Claiming College student

[supersnoop]

Oh, I see what you are saying.

In OPs case, though, I believe her DD has a very low tuition bill (scholarships do not count toward what she is paying) so I think OP is probably paying more for room/board than her DD is paying in tuition.

I think scholarships could count depending on they're disbursed. If the check is cut directly to the college, it probably doesn't, but if it goes to the student, then it's income and an expect. Even with that, you're probably right that it wouldn't make up more than half of her expenses.

 

[dreamin_disney]

Well her loan and scholarship didn't kick in , until mid August(she started at the end of August) . Mid june we had to pay a lil over 1/2 the tuition. We were told once the loan and scholarship were applied we could get a refund check. Well Luckily I had started to save money for meal plan and housing and I had to use that money to pay the mid june tuition charge. Then they didn't even give a chance to request the refund check because they automatically applied the loan and scholarship money toward housing and meal plan. I have the check I paid and receipt. If I had saved money I would have been stressed out and had to use a creditcard and be charged 2.5%. We paid for books. This spring semester her loan and scholarship kicked in before payment due. $700 was paid out of pocket for tuition.
Not sure if every year loan and and any scholarships kick in late or if it will be earlier since she's in the system now. The school is low tuition

 

[floridafam]

Last semester, federal loan disbursements were subject to a 30 day delay for students who had never taken loans out before. Not sure if that’s why there was a delay for your daughter.

My kids go to two different schools and their billing policies are very different. It’s frustrsting but we are used to it now.

 

[dreamin_disney]

Last semester, federal loan disbursement’s were subject to a 30 day delay for students who had never taken loans out before. Not sure if that’s why there was a delay for your daughter.

My kids go to two different schools and their billing policies are very different. It’s frustrsting but we are used to it now.

This is a first for us , so we are learning as we go. I definitely didn't expect them to charge us in June when school started at the end of August. I though maybe in late July. I don't know what I was thinking-lol! She will go to summer school so I doubt there's loans for that(will have to pay out of pocket) but she will attend community college which will be cheaper than university. Also a plus she will come back home for the summer and we have 3 local community colleges close by with one being 10 minutes away. Her advisor at the university told her to attend because its a lot cheaper

 

[floridafam]

Make sure that her community college credits will transfer to her four year school.

We’ve had to learn so much over the last few years.

Our son got 21 credits for his AP and IB classes from Miami BUT can’t get federal aid if he already has enough credits to graduate so he basically has to give those back next year so he can stay in school his senior year. So strange.

 

[dreamin_disney]

Make sure that her community college credits will transfer to her four year school.

We’ve had to learn so much over the last few years.

Our son got 21 credits for his AP and IB classes from Miami BUT can’t get federal aid if he already has enough credits to graduate so he basically has to give those back next year so he can stay in school his senior year. So strange.

Her program advisor told her how to check to see if it qualifies. DD took honors but no credit. She did awesome in the classes but had test anxiety. She hasn't complained about it in college except for her Math class. That's weird about having to many credits. I hope things work out for your son

 

[MermaidMommy]

I claim both my college students on my taxes as dependents. Of course, I pay for tuition and room and board and books outside of scholarships and loans. I don't get to claim and education credits because we are over the required income limits.

It's going to hurt now that there's no individual deduction for college students. That $500 family tax credit isn't going to go too far....

 

[dreamin_disney]

DD put in for RA for next year. Hopefully she gets it. She's really wants it. If she does it will cover housing and meal plan. I'll have to ask tax guy how that will work on our taxes or if she will have to file separate. The money I pay toward housing/meal plan will then go to her tuition and books. I will still have $3,500 leftover which I will rollover to the following year.

I just looked at her meal plan and it went up almost $200. This semester her schedule is weird and she's mainly on campus all day with a break in between morning and night classes, so she probably access it once a day if she get up early for breakfast. She also get Dollars on her meal plan so I think she's been using that when shes on campus. The university is making BIG money on the meal plan on students who live in the dorms and students with apartment without kitchens. Cheapest meal plan dd can get living in dorms or those without kitchen apartments is $3,800 for 10 meals a week plus she get $700 cash dollars for food places on campus for the year. Curious what does everyone else pay?

 

[kymom99]

DD put in for RA for next year. Hopefully she gets it. She's really wants it. If she does it will cover housing and meal plan. I'll have to ask tax guy how that will work on our taxes or if she will have to file separate. The money I pay toward housing/meal plan will then go to her tuition and books. I will still have $3,500 leftover which I will rollover to the following year.

