All Family and education posts

How much of my child's or spouse's unused tuition credits can be transferred to me?

TurboTax Support — Mon, 11 Jul 2022 23:34:38 GMT

Students may transfer a maximum of $5,000 of the current year’s federal tuition amount minus how much they need to reduce their federal tax owing to zero. Depending on the province or territory’s tuition, education and textbook credits, students may also transfer the province’s maximum amount minus the amount they need to reduce their provincial tax owing to zero. For more information, visit the Provincial and territorial tax and credits for individuals page. Example Blake has $6,000 in tuition credits this year and only needs $2,000 to reduce tax owing to zero. Blake wants to transfer a portion of the leftover tuition credits to a parent. We can arrive at Blake's eligible transfer amount using the following formula: $5,000 (maximum amount eligible for transfer) - $2,000 (the amount Blake needs to reduce tax owing to zero) = $3,000 Blake has left to transfer to a parent. Students must claim their tuition amounts and reduce their own tax payable to zero before they may transfer any leftover credits to an eligible recipient. Once they have claimed their tuition fees, TurboTax will let them know how much of their leftover current-year credits can be transferred to someone else. Who can the leftover credits be transferred to? If you are the student’s spouse or partner, or the stud...

I'm separated or divorced, so why am I being asked for information about my former spouse/partner?

TurboTax Support — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 14:43:03 GMT

If your marital status changed from married or common-law to separated or divorced during the tax year: You’re still required to enter some information about your former spouse to complete your return and assess your eligibility for certain credits. The change may not affect your bottom line, but it’s required to complete your return. If you didn’t separate or get divorced during the tax year: Complete the following instructions and TurboTax won’t ask you questions about your spouse. Instructions for TurboTax Online Select Find (or the magnifying glass icon). Enter marital status in the Find window. Select Marital Status from the list of results, and then select Go. Select the answer to On December 31, 20xx, you were (where 20xx is the tax year). Select No where it says Did you separate from your spouse/partner in 20xx? (where 20xx is the tax year). Select Continue. Instructions for TurboTax CD/Download Select Find (or the magnifying glass icon). Enter marital status in the Find window. Select Marital status changes since December 31 from the list of results, and then select Go. Select No in answer to the question Did you marry, become common-law, divorce, become widowed, or separate from your spouse or common-law partner since December 31, 20xx? (where 20xx is the year before...

Where do I enter adoption expenses?

TurboTax Support — Thu, 17 Mar 2022 21:06:37 GMT

Adoption expenses are a dependant credit. You claim them by adding your adopted child as a dependant on your tax return and then entering the adoption expenses in the Deductions section of TurboTax. Before you begin, add the adopted child to your tax return as a dependant and ensure that you can claim eligible adoption expenses this year. Instructions for TurboTax Online Select Find from the menu and enter claims for dependants Select the search result, then select Go Answer Yes to the question Would you like to review or claim any of these credits? and select Continue Choose the child for whom you have adoption expenses and select Enter Credit Info Select the checkbox for Adoption expenses, then select Continue to enter your eligible expenses Instructions for TurboTax CD/Download Select Find from the menu and enter claims for dependants Select the search result, then select Go Answer Yes to the question Would you like to review or claim any of these credits? and select Continue Choose the child for whom you have adoption expenses and select Enter Dependant Credits Select the checkbox for Adoption expenses, then select Continue to enter your eligible expenses Related information Who can I claim as a dependant? How do I enter dependants in TurboTax Online? How do I enter depend...

How do I change my answer to the UCCB (RC62) designation question in TurboTax Online?

TurboTax Support — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 21:41:49 GMT

As of 2016, the Canada Child Benefit (CCB) replaced the Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB). Taxpayers no longer receive UCCB payments unless they were owed amounts from previous years. Before following the steps below, first enter your information into TurboTax until the Find button appears in the menu. Select Find from the menu and enter universal Select Universal Child Care Benefit from the results, then select Go Answer the question Do you elect to include UCCB amounts in the income of the eligible dependant or child? and then select Done With UCCB

How do I enter my Home Buyers' Plan repayment information in TurboTax?

