<p>My D is a college freshman who received a full tuition scholarship. I know that's not taxable, but she also received outside scholarships which were paid directly to the school and applied to room/board half for fall 2008 and half for spring 2009. These scholarships are not renewable.</p>
<p>D did not file a return last year, and I assume she must file a 2008 return due to above scholarships. She would only file because of these, since she did not have any other income or earnings in 2008. I believe a return must be filed if income is over $3500, and I assume taxable scholarships are counted as income.</p>
<p>In doing the FAFSA we receive "error" notification regarding ques 36 student AGI and ques 39 "additional earnings". Notice says "you reported a total amt from the additional information fields that is high for the other income amounts reported". She can't move forward due to this error.</p>
<p>For question 36 AGI she put down the full amt of the outside scholarships (7000)
For question 46A (scholarship aid reported to IRS in your AGI....), she put 7000. (We know the AGI will not be that amount but do not know how to estimate it and were planning to correct it once her 2008 taxes are done). She has 0 additional earnings (but she tried to plug in 7000 as well, with the same error notification.
Also, question 37 asks what income tax was paid in 2008, and again we have no idea even of an estimate on any taxes to be paid on those monies. </p>
<p>Did she list the scholarship monies wrongly?
Is it possible to list her as "will not file" for now to avoid these questions and glitches and then add her filed info in the corrected FAFSA later once tax returns are done? Or will the system not allow this after indicating "will not file?
Should we just wait and do the final FAFSA later? Her school's deadline is March 2nd. If we don't submit the preliminary now, does she risk not getting aid? We also need to do the Profile, so could that also be delayed?</p>
<p>Thanks for any advice or clarification.</p>
<p>Question 36: s/b the AGI - her total earnings including the taxable scholarships.
Question 39: Income earned from work. If she did not earn any money from work this s/b 0
Question 46*D*: s/b scholarship/ws etc</p>
<p>If you put $7000 in 36 and 39 then you were saying the entire AGI was from income earned through working. Therefore when you put $7000 it flagged as wrong because the $7000 AGI cannot be both $7000 from working and $7000 from scholarships.</p>
<p>The amount before she has to pay taxes is @ $5450 so up to that amount is tax free. The tax on the remaining $1650 should not be too high - the rate is about 10% at that level of income so I would put @ $160</p>
<p>Was the $7,000 for the one semester? If it was $3500 for fall and $3500 for spring and the 2nd $3500 was not paid out until the spring then only the 1st $3500 comes under 2008 taxes. Which will not be enough to require a tax return if there is no other income.</p>
<p>Make sure you have 0 in field 39-- that's for income from work. Try clearing that field. And I think it's 46D, not 46A, that shows the scholarship amount included in AGI.</p>
<p>sblake is correct. 46A is education tax credits such as the hope tax credit. 46D is grants and scholarships.</p>
<p>Also, here's some info on how you handle this on your 1040, from the IRS site:</p>
<p>How you report any taxable scholarship or fellowship income depends on which return you file.</p>
<p>Form 1040EZ. If you file Form 1040EZ, report the taxable amount on line 1. If the taxable amount was not reported on Form W-2, enter SCH and the taxable amount in the space to the left of line 1.</p>
<p>Form 1040A. If you file Form 1040A, report the taxable amount on line 7. If the taxable amount was not reported on Form W-2, enter SCH and the taxable amount in the space to the left of line 7.</p>
<p>Form 1040. If you file Form 1040, report the taxable amount on line 7. If the taxable amount was not reported on Form W-2, enter SCH and the taxable amount on the dotted line next to line 7.</p>
<p>Thank you both so much for the info. (Yes I made typo, it was 46D).
It got it to work this time.
I believe my D will file either the EZ or A (ie if she needs, see below), thanks for the instructions for the two forms.</p>
<p>swimcatsmom:"Was the $7,000 for the one semester? If it was $3500 for fall and $3500 for spring and the 2nd $3500 was not paid out until the spring then only the 1st $3500 comes under 2008 taxes. Which will not be enough to require a tax return if there is no other income."</p>
<p>Wow, I was specifically told that since my D received those scholarships in 2008, they were to be regarded as such. The organizations sent the cheques directly to the school (in 2008). The school credited the account with half the funds each semester(fall 08/spring09)
I had questioned the tax aspect of the splitting of them in two semesters but believed that person's view.</p>
<p>Swimcatsmom, I already submitted the thing! I was so intent to get it done tonight, and after your first answer I fixed it and submitted.
If D does not need to file after all, can this be corrected? It will be weird that it's stated she'll file and then doesn't. Can the amended FAFSA just state "did not file" after the first submission said she would?
Gosh, after all this!</p>
<p>Well I have to admit I am not exactly sure. I was thinking more of a scholarships that would be paid out for the fall and then for the spring. I am not sure if that differs if the money is sent to the school then they disburse it for fall and then for spring. The school should send a form called a 1098T that shows scholarships and grants and tuition and fees etc. That should clarify what you have to report in her tax return.</p>
<p>If you do have to correct it it should not present any problem. The scholarship should not affect her aid in any detrimental way for next year.</p>
<p>You can use Corrections on the Web to correct any item except your Social Security Number. You'll need to wait a couple days until the initial submission is processed before you can do a correction.</p>
<p>Thanks again both of you.
With the funds paid out in 08, going directly to the school, and then the school choosing when to disburse them, is confusing.
I'll wait for the 1098T and then amend if necessary. I'll have to amend anyway after tax returns.
Now I have to tackle the Profile, non custodial etc, may have more questions on those!</p>
<p>Very much appreciate how those who have more expertise are so ready to help the rest of us out.</p>
<p>If they money was applied to the account/dispersed at the end of 09 (December), but is for Spring 2010 semester do I HAVE to report on 2009 return or can i chose to report on 2010 return? Semester didn’t start until late January.</p>
<p>Because we didn’t have much money taken out of summer earnings in 09 the tax bill is very high if we must include scholarship income on the 09 return. We plan on having the max taken out for 2010 so next year will not be as high. We didn’t realize the huge tax due to scholarship income.</p>