Can tuition fees decrease the tax refund you would get?

Yes. It's actually quite common.

What's happening is that your income was low enough that you were assigned the Working Income Tax Benefit. Since students are excluded from this benefit, your tuition slip entry removed the benefit as it should.

It can be tempting to remove your tuition to receive that extra benefit but it's not a good idea. CRA's matching program will eventually discover the missing tuition slip and you'll be required to repay the benefit plus interest. It's just not worth it.

Got it, thanks for the info. With regards to that Benefit, does it matter if I was only in school for 4 months of the year as full time?

Yes. Unfortunately the rule is anything more than 13 weeks.

I had the same question. Thanks. Very helpful.

What if the tuition fees are transferred to a spouse/family member?  Does that make any difference?

No. If you report tuition slips it disqualify you from claiming the CWB even if you transfer or carry forward the amount.

Check this link for more information:

https://turbotax.intuit.ca/tips/understanding-tuition-tax-credits-6549

I hope this was helpful

Heba

Indeed, this is a common occurrence.

Because your income was low enough, you were assigned the Working Income Tax Benefit. However, as students are not eligible for this benefit, your tuition slip entry removed the benefit as it should.

You might be tempted to remove your tuition to receive that extra benefit, but it isn't a good idea. You will have to repay the benefit plus interest once the matching program discovers the missing tuition slip. So, it won't be worth it.

Don't hesitate to contact our phone support team for further assistance or contact us directly on Facebook or Twitter if you require further assistance.

What if tuition was paid for by an RESP?

It doesn't matter how the tuition was paid - full time students don't qualify for the CWB (except in rare circumstances).