Educational Tax Credits
The American Recovery and Investment Act of 2009 expanded tax benefits that may be available to your family. The IRS encourages you to save your receipts. Expenses paid for tuition, books, and course materials may be eligible to use to claim a tax credit.
For more information on the American Opportunity Credit, The Hope Credit, or the Lifelong Learning Credit, please visit www.irs.gov.
Emerson College is not a tax advisor. Emerson College cannot provide tax advice so you may want to consult the IRS or a tax professional to find out more about the tax credit and your eligibility.
1098-T Statements
Emerson College produces 1098-T statements each January for students who paid for courses during the prior tax year. The 1098-T statements show the amounts billed for eligible tuition and fees as well as any scholarships or grants awarded during the year.
Heartland ECSI
Students who did not give consent for electronic 1098Ts by December 30 of the calendar year, will now need to set up a secure profile with ECSI. This will allow them to access their 1098-T immediately and download it at any time. Creating this account will automatically opt students in for electronic 1098-T forms in future years, so they will always have digital access to future forms slightly earlier than those who opt for their forms to arrive by mail.
Access the detailed instructions
W9-S
The Privacy Act Notice, Section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code requires individuals to give their correct Social Security Number (SSN) to persons who must file information returns with the IRS to report certain information. The IRS uses SSNs for identification purposes and to verify the accuracy of tax returns. To comply with this statute, if we do not have your SSN on file, we may ask you to fill out Emerson's W-9s form and return it to us by uploading it to your SFS Profile.
If you do not have access to the SFS portal, please do one of the following:
- Fax it back to us at 617-824-8657
- Bring it in person to our office at 216 Tremont Street, 4th floor
- Mail it to:
- Emerson College
Office of Student Account
120 Street Boylston
Boston, MA 02116
- Emerson College
Under no circumstance should you email your completed form to us. Email is not a secure enough method of communication.
Please note that your SSN will only be used for the purpose of preparing form 1098-T.
Note: The downloadable PDF may not be accessible for assistive technologies. If you need assistance accessing this file's contents, or if you have questions or need assistance with the W9-S, please email bills [at] emerson.edu (bills[at]emerson[dot]edu).
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding 1098-T
What is the IRS Form 1098-T?
The 1098-T tax form is a Tuition Statement provided by higher education institutions to all eligible students who pay tuition and fees. You, or the person who can claim you as a dependent, may be able to claim an education credit on Form 1040 or 1040A, only for the qualified tuition and related expenses that were actually paid in the calendar year. To see if you qualify for the credit, see Pub. 970, Tax Benefits for Education; Form 8863, Education Credits; and the Form 1040 or 1040A instructions. Emerson 22 is unable to provide you with individual tax advice, but should you have questions, you should seek the counsel of an informed tax preparer or adviser. More information on the 1098T form can be found at www.irs.gov or by contacting the IRS at 800-829-1040.
What is the IRS Form 1098-T used for?
The information on the IRS Form 1098-T form is provided to assist each Student/Taxpayer in preparing the IRS FORM 8863, which is used to claim the American Opportunity or Lifetime Learning Credits. Once complete, the 8863 should be attached to the Student/Taxpayers return to determine eligibility and the amount of the Education credit (if any) that you may be entitled to on your Individual Income Tax Return.
When will I receive my IRS Form 1098-T?
Federal regulations mandate that the IRS Form 1098-T be postmarked no later than January 31 to all eligible students. Online access to this document may be available before that directly from Heartland/ECSI (Educational Computer Services Inc.), our third party vendor.
Where do I find Instructions to students regarding the IRS Form 1098-T?
For information regarding the information listed on your IRS Form 1098-T, click here to view Student Tax Information.
How can I get my IRS Form 1098-T online?
Heartland/ECSI, our third party vendor, will mail a copy out to those who are eligible to receive one. The process for obtaining your 1098-T from ECSI electronically has changed from previous years. There are two options for you to choose from in order to receive an electronic 1098-T at this time.
