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1098-T forms now available

1098-T forms for 2011 for eligible students have been mailed to permanent addresses and also are available online. See the Student Center Reference Guide 1098-T section to find directions for accessing the form from the Account Inquiry page of the Student Center, or click this link to log into your Student Center and access it directly.

Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Form 1098-T

What is a Form 1098-T?
Tuition Statement is the information return that colleges and universities are required to issue for the purpose of determining a student's eligibility for the Hope, American Opportunity and Lifetime Learning education tax credits The Form is required under Internal Revenue Code Section 6050S.

Why didn’t I receive a 1098t?
You are not eligible to receive a 1098-T if:

• you are an international student
• all of your qualified fees were paid by gift financial aid, such as grants, scholarships, or tuition assistance programs
• all of your qualified fees were paid by a third party or sponsor

If you are eligible for a 1098-T and have not yet received one (online or by mail), please contact the Student Service Center.

What are the instructions for the Form?
To help you figure your education credit, you should receive Form 1098-T.  Generally, an eligible educational institution must send Form 1098-T to each enrolled student by February 1.  An institution may choose to report either payments received (box 1), or amounts billed (box 2), for qualified education expenses.  The Ohio State University reports amounts billed in box 2 according to Regulation section 1.6050S-1(b)(2)(ii)(B) However, the amounts in boxes 1 and 2 of Form 1098-T might be different than what you actually paid.  When figuring the credit, use only the amounts you paid or were deemed to have paid in 2011 for qualified education expenses.  For more information on what expenses are considered qualified education expenses see the Additional Resources below.

In addition, your Form 1098-T should give you other information for that institution, such as adjustments made for prior years, the amount of scholarships or grants, and whether you were enrolled at least half-time or were a graduate student.

Did you send a copy of this form to the IRS?
Yes Section 6050S of the Internal Revenue Code, as enacted by the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997, requires institutions to file information returns to assist taxpayers and the Internal Revenue Service in determining eligibility for the Hope, American Opportunity and Lifetime Learning education tax credits.  The annual deadline to file the required tax information electronically is March 31, although data may be transmitted earlier as circumstances allow.

What am I supposed to do with the 1098-T form?
Keep it for your records since the University sends your 1098-T information to the IRS, there is no need to attach a copy of the form to your tax return.  The information contained in the 1098-T will help you to determine if you may claim the Hope, American Opportunity or the Lifetime Learning education tax credits using IRS Form 8863 Education Credits However, the amounts in boxes 1 and 2 of Form 1098-T might be different than what you actually paid. When figuring the credit, use only the amounts you paid or were deemed to have paid in 2011 for qualified education expenses.

Which expenses qualify for the Hope, American Opportunity, or Lifetime Learning Credits?
The Ohio State University cannot legally provide tax advice concerning how to use your form when you are filing your tax return.  Please consult with a qualified tax preparer or the IRS if you have questions concerning how to use this form on your taxes.  The Additional Resources section below provides links to various forms and instructions regarding education credits.

Who can claim an Education Credit?
You may be able to claim an education credit if you, your spouse, or a dependent you claim on your tax return was a student enrolled at or attending an eligible educational institution.  If a student is claimed as a dependent on another’s tax return, only the person who claims the student as a dependent can claim a credit for the student’s qualified education expenses.  If a student is not claimed as a dependent on another person’s tax return, only the student can claim the credit.  If you claim an exemption on your tax return for an eligible student who is your dependent, treat any expenses paid (or deemed paid) by your dependent as if you had paid them. See additional restrictions for claiming the credit in the instructions to Form 8863 at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i8863.pdf.

What amounts are reported on Form 1098-T?

Box 1 amounts paid are not reported by The Ohio State University.
Box 2 represents amounts billed for qualified tuition and related expenses netted against any reductions (Fee Waivers, Third Party Sponsors payments) in charges for qualified tuition and related expenses.
Box 4 represents reductions made to amounts billed for qualified tuition and related expenses that were reported for a prior calendar year.
Box 5 represents the total amount of scholarships or grants that were processed for the payment of qualified tuition and related expenses.
Box 6 represents the amount of reductions or refunds made for scholarships or grants that were reported for a prior year
Box 8 is only checked if you have been at least a half-time student (6 credit hours) for a least one academic period that began during the calendar year.
Box 9 is checked if you were enrolled as a graduate student for at least one academic period during the calendar year for which reporting is required.

Additional Resources