I just looked at her meal plan and it went up almost $200. This semester her schedule is weird and she's mainly on campus all day with a break in between morning and night classes, so she probably access it once a day if she get up early for breakfast. She also get Dollars on her meal plan so I think she's been using that when shes on campus. The university is making BIG money on the meal plan on students who live in the dorms and students with apartment without kitchens. Cheapest meal plan dd can get living in dorms or those without kitchen apartments is $3,800 for 10 meals a week plus she get $700 cash dollars for food places on campus for the year. Curious what does everyone else pay?

My son's is $1801 per semester which includes $300 flex dollars per semester. This is an unlimited 5 day meal plan. The $300 can be used 7 days a week. The first semester he only spent $100 of his flex money but that rolled over to spring. I feel like he is getting his money's worth because he eats 2-3 times a day. We didn't do the 7 day plan because he comes home about one weekend per month. The other weekends he hits up Wendy's or something like that or uses his flex money.

 

[dreamin_disney]

My son's is $1801 per semester which includes $300 flex dollars per semester. This is an unlimited 5 day meal plan. The $300 can be used 7 days a week. The first semester he only spent $100 of his flex money but that rolled over to spring. I feel like he is getting his money's worth because he eats 2-3 times a day. We didn't do the 7 day plan because he comes home about one weekend per month. The other weekends he hits up Wendy's or something like that or uses his flex money.

My DD can use hers starts Sunday to Saturday a total of 10 meals per week. She stays on campus and comes home once in awhile or this semester spring break , maybe Easter. First semester she used 5-8 meals on meal plan per week. She didn't use much of her dining dollars because her classes were back to back and no time to walk across campus. She can use her $$ at some fast food places on campus and the school stores but food is super expensive in the stores. I told her use it up to buy fresh fruit cups , salads etc or she loses whatever $$ is left. She's not a big eater.

 

[runwad]

My DD plan is $1766/semester($3532 yr), it includes 8 meals at the dining hall per week and $700 flex dollars to use at other places on campus(the flex $ roll to spring but then any left are forfeited). There are other plans higher and lower but this one seemed the best fit for her. She usually eats in the dining hall once per day. But they're still making out on her because she doesn't eat much or tends to eat salads.

 

[kymom99]

My DD plan is $1766/semester($3532 yr), it includes 8 meals at the dining hall per week and $700 flex dollars to use at other places on campus(the flex $ roll to spring but then any left are forfeited). There are other plans higher and lower but this one seemed the best fit for her. She usually eats in the dining hall once per day. But they're still making out on her because she doesn't eat much or tends to eat salads.

When you look at the total for the year, it seems insane that it could cost so much to feed one kid.

At my son's school, the meal plan is mandatory for freshmen. The one he has is the minimum allowed for freshmen living on campus. There are plans cheaper that go by number of swipes available for upper classmen. The school is working towards making meal plans mandatory for all students in one form or another. For our son, it works fine. He eats at least twice a day during the week. He says the food isn't bad. I figure he is eating more healthy than if he was having poptarts in the room every day. I know with some creativity he could eat healthy and much cheaper, but he's a guy, so I'm okay with it. I think it is probably a ripoff for a girl. His friends at college that he knows from high school are all girls. He eats with them once in a while. They are all high school cheer leaders who probably never said 2 words to him in high school. (I'm not bashing them, just that my son is shy and kind of nerdy.) Now they hang out in the dining hall. He says they eat something like a cookie and then say, "God I'm fat!" He just shakes his head. LOL! He's not used to being around girls like that. So anyway, I don't think they eat a lot in general.

 

[Mickeyluver37]

DD put in for RA for next year. Hopefully she gets it. She's really wants it. If she does it will cover housing and meal plan. I'll have to ask tax guy how that will work on our taxes or if she will have to file separate. The money I pay toward housing/meal plan will then go to her tuition and books. I will still have $3,500 leftover which I will rollover to the following year.

I just looked at her meal plan and it went up almost $200. This semester her schedule is weird and she's mainly on campus all day with a break in between morning and night classes, so she probably access it once a day if she get up early for breakfast. She also get Dollars on her meal plan so I think she's been using that when shes on campus. The university is making BIG money on the meal plan on students who live in the dorms and students with apartment without kitchens. Cheapest meal plan dd can get living in dorms or those without kitchen apartments is $3,800 for 10 meals a week plus she get $700 cash dollars for food places on campus for the year. Curious what does everyone else pay?