TurboTax Support — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 14:57:29 GMT

Follow the relevant instructions here to enter your Home Buyers' Plan repayment information into TurboTax. Before beginning, enter your RRSP contributions in TurboTax if you haven’t done so already. Instructions for TurboTax Online Select Find (or the magnifying glass icon) from the menu. Type home buyers in the Find window. Select Home Buyers Plan from the list of results, then select Go. The Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) Profile step appears. Select Designate an amount as a Home Buyers’ Plan repayment, then select Continue. The Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) step appears. Follow the on-screen instructions, then select Continue. You’ve successfully entered your Home Buyers’ Plan repayment information. To see a summary, continue until you reach the Here’s your RRSP/PRPP summary step. Instructions for TurboTax CD/Download Select Find (or the magnifying glass icon) from the menu. Type home buyers in the Find window. Select Home Buyers Plan from the list of results, then select Go. The Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) Profile step appears. Select Designate an amount as a Home Buyers’ Plan repayment, then select Continue. The Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) step appears. Follow the on-screen instructions, then select Continue. The Details of the Home Buyers’ Plan (HBP) Repayment step appears. Follow the on-scr...

How do I enter dependants in TurboTax CD/Download?

TurboTax Support — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 21:09:40 GMT

When you start a new return, TurboTax will ask Do you have children or financially support another person? in the INTRODUCTION section of your return. Information about your dependants (like their birthdate, their relationship to you, and their income) is used to determine your eligibility for certain credits and deductions, so be sure to enter this info accurately. To jump back to this step in your TurboTax return: Select Find from the menu and enter dependants Select Dependants from the list, then select Go If you've already entered one or more dependants, skip to Step 6. If not, answer Yes to the question Do you have children or financially support another person?, then select Continue Select Continue on the dependant transfer step Enter your dependant's information and select Continue On the Dependants Summary, select Enter New Dependant or Done With Dependants, as applicable Important: You can't claim your spouse or common-law partner as a dependant, even if they have no income. Related information Who can I claim as a dependant? What is the amount for an eligible dependant? What is the disability amount transferred from a dependant?

How do I enter dependants in TurboTax Online?

TurboTax Support — Mon, 31 Jan 2022 21:05:43 GMT

When you start a new return, TurboTax will ask Do you have children or financially support another person? in the Intro section of your return. Info about your dependants (like their birth date, their relationship to you, and their income) is used to determine your eligibility for certain credits and deductions, so be sure to enter this info accurately. To jump back to this step in your TurboTax return: Select Find from the menu In the Find window, enter dependants and select Go Answer Yes to the question Do you have children or financially support another person? Complete the Tell us about your dependant(s) section Select Continue Important: You can't claim your spouse or common-law partner as a dependant, even if they have no income. Related information Who can I claim as a dependant? Can I claim my spouse or common-law partner as my dependant? What is the amount for an eligible dependant? How do I enter dependants in TurboTax CD/Download?

How do I transfer my unused tuition credits to someone else?

TurboTax Support — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 20:32:48 GMT

In order to transfer your unused tuition credits to someone else, you'll first need to inform them of the precise amount(s) so that they can claim them on their own tax return. The first step is to enter your income information into TurboTax, then claim your tuition fees. TurboTax will then automatically calculate the maximum amount of credits you may transfer to another party. Follow the applicable steps below to transfer your unused tuition credits in TurboTax: Instructions for TurboTax Online Select Find from the menu, then enter students into the search bar Select Students from the search results, then select Go. The Your Student Profile screen appears Select Transfer of tuition and education to a spouse, parent or grandparent, then select Continue. The Let’s get you some tax breaks for going to school! screen appears Select Done with Tuition Fees. Proceed through your return until the Transfer Tuition and Education (Federal) screen appears Follow the on-screen instructions to enter the unused amount of federal tuition you want to transfer, then select Continue If you live in a province that allows provincial tuition credits, you'll be prompted to enter those amounts next Instructions for TurboTax CD/Download Select Find from the menu, then enter students into the search b...

How do I report student loans or a student line of credit?

