Form 1098-T
Calendar Year
1098-T forms for the calendar year are mailed by January 31 of the following year. Please allow normal mailing time to receive your form. In addition, your 1098-T information can be located on the student’s E-Web account. Log in and click on Student Services, Student Account and select the tax year/tax notification.
There is no dollar amount in Box 1
Beginning with tax year 2003 reporting, eligible educational institutions were given the option of reporting payments received, or amounts billed, for qualified tuition and related expenses. The school must continue to use the same reporting method for all calendar years unless the IRS grants permission to change the reporting method.
Eastern Connecticut State University (ECSU) elected to adopt the IRS option of reporting qualified tuition and expenses billed during the calendar year. You will see that figure in Box 2 on the 1098-T form. We selected this reporting option because it benefited the most students. Students and parents should have receipts for payments made.
The amount in Box 2 reflects tuition and fee charges that were posted to the student’s account during the tax year in question. This also includes charges for terms beginning in January to March of the following year. Box 7 on the 1098-T will be checked if this is the case.
Adjustments to tuition for a prior year
Box 4 includes adjustments to qualified tuition and fees made during the calendar year that relate to amounts billed reported in a prior year. This could impact a tax credit for a prior year. Your tax advisor should be consulted.
Scholarships, grants, waivers, and third party payments
Box 5 includes the total of scholarships, grants, waivers, and third party payments that were posted to the account during the calendar year. This may also include any additional scholarship, grant, waiver, and third party payments posted late from prior years.
Box 6 includes adjustments in scholarships, grants and waivers reported in a prior year. This could impact a tax credit for a prior year. Your tax preparer should be consulted.
ECSU can only answer questions related to how the form was prepared. THE TAXPAYER SHOULD REFER TO RELEVANT IRS FORMS AND PUBLICATIONS, AND NOT THE INSTITUTION, FOR EXPLANATIONS RELATING TO THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR, AND CALCULATION OF, ANY ALLOWABLE EDUCATION TAX CREDIT.
1098-T Frequently Asked Questions
Am I eligible for a tax credit?
ECSU staff members are not tax professionals and cannot provide tax advice or determine your eligibility for education tax benefits. We can provide you with information about your account which you may need to determine your eligibility for tax benefits. Any questions about your eligibility should be directed to the IRS or a tax professional.
I made several payments during the year but they are not reflected on my 1098-T. Why?
The IRS gave Colleges and Universities the option to either report “Payments received for qualified tuition and related expenses” –or- “Amounts billed for qualified tuition and related expenses.” Eastern chose to report on “qualified amounts billed.” As a result, payments are not reported on your 1098-T. Your eligibility for tax benefits is not impacted by whether a university reports amounts paid or amounts billed.
I attended classes in the spring semester and was charged but it is not included in my current 1098-T. Why not?
The amount reported in Box 2 reflects charges billed during the tax year in question – regardless of the semester to which those charges apply. ECSU usually bills students for spring tuition and fees during November and December before the spring semester. In all likelihood the spring charges were posted to your account during the previous tax year. Therefore they were reported on your previous year’s 1098-T form.
What does Box 8 mean?
This box is checked if a student is at least half-time during any academic period that began in the calendar year. A half-time student at Eastern is a student enrolled for at least 6 credit hours. The institution’s standard for a half-time student work load must equal or exceed the standard established by the Department of Education under the Higher Education Act and set forth in 34 C.F.R. section 674.2(b).
I recently withdrew from my winter/spring classes. Do I need a new 1098-T showing those charges have been dropped?
If you withdrew after January 1st, any resulting adjustment to your account will be reported on next year’s 1098-T. The changes will appear in Box 4.
Where can I get my 1098-T?
A form will only be produced and mailed out if there is any activity (tuition billed and/or scholarships, grants, waivers and third party payments posted) on the account during the calendar year. The forms are mailed by January 31 of the next year to the student’s permanent address on file. They will also be available on the student E-Web portal by January 31.
How can I get a copy of my 1098-T form?
Students can view the information reported on the 1098-T from their E-Web account. To access the information students should:
Log into the E-Web account
Choose Student Services
Choose Student Account
Chose Tax Notification
Type in the tax year for which the 1098-T is requested and click submit
1098-T Additional Online Resources
IRS Publications – go to www.irs.gov
2010 Publication 970 – Contains information on both Hope and Lifetime Learning Credit. It
covers eligibility, qualifying expenses, how to figure and claim credit, etc.
IRS Form – go to www.irs.gov
2010 Form 8863 – This is the form used to calculate the tax credit and must accompany the tax
return.
Phone Numbers
IRS – Asking Tax Questions: 1-800-829-1040, TTY/TDD 1-800-829-4059
IRS – Ordering Forms and Publications: 1-800-829-3676, TTY/TDD 1-800-829-4059
IRS – Taxpayer Advocate: 1-877-777-4778, TTY/TDD 1-800-829-4059