I have 2 in college- one here in our home state of Maryland, and one in South Carolina. DS, MD kid, pays $2,400 a semester for unlimited plus $250 in dining dollars. DD, SC kid, pays $1,525 for 150 meals/semester plus $400 dining dollars. Even the unlimited plan at her school is only $1,850 with $200 dining dollars. She also has significantly better options than him. Housing is similar- hers is nicer, larger, cheaper. His is old, small, and don't even get me started on what the schools here in MD charge for dorms and aren't even all air conditioned!!!

Is that $3,800 per year or semester? That is extremely high if it's per semester, probably pretty average if it's for the year.

 

[dreamin_disney]

When you look at the total for the year, it seems insane that it could cost so much to feed one kid.

At my son's school, the meal plan is mandatory for freshmen. The one he has is the minimum allowed for freshmen living on campus. There are plans cheaper that go by number of swipes available for upper classmen. The school is working towards making meal plans mandatory for all students in one form or another. For our son, it works fine. He eats at least twice a day during the week. He says the food isn't bad. I figure he is eating more healthy than if he was having poptarts in the room every day. I know with some creativity he could eat healthy and much cheaper, but he's a guy, so I'm okay with it. I think it is probably a ripoff for a girl. His friends at college that he knows from high school are all girls. He eats with them once in a while. They are all high school cheer leaders who probably never said 2 words to him in high school. (I'm not bashing them, just that my son is shy and kind of nerdy.) Now they hang out in the dining hall. He says they eat something like a cookie and then say, "God I'm fat!" He just shakes his head. LOL! He's not used to being around girls like that. So anyway, I don't think they eat a lot in general.

I see the guys especially in sprts make out on the meal plan Fall semester DD would go maybe twice a day. This semester shes on campus morning classes, break then night classes so not much use.

I have 2 in college- one here in our home state of Maryland, and one in South Carolina. DS, MD kid, pays $2,400 a semester for unlimited plus $250 in dining dollars. DD, SC kid, pays $1,525 for 150 meals/semester plus $400 dining dollars. Even the unlimited plan at her school is only $1,850 with $200 dining dollars. She also has significantly better options than him. Housing is similar- hers is nicer, larger, cheaper. His is old, small, and don't even get me started on what the schools here in MD charge for dorms and aren't even all air conditioned!!!

Is that $3,800 per year or semester? That is extremely high if it's per semester, probably pretty average if it's for the year.

$3,800 per year plus $150 sign up for meal plan. She used it maybe twice a day last semester. She gets 10 meal per week but didn't always use all 10. The food is good and lost of option. They have something for everyone. No food is allowed to leave the building. Last semester all her classes were earlier so she was finished by 3:30-4pm . Her schedule is all over the place this year and two evening classes and one late night class 10pm. Her dorm is nice basic and most importantly has air conditioning

 

[floridafam]

It’s intersting to see what everyone pays for dorms and food. DS pays $3940 per semester for room and $2800 per semester for dining-100 meals plus $1000 dining dollars.

Definitely use those dining dollars so you don’t lose them.

 

[kymom99]

It’s intersting to see what everyone pays for dorms and food. DS pays $3940 per semester for room and $2800 per semester for dining-100 meals plus $1000 dining dollars.

Definitely use those dining dollars so you don’t lose them.

My son only used $100 of his $300 last semester. So I've been on him to use the money up this semester. It's pretty bad when you have to insist that he go to Starbucks!

 

[okeydokey]

My daughter has scholarships that cover her tuition, and we pay her rent so we can’t write off any of her “expenses” as they are not tuition related. In fact we can’t claim her as a dependent anymore either even though we pay her rent because she earned about 12,000 through work last year.

 

[McKelly]

My daughter has scholarships that cover her tuition, and we pay her rent so we can’t write off any of her “expenses” as they are not tuition related. In fact we can’t claim her as a dependent anymore either even though we pay her rent because she earned about 12,000 through work last year.

What's the income cut off that you can't claim kids anymore?

 

[floridafam]

My daughter has scholarships that cover her tuition, and we pay her rent so we can’t write off any of her “expenses” as they are not tuition related. In fact we can’t claim her as a dependent anymore either even though we pay her rent because she earned about 12,000 through work last year.

Why does her income disqualify you from claiming her as a dependent?

 

[sk!mom]

Personally I would not suggest trying to file your taxes on your own especially if you are not sure of what you can and can't claim.
Most places are reasonably priced and they know the ins and outs so I'd leave it up to the professionals.

I disagree. Unless you have a very complicated return, Turbo Tax is the way to go. The program will walk you through the return. No need to pay a tax preparer.