By January 31
of each year, the University of Montevallo mails the
IRS Form 1098-T to all students who had
qualified tuition and other related educational
expenses billed to them during the previous
calendar year.
This form is
informational only.
It serves to alert students that they may be
eligible for federal income tax education
credits and should not be considered as tax
opinion or advice.
While it is a good starting point, the 1098-T,
as designed and regulated by the IRS, does not
contain all of the information needed to claim a
tax credit. It
is up to each taxpayer to determine eligibility
for the credits and how to calculate them.
In our efforts to help you better understand the
purpose and the use of the 1098-T, we have
listed some of our most frequently asked
questions below. If you have additional
questions or concerns please feel free to
contact us. Please be advised UM encourages you
to consult with a tax professional on the
information you gather from this information.
What is the 1098-T form?
The
1098-T form is used by eligible educational
institutions to report information about their
students to the IRS as required by the Taxpayer
Relief Act of 1997. Eligible educational
institutions are required to submit the
student's name, address and taxpayer's
identification number (TIN), enrollment and
academic status. Beginning with 2003,
educational institutions must also report
amounts to the IRS pertaining to qualified
tuition and related expenses, as well as
scholarships and/or grants, taxable or not. A
1098-T form must also be provided to each
applicable student. There is no IRS requirement
that you must claim the tuition and fess
deduction or an education credit. Claiming
education tax benefits is a voluntary decision
for those who may qualify.
Why did I receive a 1098-T
and what am I supposed to do with it?
By January 31st of each year, UM mails an
IRS form 1098-T to all students who had
qualified tuition and other related educational
expenses billed to them during the previous
calendar year. This form is informational only
and should not be considered a tax opinion or
advice. It serves to alert students that they
may be eligible for federal income tax education
credits. Receipt of form 1098-T does not
indicate eligibility for the tax credit. To
determine the amount of qualified tuition and
fees paid, and the amount of scholarships and
grants received, a taxpayer should use their own
financial records.
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 and Lifetime Learning education tax
credits. Forms are mailed at the end of January
of each year for the previous tax year.
What educational expenses are
considered as qualified tuition and related
expenses?
|
Included
|
Not Included
-
Residence Hall charges
-
Application fees
-
Orientation fees
|
Why isn't there an amount in box 1?
The IRS instructs institutions to report
either payments received (Box 1)
or amounts billed for qualified tuition
and related expenses (Box 2) on the 1098-T. Once
an institution has selected one of these
options, they cannot change reporting methods
between calendar years without IRS permission.
UM reports qualified tuition and related
expenses that were billed during the tax year
(Box 2) and scholarships and grants,
therefore, Box 1 - Payments Received for
Qualified Tuition and Related Expenses,
will
be blank.
What other information do I need to claim the
tax credit?
While the 1098-T is a good starting point,
it does not contain all the information needed
to claim a tax credit. Most of the information
needed must come from the student's personal
financial records of what the student paid
during the calendar year. Additionally, each
taxpayer and his or her tax advisor must make
the final determination of qualifying expenses.
How do I get a reprint of my 1098-T form?
If you did not receive a 1098-T due to a
change of address, or you misplaced the form,
you can print a duplicate. If you are a
current enrolled UM student, you can access the
form by logging into your ForUM account,
clicking on the banner tab, student account, and
clicking on the tax notification link. Enter the
tax year in which you are needing (ex. 2008) and
click submit. This will bring up a copy of the
1098-T in which you were mailed.
If you are no longer a currently enrolled
student, please contact the Cashier's Office.
How can I get an itemized listing of my
financial activity that is on my 1098-T form?
Account statements are available online. For
currently enrolled students, please log onto to
Banner Self Services through ForUM. If you are
no longer a currently enrolled student, please
contact the Cashier's Office.
What if I still have questions?
If you have additional
questions/concerns you can reach us
by E-mail:
cashier@montevallo.edu
by Phone:
(205) 665-6065
IRS Tax Info:
(800) 829-1040
Please be
advised UM encourages you to consult with a tax
professional on any information you may gather
from this information.