Option 1: Create a Profile on ECSI (Fastest Option)
Students who did not give consent for electronic 1098Ts by December 30, 2023 will now need to set up a secure profile with ECSI, then contact them via phone to get a numeric key, known as a Heartland key. This will allow them to access their 1098-T immediately and download it at any time. The detailed instructions for this process can be found here. Creating this account will automatically opt students in for electronic 1098-T forms in future years, so they will always have digital access to future forms slightly earlier than those who opt for their forms to arrive by mail.
Option 2 (Slightly Slower)
If you have any issues in completing the above process or would like us to send it to you via email, just let us know and we can process the request. Requests handled by our staff will be processed approximately once per week, so you will not have immediate access to your 1098-T if you choose this option. You will still have the option to opt in to electronic 1098Ts in future years by creating a profile on ECSI at a later date.
Do I have to use the IRS Form 1098-T?
No, if you are not paying taxes or your income is too high to qualify, you do not have to do anything with this form. If you think you received it in error, please disregard it.
Why haven’t I received an IRS Form 1098-T?
Possible explanations:
- The IRS Form 1098-T was mailed to the wrong address.
- IRS regulations require mailing your IRS Form 1098-T to your permanent home address on file at the college. The college may have several different types of addresses on file for a student so it is important to remember to keep your address information up to date.
- If you filed a change of address with the Post Office, the IRS Form 1098-T will not be forwarded to the new address. Instead, it will be returned to the college.
- You were enrolled in non-credit courses only; an IRS Form 1098-T is not issued. You should use your personal records to determine if you are eligible for any tax credit.
- If you have an international permanent address on file with the Emerson College, your IRS Form 1098-T will not be mailed. You must retrieve it online. Please see “How can I get my IRS Form 1098-T online?” above, question #5.
- You are an international student and are not required to receive an IRS Form 1098-T. The IRS does not require an IRS Form 1098-T to be sent to international students. If you would like to request one please contact the Student Accounts Office 617-824-8655 or email bills [at] emerson.edu (bills[at]emerson[dot]edu).
My address on the IRS Form 1098-T has changed, will that affect me when I file my tax return?
No, this will not affect filing your tax return.
I did not give Emerson College my W-9S containing my Social Security Number and address; can I still get an IRS Form 1098-T?
Yes, you will still need to fill out a W-9s; however, you may do that online at Heartland/ECSI.
Box 1: What payments are included in Box 1, Payments Received?
This shows all the payments received in the calendar year from any source (including loans) less any reimbursements or refunds made during the calendar year that relate to those payments.
What charges are included as "Qualified Tuition and Related Expenses"?
Qualified tuition and related expenses are those that a student must pay and that are within the IRS guidelines.
A brief list of Qualified vs. Not-Qualified Expenses is below:
Qualified Expenses
- Tuition
- Late Registration Fees
- Student Services Fees
- Other fees required for enrollment
Not-Qualified Expenses
- Housing
- Meal Plans
- Course-related books and equipment
Box 5: What charges qualify as “Scholarships or Grants”?
Qualified Scholarships and Grants are awards the student does not have to pay back (not a loan) which reduce the amount of Qualified Tuition and Related Expenses.
A brief list of Qualified vs. Not-Qualified Scholarships or Grants is below:
Qualified Scholarships or Grants
- VA Chapter 33, Chapter 31, and Yellow Ribbon Payments
- Federal Pell Grant, Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG), or other Grants
- Institutional Scholarship or Grants
- State Grants
Not Qualified Scholarships or Grants
- State 529 Savings Plans
Box 7: What does this box mean?
Box 7 is checked if you were billed in the calendar year on your form for a semester that begins in the following calendar year.
For specific questions about your IRS Form 1098-T and your taxes, please consult a tax professional.
If you have any further questions regarding the IRS Form 1098-T, please feel free to contact the Office of Student Accounts at 617-824-8655 or send an email to bills [at] emerson.edu (bills[at]emerson[dot]edu).