Are tuition fees automatically carried over if they can be?

[lnburt]

I thought I should be able to carry over tuition fees to 2021, but the program is claiming the full amount for this year.

[NazMusthafa]

Thank you for using TurboTax. 

Yes, if you do not wish to use your current year's tuition credits, then they will be carried forward for you to use when needed.

As per CRA : 

You can carry forward your current year’s unused federal tuition fees (that you did not transfer) to claim in a future year, and any unused tuition, education, and textbook amounts carried forward from years prior to 2020, that you cannot use this year. To calculate the amount you are carrying forward, you have to file an Income Tax and Benefit Return and fill out federal Schedule 11or by selecting Tuition Fees Carryforward in the Student section of TurboTax. They’ll more than likely be able to use the tax credit once they start working full-time and earning more money. They have to claim the carry forward amount in the first year that they have to pay income tax and CRA will apply this amount automatically when needed.

**Note: 

If you carry forward an amount, you will not be able to transfer that amount to anyone in the future.

Depending on your province or territory of residence, you may have to fill out provincial or territorial Schedule (S11) to calculate your provincial or territorial transfer or carry-forward amounts. Attach the applicable schedules to your return.

For more information please click: Understanding Tuition Tax Credits

If you need any further clarifications, we would be glad to guide you through.

[paul b2]

This has been an ongoing issue for me in trying to carry forward my daughter's unused tuition credits.  Last year I was not able to find a way to do that using the TurboTax software.  TurboTax only allows the tuition credits listed to be claimed for that year, not carried forward.  So my daughter ended up claiming over $23,000 worth of unused tuition credits, even though I sent the TurboTax return to CRA in hard copy along with a letter requesting that those unused tuition credits be carried over rather than claimed.  That didn't work.

I have spoken to three different TurboTax product specialists in the past week and none of them have been able to help me carry those tuition credits forward.  They are not required to reduce my daughter's income tax payable; she is already in line for a $6000 refund.  So what CRA has advised me to do is submit the return through TurboTax and then follow up with a request to have that return adjusted.  It's frustrating, however, to have to go through that step because of a glitch in the TurboTax software that doesn't allow those tuition credits to be carried forward in the first place.  

[TurboTaxBrenda]

TurboTax calculates how much of the tuition credit needs to be used for the student's tax return and the difference is automatically carried forward. 

Can you please let us know which TurboTax you are using if it is the Online version or CD/Desktop?

[Ettenaj1973]

Hi, I have a problem in transferring or to carry over my daughter's tuition for next year. She had unused tuition from 2022 about 6700 cad and now has to claimed around 4500 cad for her tuition for 2023. She is now working fulltime and we tried not to claim all her tuition for 2023 tax but turbo tax does not automatically carry over the rest of the tuition for next year tax. We are allowed to claim 5000 of her tuition for year 2023. What we need to do? we are using Tubo Tax  deluxe online edition. Please advise.

[TurboTaxGinette]

Any tuition which is not used this year is automatically carried forward by the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Every year after that the CRA will automatically apply some of the carry-forward amount from prior years to reduce the student's tax payable to zero until there is no more carry-forward amount to use. You can verify this amount in their CRA MyAccount.

Thank you for choosing TurboTax.

[paul b2]

This is correct with regard to Revenue Canada's practices, but in my very frustrating experience with TurboTax I have been unable to carry forward tuition credits even though they were not needed to reduce my daughter's tax payable.  Last year she had to claim $23,000 worth of tuition credits because TurboTax would not allow me to carry them forward, and I am running into the same problem this year with the remainder of her credits, which she would like to carry forward but with TurboTax will not allow me to do.  I have spoken with five TurboTax account experts, as well as Revenue Canada, but we have been unable to resolve this problem.  The only thing I can do is submit the income tax return with its error in this regard and send in a request for adjustment to Revenue Canada to reverse the TurboTax insistence on claiming those credits rather than carrying them forward.

[Ettenaj1973]

Where can I get that adjusment form? Thank you in advance.

[TurboTaxSusan]

@Ettenaj1973 You can Submit adjustment requests electronically using Change my Return in My Account, or mail in a paper Form T1-ADJ, T1 Adjustment Request to the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA).

[tamarammmmm]

I am trying to carry forward tuition credits and Turbo Tax is using them when I am already getting a refund? How can I change this?