1098-T Information

 What is a 1098T?  Form 1098-T is a statement of qualified tuition and related expenses. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires Collin College to furnish this information to eligible students and also report the information to the IRS. The 1098-T can be used as one means of proof of enrollment if a tax credit is claimed, and the information on the form may be useful in determining whether an American Opportunity or Lifetime Learning tax credit may be claimed on Form 8863. For authoritative information, visit the IRS web site at http://www.irs.gov/Forms-&-Pubs or call the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. At the IRS web site you can review:

-- Instructions for 1040 and 1040A
-- IRS Publication 970 "Tax Benefits for Education," which includes information on the American Opportunity Credit, the Lifetime Learning Credit, and the Tuition and Fees Deduction.
-- Form 8863 "Education Credits (American Opportunity and Lifetime Learning Credits)."
-- IRS Publication 17 "Your Federal Income Tax Guide for Individuals."

IMPORTANT NOTE:  The IRS operates by calendar year.  Collin College operates by academic year.  Students who intend to file for education tax credits on their income tax are encouraged to pay any account charges in the same calendar year in which the charges are incurred for IRS purposes.

The tax rules regarding eligibility for, calculation of, and limitations on the tuition and fee deduction and education credits can be complex. You may want to consult your tax adviser to determine whether you are qualified to claim the education expense tax credits and deduction.

 

Can I receive my 1098-T electronically? You may opt in for electronic delivery of your 1098-T. Electronic delivery through the CougarWeb:

To sign up to receive your 2022 electronic 1098-T, in CougarWeb, select your Student tab, select Payment and Account Information, the CougarPay link, then Collin College Account Suite.  Once in the CougarPay portal, the Accept Consent for the Paperless 1098-T Option will appear.  If you previously made an eDelivery option selection and wish to change it, you may do so under the Profile tab.  

Collin uses a third party to generate 1098T forms, providing web access for eDelivery forms and mailing the paper forms for those not electing eDelivery.  Students who elect eDelivery will receive an email notification prior to January 31 when the form is available to view.  To access your eForm, follow the directions below to log into CougarPay and then from the Statements block, select the 1098T option.

If you were eligible for a 1098-T and did not receive one, call 1-866-428-1098 and speak to an ECSI vendor representative to request a 1098-T.  If requested, Collin's school code is IW.

To access your 1098-T in Cougarweb:

·         Go to Student Quicklinks (right hand side of page)

·         Go to Cougarpay

·          Click Collin College Account Suite. Both eStatements and the 1098T will be found in the center of the page in “Statements” block.

·         Your latest 1098-T Tax Statement - click “view statement”

·         Next to the tax year, click “view”. This redirects you to the ECSI website.

·         Click bullet point of desired year-click “view”

There is a blank field that asks for a 5-digit code. This field is not used by Collin, and is not required to view the form.   

*if the above steps do not work or you receive an error message, please make sure you are using either Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox as a web browser and you are on a computer or laptop*

It saves time and provides secure delivery of personal identification information. Sign up today for electronic delivery of your 2022 Form 1098-T. (Last day to ensure e-form delivery for the 2022 tax year is January 3, 2023.)

When will I receive my 1098-T? 1098-T forms for the 2022 tax year will be issued issued prior to January 31, 2023, either to the student's electronic address for eDelivery or the student's mailing address of record for paper forms.  For those receiving the forms through the mail, please allow 2-3 weeks for delivery.  If you were eligible for a 1098-T and did not receive one, call 866-428-1098 to request your form.

Does everyone receive a 1098-T?  Per IRS instructions, a 1098-T is not required for every student. At Collin College, students in the following categories will not receive a 1098T:

-- Nonresident aliens who did not provide Collin a federal taxpayer ID number

-- Students with no eligible amounts to report for the calendar year

-- Students who have not provided a permanent mailing address to Admissions

-- Students enrolled in noncredit courses such as continuing education courses.

