1098-T FAQ

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UPDATE: Jan. 2, 2024 — Student Financial Services received notice from our third-party provider (Heartland ECSI) that 1098Ts for the 2023 tax year will be released electronically by January 31, 2024.

Students should visit the ECSI website for any questions related to their 1098-T statement and to access an electronic copy of their 1098-T statement on the ECSI portal. Students that have not consented to receive their 1098-T electronically will have a paper 1098-T statement mailed to them by Jan. 31 as well.

For additional information regarding the IRS Form 1098-T, please refer to the Heartland ECSI FAQ. To access their 1098-T statement online, students will need their:

  • Provide School Name, i.e. Susquehanna University
  • First and Last Name
  • Social Security Number
  • Zip Code that appears on their 1098-T form

About the Form 1098-T

Susquehanna University is required to report qualified tuition and related expenses, such as tuition, fees, and course materials necessary for enrollment.

The dollar amounts reported on your Form 1098-T may assist you in completing Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Form 8863 — the form used for calculating the education tax credits you may claim as part of your tax return. Depending on income, enrollment status and the amount of qualified educational expenses, you may be eligible for a federal education tax credit.

In previous years, your 1098-T included a figure in Box 2 that represented the qualified tuition and related expenses (QTRE) SU billed to your student account for the calendar (tax) year. Congress and the IRS eliminated the option for colleges to report the “amounts billed in Box 2.” We must now report the “amounts paid” for qualified tuition and related expenses. Beginning with tax year 2018, SU reports in Box 1 the amount of QTRE you paid during the year.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. When will I receive my Form 1098-T?

Susquehanna releases 1098-T forms by Jan. 31 as federally required. Students with Electronic Consent have consented to receive their 1098-T electronically and will receive an email notification (unless otherwise agreed upon) within 24 - 48 hours. Students without Electronic Consent have not consented to receive their 1098-T electronically and will have a paper 1098-T statement mailed to them by Jan. 31.

2. What are Qualified Tuition and Related Expenses (QTRE) paid?

The IRS defines educational expenses that are considered QTRE for purposes of claiming a tax credit or deduction. The amount of QTRE paid on the student account includes payments from any source, such as:

  • Cash, check, electronic or wire transfer payments
  • Federal or private educational loans posted to the student account
  • Scholarships or grants from any source posted to the account, unless the award was specifically intended to pay a non-qualified charge
  • 529 and College Savings plan payments

3. Why didn’t I receive a 1098-T?

  • The amount of QTRE paid during the tax year from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 was zero. For example, you were enrolled for the spring term that began in January 2023, but you paid your tuition and fees in late 2022.
  • You paid your tuition and fees during the calendar year but dropped all your classes during the same calendar year. All your charges were reversed and your money was returned to you.

4. What information is reported on the Form 1098-T?

  • Box 1 — As required by the IRS, SU reports payments received for qualified tuition and related expenses (less any reimbursements or refunds) for the tax year ending Dec. 31.
  • Box 2 — Intentionally left blank and reserved for future use.
  • Box 3 — Intentionally left blank and reserved for future use.
  • Box 4 — Shows any adjustment (payments received or amounts billed) made for a prior year for qualified tuition and related expenses that were reported on a prior year Form 1098-T. This amount may reduce any allowable education credit that you claimed in the prior year. Please consult your tax advisor accordingly to determine any impact to prior years.
  • Box 5 — Shows the total of all scholarships or grants administered and processed by SU for the payment of the student’s cost of attendance. Scholarships and grants generally include all payments received from third parties (excluding family members and loan proceeds). This includes payments received from the governmental and private entities such as the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, civic and religious organizations, and nonprofit entities. The amount of scholarships or grants for the calendar year may reduce the amount of the education credit you claim for the year.
  • Box 6 — Shows adjustments to scholarships or grants for a prior year.
  • Box 7 — Shows whether the amount in box 1 includes amounts for an academic period beginning January-March of the subsequent year.
  • Box 8 — Shows whether you are carrying at least one-half the normal full-time workload for your course of study at the reporting institution.
  • Box 9 — Shows whether you are enrolled in a program leading to a graduate degree, graduate-level certificate, or other recognized graduate-level educational credential.
  • Box 10 — Shows the total amount of reimbursements or refunds of qualified tuition and related expenses made by an insurer.

5. Why is my post 9/11 GI Bill reported in Box 5 of the 1098-T?

Veteran’s educational benefits are not taxable. However, they can be reported as a grant on Box 5 of the Form 1098-T. Reporting veteran benefits on the Form 1098-T does not indicate that such benefits are taxable. Instead, it only indicates that the individual’s qualified educational expenses used for purposes of determining the tax credit must be reduced.

6. How can I obtain a copy of my 1098-T?

1098-T forms will be sent via the United States Postal Service to students and former students home address on file with our Registrar’s office. If additional copies are needed, please refer to instructions above on how to access your electronic copy.

7. Where can I obtain assistance with questions regarding my tax filing?

We encourage you to speak with an informed tax preparer or adviser regarding tax advice.

8. I’m an international student, where can I request an IRS Form 1098-T?

By law, Susquehanna University cannot produce a 1098-T form for a student without a valid Social Security Number (SSN) or Tax Identification Number (TIN) on file.

Please contact Student Financial Services (SFS) by email if you believe you should have received a Form 1098-T.

9. Does the IRS Form 1098-T include charges for books?

No, the University does not include amounts paid for books in Form 1098-T per federal guidance. You should consult with your tax advisor to determine if payments for books, equipment or fees should be considered when preparing your income tax returns and determining eligibility for education tax credits or deductions.

10. What semesters are included in my IRS Form 1098-T?

Box 1 of Form 1098-T reflects payments made during the calendar year for qualified tuition and related expenses and it is not based on when the classes were attended or billed to the student account. Your student account statement on Campus Commerce will show the dates payments were posted to your account and are a valuable resource for determining the semesters that are included in your Form 1098-T.

11. Why don’t the numbers on the IRS Form 1098-T equal the amounts I paid Susquehanna during the year?

There are potentially many reasons for this discrepancy. First, the amount in Box 1 only represents amounts paid for qualified tuition and related expenses (QTRE) and does not include payments made for room and board, health service fees, or parking which, though important, are not considered mandatory education expenses for federal tax purposes. Secondly, Form 1098-T reports amounts that the student paid in a certain year, and the pay date does not necessarily correspond to the dates that the classes were attended. For example, charges for the Spring semester are typically billed in the prior year so a student may have paid tuition for the Spring semester in December even though classes don’t start until January. The best and most accurate source of information about the amounts that you paid for qualified tuition and related expenses will be your student account statement.

12. I was told that Susquehanna must provide me with an IRS Form 1098-T, are they correct?

The University in not required, by the IRS, to furnish a Form 1098-T in the following instances:

  • If payments are for courses for which no academic credit is offered, even if the student is otherwise enrolled in a degree program.
  • If the enrolled student is a nonresident alien, unless requested by the student.
  • Students for whom you do not maintain a separate financial account and whose qualified tuition and related expenses are covered by a formal billing arrangement between an institution and the student’s employer or a governmental entity, such as the Department of Veterans Affairs or the Department of Defense.