TurboTax Support — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 18:16:00 GMT

Before you begin entering amounts for students loans or lines of credit into your tax return, it's important to understand that these amounts aren't considered income. As such, you can't claim these amounts in total. However, you can claim the interest paid on a student loan as a deduction to help lower your tax balance owing. Once your tax owing is reduced to zero, any leftover interest you paid can be carried forward to future tax years (for up to five years). You may only claim the interest paid on your student loans, even if someone else paid the fees. Any interest paid on a student line of credit can't be claimed. To claim interest paid on a student loan: Select Find (or the magnifying glass icon) from the TurboTax menu In the Find window, type Students and choose it from the list On the Your Student Profile step, select Student loan interest and then Continue On the Student Loan Interest step, enter your interest amounts Related information What tuition, education, and other expenses can a student claim? Can I file for free if I’m 25 or under?

As a student, what deductions, credits, and expenses can I claim on my tax return?

TurboTax Support — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 14:11:54 GMT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZvijuEpUHc As a student, you might be able to claim a variety of credits and expenses on your tax return. The above video helps to highlight some of the best practices we recommend when filing your return as a student, and we've also compiled a list of common credits, expenses, and exemptions for you below. Note: If you're 25 or under, file your 2021 return for free this year with TurboTax Online. Tuition tax credit Claim this federal credit if you paid $100 or more in tuition for courses you took at a post-secondary educational institution and for occupational skills courses you took at a designated educational institution. Provincial education tax credit Claim the provincial education credit if your province of residence is: Manitoba, Prince Edward Island, Nunavut, Northwest Territories, Newfoundland and Labrador, or Nova Scotia Alberta: This credit was last available in tax year 2019. Unused amounts from 2019 or prior can still be claimed in later tax years British Columbia: This credit was last available in tax year 2018. Unused amounts from 2018 or prior can still be claimed in later tax years You need a completed T2202A or TL11 form to claim the credit. Scholarship exemption While scholarships and other academic awards are considered taxa...

How do I transfer child care expenses to the spouse or common-law partner with the higher net income?

TurboTax Support — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 19:52:57 GMT

The CRA normally requires child care expenses to be claimed by the spouse or common-law partner with the lower net income. But, the spouse or common-law partner with the higher net income may claim the expenses if one or more of the following conditions is met during the tax year: The supporting person with the lower net income attended school part-time or full-time The supporting person with the lower net income was incapable of caring for children because of a mental or physical infirmity The supporting person with the lower net income was in prison for at least two weeks You were separated from your spouse or common-law partner for at least 90 days due to a breakdown in your relationship To claim child care expenses on the return of the spouse with the higher net income, follow the steps below. Instructions for TurboTax Online If you’re preparing your returns together, enter your spouse’s information in the Introduction/Profile section of the interview. If you’re preparing your returns separately, enter your spouse’s information in the Introduction section of the interview, at [Name], info about your spouse or partner. Under Dependants information in the Introduction section of the interview, answer Yes to the question Do you have children or financially support another pe...

Why aren't my child care expenses being calculated on my return?

TurboTax Support — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 20:24:03 GMT

When claiming child care expenses on your tax return, TurboTax automatically attributes these expenses to the spouse with the lower net income, as required by the CRA (when filing a joint return). The income section for both spouses will need to be completed before claiming child care expenses. However, the spouse with the higher net income can claim the expenses if the spouse with the lower net income met one or more of the CRA’s exceptions during the tax year. Child care expenses will also not be calculated on your return if either your balance owing or income is $0, since child care expenses are nonrefundable and accompanied by income caps (two-thirds of your earned income, in most cases). Related information How do I transfer child care expenses to the spouse or common-law partner with the higher net income?

Who can claim the tax credit for an eligible dependant?