 

What if I did not provide the school with a Social Security (SSN) or Tax Identification (TIN) number? To provide your SSN/TIN to Collin through CougarWeb, log in using your username and password, then from the Student tab-the Tuition/Payment block, select Student's Taxpayer ID Certification and provide the requested information.  Also, in November of each year, Collin College identifies student accounts which do not include a SSN or an individual taxpayer identification number (TIN). The college then mails a letter to the address of record for each of those students, requesting completion and return of Form W-9S. Students who do not comply with the request may be subject to a $50 penalty assessed by the IRS. In January, qualified tuition charges are filed with the IRS and reported to students via IRS Form 1098-T. Student accounts still missing an identifying number are included in the IRS file and annotated accordingly.  A registration hold may also be placed on your account for incomplete student record information.

How is the dollar amount of my 1098-T determined?  Collin reports payments in Box 1 of the 1098T, but only those payments on the student account which were necessary to pay the qualified tuition and fee charges assessed in the calendar year. The amount reported in Box 1 may not exceed the qualified charges, even if funding in excess of the total charge amount was posted to the student account. Box 5 reports all grants, third party funding, and scholarship amounts paid, even if those amounts exceeded the qualified charges.  Amounts reported on the 1098T are based on calendar year activity rather than the year associated with the academic term.  For instance charges and payments posted in December of 2022 for the spring 2023 term will be reported on the 2022 1098T.  Note for 2020: per the IRS, grants or other credits posted to student accounts from CARES Act funding sources are to be excluded from the 1098T as they are emergency funds.  Account entries for 2021 which are excluded for students who received any of the following credits:  FEGA, TRBU, TRSU, TXHE, TXRB, TXRS, TEOX, or TXEG grants and 3PAX third party FEGA credits.

How do I calculate the amount of the education tax credit? The dollar amount listed on the 1098T will reflect the amount paid in the current year for qualified tuition and related expenses.   

For your account detail of tuition and fee charges as well as the payments made, access your student account through Cougar web: 

--In the Tuition/Payment menu, select CougarPay (Pay my Balance)
--Then select Collin College Account Suite
--Then Select Current Account Status

Collin College personnel cannot determine if you qualify for the credit or the amount of the credit. Contact your personal tax adviser for assistance or obtain IRS Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Higher Education, and IRS Form 8863, Education Credit, by calling 1-800-829-1040 or using the IRS link in the sidebar to the right.

 

What if I don't receive my 1098-T? Replacement forms may be requested from Collin's 1098-T partner, ECSI, by calling 866-428-1098 or emailing cservice@ecsi.net.  Eligible students may also view their 1098T information in CougarWeb after January 31.

 

Is the 1098T a required form when I submit my taxes?   Yes,  IRS requires institutions to report qualified payments instead of charges and students claiming an educational credit on their taxes must submit the 1098T.  However, the 1098T form is an information form and may not provide all the documentation necessary to document eligibility for the tax credit.  Receipts for payments may also be necessary, such as qualified bookstore purchases or Continuing Education course payments.  Students are encouraged to pay the balance owed in the same calendar year as the charges are incurred to simplify tax reporting.  Online payments are posted and dated the date of the transaction, as are payments received in person at cashier office locations.  Payments mailed are posted as of the business date they are received.  Note;  Collin publishes campus hours for the winter holiday.  Mail is not delivered in this window and payments will not be posted as received during the office closure dates.  Online payments during the holiday closure are posted as of the payment date.

 

I'm a Continuing Education (CE) student; will I receive a 1098-T? No, CE students are not furnished a 1098-T. However, CE students may be eligible to use a Lifetime Learning Credit as a tax deduction. You may use receipts provided at the time of payment for your documentation, or print account activity statements from CougarWeb, or ask a cashier at any campus location to print student statements with fee assessment activity for the calendar year.

 

 

The information provided here and available on your student account statements is not intended as legal or tax advice.

For answers to general 1098T questions, call 972-516-5095.

IRS Information