Official IRS 2008 Form 1098-T "Instructions for Student"
UC EDITORIAL NOTE: These instructions include references to the federal "tuition and fees deduction" that do not appear on the actual IRS 2008 Instructions for Student. The law authorizing the federal tuition and fees deduction originally expired December 31, 2007. Then, after IRS had already published their official 2008 forms, the US Congress passed a law extending that deduction through 2008. Taxpayers who are eligible may claim the tuition and fees deduction on line 34 of their 2008 Form 1040.
Instructions for Student
An eligible educational institution, such as a college or university, in which you are enrolled, and an insurer who makes reimbursements or refunds of qualified tuition and related expenses to you must furnish this statement to you. You, or the person who can claim you as a dependent, may be able to take either the tuition and fees deduction or claim an education credit on Form 1040 or 1040A for the qualified tuition and related expenses that were actually paid in 2008. Institutions may report either payments received in box 1 or amounts billed in box 2. [UC NOTE: UC reports amounts billed in box 2, and this is why box 1 is always blank.] The amount shown in box 1 or 2 may represent an amount other than the amount actually paid in 2008. Your institution must include its name, address, and information contact telephone number on this statement. It may also include contact information for a service provider. Although the service provider may be able to answer certain questions about the statement, do not contact them or the filer for explanations of the requirements for (and how to figure) any allowable tuition and fees deduction or education credit that you may claim. For more information about the deduction or credit, see Pub. 970, Tax Benefits for Education, Form 8863, Education Credits, and the Form 1040 or 1040A instructions.
Account number. May show an account or other unique number the filer assigned to distinguish your account.
Box 1. Shows the total payments received from any source for qualified tuition and related expenses less any related reimbursements or refunds. [UC NOTE: Box 1 is always blank on our Form 1098-T. See above.]
Box 2. Shows the total amounts billed for qualified tuition and related expenses less any related reductions in charges.
Box 3. Shows whether your institution changed its method of reporting for 2008. [UC NOTE: UC did not change our method of reporting.] It has changed its method of reporting if the method (payments received or amounts billed) used for 2008 is different than the reporting method used for 2007. You should be aware of this change in figuring your allowable tuition and fees deduction or education credits. The deduction and the credits are allowable only for amounts actually paid during the year and not amounts reported as billed, but not paid, during the year.
Box 4. Shows any adjustment 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 you may claim for the prior year. See "recapture" in the index to Pub. 970 to report a reduction in your credit or deduction.
Box 5. Shows the total of all scholarships or grants administered and processed by the eligible educational institution. The amount of scholarships or grants for the calendar year (including those not reported by the institution) may reduce the amount of any allowable tuition and fees deduction or education credit you may claim for the year.
Box 6. Shows adjustments to scholarships or grants for a prior year. This amount may affect the amount of any allowable tuition and fees deduction or education credit that you claimed for the prior year. You may have to file an amended income tax return for the prior year.
Box 7. Shows whether the amount in box 1 or 2 includes amounts for an academic period beginning January – March 2009. See Pub. 970 for how to report these amounts.
Box 8. Shows whether you are considered to be carrying at least one-half the normal full-time workload for your course of study at the reporting institution. If you are at least a half-time student for at least one academic period that begins during the year, you meet one of the requirements for the Hope credit. You do not have to meet the workload requirement to qualify for the tuition and fees deduction or the lifetime learning credit.
Box 9. Shows whether you are considered to be enrolled in a program leading to a graduate degree, graduate-level certificate, or other recognized graduate-level educational credential. If you are enrolled in a graduate program, you are not eligible for the Hope credit, but you may qualify for the tuition and fees deduction or the lifetime learning credit.
Box 10. Shows the total amount of reimbursements or refunds of qualified tuition and related expenses made by an insurer. The amount of reimbursements or refunds for the calendar year may reduce the amount of any allowable tuition and fees deduction or education credit you may claim for the year.
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