TurboTax Support — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 22:04:35 GMT

You may be able to claim the amount for an eligible dependant if you met all of the following criteria at the same time during the tax year: You didn't live with a spouse or common-law partner You didn't financially support or receive financial support from a spouse or common-law partner You supported a dependant who was one of the following, and Your parent or grandparent by blood, marriage, common-law partnership, or adoption, or Your child, grandchild, or sibling by blood, marriage, common-law partnership or adoption and under 18 years of age. If the dependant was older than 18, they must have had an impairment in physical or mental functions. Your dependant lived with you in a home that you maintained (in most cases in Canada). You cannot claim this amount for someone who was only visiting you. You can claim this amount for the full year, even if you met the eligibility criteria for only part of the year. The amount for an eligible dependant can't be split between two parents. Once you claim this amount for a dependant, no one else is allowed to claim this amount for that dependant, or the amount for an infirm dependant for the same dependant. You can't make the claim if any of the following conditions apply, even if you meet all the eligibility requirements: You’re claimi...

How do I claim my tuition fees?

TurboTax Support — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 15:20:26 GMT

The process of claiming tuition fees can vary, depending on the province in which you live and the version of TurboTax you're using. The following guide is a great point of reference when determining and claiming tuition fees on your tax return. For 2017 and later tax years, the federal education and textbook amounts have been eliminated. However, if you have unused federal education and textbook amounts from prior years, you can still carry them forward to your 2017 and future returns. For 2016 and prior tax years, the federal education and textbook credit is calculated based on the number of full-time or part-time months you were in school, as reported on your T2202A or TL11 slips. When you enter your T2202A or TL11 slips to claim the tuition amount, TurboTax automatically claims the federal education and textbook credit. Note: If you have tuition amounts in a different currency (such as USD), you'll follow different instructions to claim tuition for schools outside Canada. Instructions for TurboTax Online If you live outside Québec: Select Find from the menu and enter students Select Students from the list of results, and then select Go. The Your Student Profile step appears Select Tuition fees on a receipt, T2202, or TL11, and then select Continue. The Let’s get you some t...

Frequently asked questions about transferring and carrying forward tuition and education amounts

TurboTax Support — Wed, 02 Feb 2022 16:28:39 GMT

The CRA requires that a student claim any of their tuition fees on their own return first, regardless of who paid them. Once the student’s tax owing is reduced to zero, they can then transfer leftover amounts to their spouse/partner, parent or grandparent, or to their spouse’s parent or grandparent. For answers to other commonly asked questions regarding tuition transfers, please refer to the list below: Does a student have to transfer their unused tuition amounts? No. The student can choose to carry forward the unused amounts and claim them in a future year, or transfer some of the unused amounts and carry forward the rest. What are the benefits of transferring your unused tuition amounts over, versus carrying them forward? Transferring unused amounts to someone in your family helps that person lower their balance owing. On the other hand, any amounts the student doesn’t transfer can be carried forward to reduce the student’s balance owing in the future. Can a student split their tuition amount when transferring between parents? No. Only one person can receive the transfer. If the student is transferring their provincial amount as well as their federal amount, the same person must receive both transfers. Students don’t have to transfer to the same person every year. Should a ...

How do I add (or remove) the amount for an eligible dependant from my tax return?

TurboTax Support — Fri, 18 Mar 2022 23:08:53 GMT

You may be able to claim the amount for an eligible dependant if, at any time in the tax year, you met all of the following conditions at once: You didn't have a spouse or common-law partner or, if you did, you weren't living with, supporting, or being supported by that person You supported a dependant You lived with the dependant (in most cases in Canada) in a home you maintained. You can't claim this amount for a person who was only visiting you In addition, at the time you met the above conditions, the dependant must also have been either: Your parent or grandparent by blood, marriage, common-law partnership, or adoption Your child, grandchild, brother, or sister, by blood, marriage, common-law partnership, or adoption and under 18 years of age, or had an impairment in physical or mental functions Add this credit in TurboTax Online Select Find (or the magnifying glass icon) from the menu Enter amount for an eligible dependant, and select Go. The Your children and other dependants screen appears Select Enter Credit Info. The Claim Dependant Credits screen appears If you haven’t already done so, check the box for Amount for an eligible dependant, then select Continue Answer Yes to the question Do you wish to make the claim for the amount for an eligible dependant?, and select...

How do I enter child support payments made or received?

