Student Financial Services: Tax Information

1098 T and E Information

Instructions for Student

You, or the person who can claim you as a dependent, may be able to claim an education credit on Form 1040 or Form 1040A. This statement may help you claim an education credit. To see if you qualify for a credit, and for help in calculating the amount of your credit, see Pub. 970, Tax Benefits for Education; Form 8863, Education Credits; and the Form 1040 or 1040A instructions.

How Do I Access My 1098-T Tax Form?

There are three steps to access your 1098-T tax form.

Click here to search for your tax form.

Step 1: Create a Profile

You will need to create a profile to connect an account and access your 1098-T tax form. See Create a Profile below for step-by-step instructions.

If you already have a profile, you can skip Step 1 and go directly to Step 2 to connect your tax form account to your existing profile.

Step 2: Sign In To Your Profile

Now that you have created your profile, you will need to sign in to the profile to complete step 3 of this process. See Sign In To Your Profile for step-by-step instructions.

Step 3: Connect an Account

Once you have created a profile, you will need to connect your tax form account to your profile. See Connect An Account for step-by-step instructions.

IMPORTANT! You will need your Heartland Key to connect your account.

If you signed up to receive your tax form electronically (completed the electronic consent application) prior to receiving your tax form, your Heartland Key will be located in the email communication you received from ECSI on behalf of your school. If you cannot locate this email, you will need to call our Contact Center at (866) 428-1098 to get your Heartland Key over the phone or have the email resent to you.

If you received a printed tax form that was mailed to your address, you will need to call our Contact Center at (866) 428-1098. Once you have verified your identity, we can either provide your Heartland Key over the phone or we can send an email with your Heartland Key to you.

Create A Profile

To create a profile, click on the Sign In | Register link in the top right of the web page. Go to the Register and Create A New Profile area on the right side of the page. Follow the instructions below.

Step 1: Think of the username you want to use and enter it in the Username field. Then think of a password you want to use and enter it in the Password field. You will need to re-enter the Password in the Confirm Password field. Click on the Continue button.

Step 2: Enter your contact information including your first and last name, date of birth, phone number, and email address. Click on the Continue button.

Step 3: Enter your address including street, city, state and zip code. Click on the Continue button.

Step 4: Select three (3) security questions and enter your security answers. Check the reCAPTCHA checkbox and click on the Save Your Profile button.

When your profile is successfully created, you will be returned to the Sign In page.

Sign In To Your Profile

To sign in to your profile, click on the Sign In | Register link in the top right of the web page. Go to the Sign In To An Existing Profile area on the left side of the page. Follow the instructions below.

Step 1: Enter your username and password. Click on the Continue button.

Step 2: Choose how you want to receive your verification code. Check the reCAPTCHA checkbox and click on the Send Verification Code button.

NOTE: You can receive the code via text if you entered a mobile number for your profile. Otherwise, you can receive your verification code via automated call or email.

Step 3: Enter the verification code that you received in the Verification Code field. Click on the Continue button.

When you have successfully completed the Sign In process, you will be directed to the Your School Accounts page. This is where you will need to connect your tax form account to your profile to view or print your 1098-T(s).

Connect An Account

To connect an account to your profile, use the following steps.

IMPORTANT! You will need your Heartland Key to connect your account.

Step 1: Click on the Connect An Account tile from the Your School Accounts page.

Step 2: On the right side of the page, enter your Heartland Key and click the Continue button.

If ECSI’s information matches the information in your profile, your tax form account will be connected to your profile. If ECSI’s information only partially matches your information in your profile, you will be prompted to enter additional points of verification. If ECSI’s information does not match the information in your profile, you will be directed to call our Contact Center at (866) 428-1098.

An itemization of your financial transactions can be viewed by visiting your eServices page on the RMU website and selecting Statement under the Financial section.

Tax form Details

Student's taxpayer identification number (TIN). For your protection, this form may show only the last four digits of your TIN (SSN, ITIN, ATIN, or EIN). However, the issuer has reported your complete TIN to the IRS

Account number. May show an account or other unique number the filer assigned to distinguish your account.

Box 1. Shows the total payments received in the calendar year from any source for qualified tuition and related expenses less any reimbursements or refunds made during the calendar year that relate to those payments received during the previous year.

Note: The amount in Box 1 may not equal or sum to the charges paid for the calendar year because not all charges are considered qualified tuition and related expenses. Non-qualified expense are defined as books, room and board, parking, insurance and other similar personal living expenses.

Box 2. Reserved.

Box 3. Reserved.

Box 4. Shows any adjustment made by an eligible educational institution for a prior yer 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 for the prior year (may result in an increase in tax liability for the year of the refund). See "recapture" in the index to Pub. 970 to report a reduction in your education credit or tuition and fees 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 the education credit you 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 (Form 1040X) for the prior year.

Box 7. Shows whether the amount in box 1 or 2 includes amounts for an academic period beginning in the next calendar year. 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.

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.

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 education credit you can claim for the year (may result in an increase in tax liability for the year of the refund).

For the latest information about developments related to Form 1098-T and its instructions, such as legislation enacted after they were published, go to www.irs.gov/form1098t.

The above information is based on the University’s interpretation of the IRS guidelines and should not be considered tax advice. The University cannot provide tax advice concerning income. Questions concerning income tax matters should be directed to a tax professional or the IRS.

Any questions or clarifications related to the 1098T must be addressed in writing. Please email stacct@rmu.edu with the student's name, RMU # and the question.