! For FreeTaxUSA specifically, go to: 1. Credits menu 2. Education section 3. Select "Yes" when asked if you had education expenses 4. When it asks about Form 1098-T, select the option that says your school didn't provide one 5. Enter the school information manually 6. Enter your qualified expenses Then it'll calculate if you qualify for the Lifetime Learning Credit.

Just want to add one more tip for anyone in a similar situation - make sure you understand the income limits for the Lifetime Learning Credit! For 2024, the credit phases out if your modified adjusted gross income is between $80,000-$90,000 (single) or $160,000-$180,000 (married filing jointly). I learned this the hard way when I claimed education expenses but didn't get the full credit because my income was too high. The good news is that even if you don't qualify for the credit, you should still report the expenses on your return - sometimes there are other education-related deductions or benefits you might qualify for instead. Also, keep digital copies of all your receipts and enrollment documentation. I scan everything and store it in a dedicated tax folder on Google Drive so I don't lose important paperwork.

Has anyone actually had their return examined by the IRS after claiming rehab expenses? I'm worried about triggering an audit. My daughter needed treatment and it cost us over $35,000 last year.

I went through this exact situation with my son last year. The rehab costs absolutely qualify as medical expenses under IRS Publication 502, but there are a few important things to keep in mind beyond what others have mentioned. First, make sure the facility provides a detailed breakdown of costs. Some rehab centers include non-medical services like premium room upgrades or recreational activities that aren't deductible. You want documentation showing the medical treatment portion specifically. Second, if your brother is receiving any grants, scholarships, or other financial assistance from the rehab center or outside organizations, those amounts need to be subtracted from what he can claim as a deduction. You can only deduct what you actually pay out of pocket after insurance and any other assistance. Also, timing matters - he can only deduct expenses in the year they're actually paid, not when the services were received. So if he pays in December 2024 but treatment continues into January 2025, only the December payment would be deductible on his 2024 return. The documentation is crucial if the IRS ever questions it. Keep receipts, insurance statements showing what they covered, and especially any letter from a doctor stating the treatment was medically necessary. Most reputable treatment centers are familiar with these requirements and can provide the right paperwork.

I got a K-1 from my deceased father's estate, and it shows negative income in Box 1. Does anyone know how to handle this on my taxes? Do I get to deduct the loss?

Great question! I was in a similar situation when I first got involved with a partnership investment. Just to clarify a few key points that might help: 1) You as the individual partner don't "file" the K-1 - the partnership files Form 1065 and prepares K-1s for each partner 2) You'll receive your K-1 from the food truck partnership (they're required to send it to you by March 15th for calendar year partnerships) 3) You then use the information from your K-1 to complete various parts of your personal Form 1040 - typically Schedule E for ordinary business income/loss 4) There's no income threshold that exempts you from receiving a K-1 if you're a partner One thing to keep in mind with food truck partnerships - make sure you understand whether you're considered an "active" or "passive" partner, as this affects how losses can be deducted. If you're just a silent investor, any losses would be subject to passive activity loss rules. The partnership should handle most of the heavy lifting in terms of calculating your share of income, deductions, and credits. Your main job is making sure you report everything correctly on your personal return when you receive the K-1.

I went through almost the exact same thing two years ago! The panic is totally understandable, but you're going to be okay. The advice about reporting the full 1099 amount on Schedule C and then deducting the overage as an expense is spot on - that's exactly what my CPA had me do. One thing I'd add is to create a simple spreadsheet documenting every payment you actually received from that company. Include dates, amounts, check numbers or transaction IDs, and match them to your bank deposits. This became invaluable when I had to respond to questions later. Also, don't stress too much about the timing. Even if the company doesn't get you a corrected 1099 before the deadline, you can still file correctly using the method everyone's described. I never did get a corrected form and everything worked out fine. The IRS understands these situations happen more often than you'd think. Keep pushing the company for that correction though - send a follow-up email every few days with your documentation attached so they can't claim they don't have the info they need!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now - got a 1099 that's off by about $2,800! Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful. I was panicking about the deadline too, but it sounds like there's a clear path forward even if the company doesn't fix their mistake in time. I'm definitely going to follow the advice about documenting everything in a spreadsheet and keeping all my communication with the company in writing. It's reassuring to see that multiple people have successfully navigated this using the Schedule C approach. One question for those who've been through this - when you listed the correction as an expense on Schedule C, did you put it under "Other expenses" or is there a more specific category that works better? I want to make sure I'm being as clear as possible about what this deduction represents. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is amazing!

Don't ignore this! My cousin had a similar W2 issue last year and thought "whatever, I'll just file without entering that box" - ended up getting audited because the IRS systems automatically flag mismatches between what employers report and what you file. The employer sends a copy of your W2 to the IRS, so they'll know something's missing.

Just wanted to add another perspective here - I'm a former payroll administrator and this type of Box 12a error is more common than you'd think, especially around year-end when companies are rushing to get W2s out. The missing letter code is almost always a simple oversight in the payroll system setup. When you call HR, don't just ask them to "fix it" - be specific that Box 12a contains a dollar amount but is missing the required letter code. This helps them identify the exact issue in their system. Also ask for a timeline on when you can expect the corrected W-2c form, since you'll need it before the filing deadline. One more tip: keep documentation of your request (email is better than a phone call) so you have proof that you contacted them about the error if any questions come up later. Most employers are very cooperative about fixing these mistakes once they understand what went wrong.