What Is A 1098-T Form?


A 1098-T form is an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) form provided to students who either registered for classes or had a reportable transaction during the tax year. Reportable transactions include the billing for any qualified tuition and fees a student must pay to be enrolled, and financial aid transactions.

  1. Which Fee Payments Qualify For The Tax Credit?

    2. At West Hills Community College District, fees paid for enrollment, materials, and non-resident tuition.

  2. Do I Send This Form To The IRS With My Tax Return?

    3. No. This form is for your information only. The 1098-T information is submitted electronically by West Hills Community College District directly to the Internal Revenue Service. Information contained on the 1098-T form will be used by the IRS to determine if you qualify for an educational tax credit on your income tax return.

  3. What Are You Reporting In These Boxes?

    4. Box 1 – Payments . This box will be blank. However to claim the credit you will need documentation to identify the actual dollar amount paid during 2008. If you do not have your original receipts you may request an itemized statement by emailing
    businesservice@whccd.edu.

    There are two methods for schools to report fees. One method is to report the payments made by students during the tax year, and the other method is to report amounts billed during the tax year. The method of reporting selected by West Hills Community College District will be to report only the amounts billed during the tax year.

    Box 2 - Amounts Billed . This box will contain any amounts billed during the tax year.

    Box 3 – Adjustments for a Prior Year . This box will contain any billing adjustments for the prior tax year, made in the current tax year. (e.g. billing adjustments posted in 2008 for 2007 semesters.)

    Box 4 – Scholarships or Grants . This box will contain amounts posted to student accounts from Financial Aid grants, e.g. PELL, SEOG, Cal Grants, EOPS Grants, etc. in the tax year. Loans are not included.

    Box 5 – Adjustments to Scholarships or Grants for a Prior Year . This box will contain the amounts of any adjustments posted in the reporting tax year for financial aid grants in the prior tax year. (e.g. grants posted in 2007 for 2006.)

    Box 6 – Checkbox for Amounts for an Academic Period Beginning in January through March 2009 . This box will be checked if the invoices selected for Box 2 are for terms beginning during the first three months of the next tax year.

    Box 7 - Reimbursements or Refunds Under an Insurance Contract . This box will be blank and is not currently used.

    Box 8 – Check if at Least Half-Time Student . This box will have a check mark if the student was enrolled in six or more units in Spring 2008 or Fall 2008, or was enrolled in three or more units for Summer 2008.

    Box 9 – Check if a Graduate Student . This box will have a check mark if the student has a Bachelor's Degree.

  4. Where Can I Get More Information About 1098 T's And The Educational Tax Credits Available?

    5. You can download the current information regarding education credits, IRS Publication 970 (2005), Tax Benefits for Education, at http://www.irs.gov/publications/index.html.