When I enter my eligible tuition fees (From T2202A) it makes me pay money instead of getting tax breaks?

[schmied3]

When I enter my eligible tuition fees (approximately $3,500) and click "Done with Tuition Fees" it says I have to pay $550, I thought I got a tax break for going to school? In previous years I got a credit for paying for school. Even at the top of the screen it reads "Austin, Let’s get you some tax breaks for going to school!"

[TurboTaxSusan]

Did you have income this year?

[schmied3]

Hey yes I did but I also had income last year, I just worked part time for both years while I studied. I'd say roughly 12k in 2017 and 20k in 2018.

[TurboTaxSusan]

The tuition credit is non-refundable, so you only get the credit if you have taxes payable. It will never be used to give you a refund. What may have happened in previous years is that you may have accidentally gotten the Working Income Tax Benefit (WITB). This is a refundable tax credit for people who work, but don’t make very much, and it adds quite a bit to a refund. However, students are usually not eligible for this credit, so when you tell TurboTax that you have tuition, then normally the WITB is removed.

If you did your previous year's taxes with TurboTax, you may want to contact our phone support as they can help you check what was different in your previous year's returns compared to this year: https://turbotax.community.intuit.ca/replies/3152013