TurboTax Support — Tue, 19 Jul 2022 20:56:03 GMT

Child support payments (whether received or paid), can be entered into TurboTax in various ways. Before entering your information into your return, you should first understand what a child support payment is, and how it applies to you. For more information, visit the Tax treatment of support payment page. These payments are typically made to support a child, as stated in a court order or written agreement. The support payments are not only made to support the recipient, but a specific set of five conditions must also be met in order for a payment to qualify. For more information, visit the support payment page on the CRA website. Entering your payments into TurboTax: Payments received (Income section) Select the icon of the magnifying glass (or Find) in TurboTax. Then type one of the following terms and select Go. Online version: Alimony or Child Support Payments. CD/Download version: Child support paid. Enter your amounts, then select Continue. Payments made (Deductions section) Select the icon of the magnifying glass (or Find) in TurboTax Then type one of the following terms and select Go: Online version: Alimony or Child Support Payments. CD/Download version: Child support paid. Enter your amounts, then select Continue. *Note: If you don’t see the Find button, you may not h...

Can I claim both federal and provincial tuition and education amounts?

TurboTax Support — Thu, 20 Jan 2022 18:39:03 GMT

For residents of most provinces, the CRA allows you to claim both provincial and federal tuition amounts. Since tax year 2017, the federal education and textbook amounts have been discontinued (though unused amounts can still be claimed from previous years). Below is a list of provinces who have either retained or eliminated the tuition and education amounts. Note: All provinces and territories have eliminated the textbook amount. If your province has discontinued other amounts, you're still able to carry them forward from previous years. Provinces that have retained the tuition and education amounts Manitoba Newfoundland and Labrador Nova Scotia Northwest Territories Nunavut Prince Edward Island Quebec Provinces that have eliminated the tuition and education amounts Ontario (as of 2017) Saskatchewan (as of 2017) Alberta: The tuition tax credit for 2020 and later tax years has been eliminated. Credits earned before 2020 can still be claimed. Tuition tax credits for tuition paid until December 31, 2020 were the last eligible claim Provinces that have eliminated the education amount only British Columbia: The education tax credit was discontinued in tax year 2019. However, students can continue to carry forward unused amounts to claim in a future year. The tuition tax credit isn...

Frequently asked questions about tuition and education amounts

TurboTax Support — Tue, 09 Nov 2021 17:31:22 GMT

Student taxes 101: Learn how to maximize your deductions Where can I learn more about tuition and education amounts? What tuition and education expenses can a student claim? What is the education amount? Are contributions to an RESP (Registered Education Savings Plan) tax-deductible? Can I claim both federal and provincial tuition and education amounts? Can I claim tuition to schools outside Canada (e.x., in the US)? I attended school in Québec. How do I claim the amount for full-time post-secondary studies (RL-8)? Claiming Tuition and Other Educational Expenses How do I claim tuition and education expenses? How do I claim my tuition fees? Where do I claim my school textbooks? How do I report student loans or a student line of credit? Where can I learn more about transferring my tuition and education amounts? Frequently asked questions about transferring tuition and education amounts How do I transfer my unused tuition credits? How do I enter tuition transferred from a spouse or child?

What is the education amount?

TurboTax Support — Tue, 12 Jul 2022 00:22:58 GMT

Note: For 2017 and later tax years, the federal education and textbook amounts have been eliminated. However, if you had unused federal tuition, education and textbook amounts from prior years, you can still carry them forward to your 2017 return. The education amount was a tax credit based on the number of months you spent studying full-time or part-time in a qualifying educational program during the tax year. The education amount was $400 per month for every full-time month you were enrolled and $120 per month for every part-time month. The number of months you were a student was shown on the T2202 certificate, T2202A certificate or TL11 slip issued to you by your educational institution. Each month you were a student could only be counted once, even if you were enrolled in two programs that month. If you were eligible for the education amount, you were also eligible for the textbook credit. This credit is $65 for each full-time month and $20 for each part-time month you were enrolled. TurboTax claimed the education and textbook amount automatically when you enter the number of months you were in school. Student taxes 101: Learn how to maximize your deductions