​​1098T Information

The South Dakota Public Universities 1098-T federal tax tuition statement will be available on January 31.

What is the IRS Form 1098-T?

A college or university that received qualified tuition and related expenses on your behalf is required to file Form 1098-T with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).  Educational institutions are required to file and furnish a Form 1098-T to students whose payments for qualified billed tuition and related expenses were received in the calendar year.  The information being reported to the IRS verifies your enrollment with regard to certain eligibility criteria for the American Opportunity Tax Credit, the Lifetime Learning Tax Credit, and the Higher Education Tuition and Fees Deduction.  However, the enrollment information by itself does not establish eligibility for either credit or deduction.

1098-T Information

The amount shown in Box 1 of your 1098-T represents the total amount of payments received for qualified tuition and related expenses from all sources during the calendar year. The amount reported is the total amount of payments received, less any reimbursements or refunds made during the calendar year that relate to the payments received for qualified tuition and related expenses during the same calendar year. The amount reported is not reduced by scholarships and grants reported in box 5.

The amount listed in Box 4 of your 1098-T reflects adjustments made for a prior year to Payments received and/or amounts billed. Payments received may be reimbursements or refunds of qualified tuition and related expenses made in the current calendar year that relate to payments received that were reported for any prior year. Amounts billed may be reductions in charges made for qualified tuition and related expenses made during the calendar year that relate to amounts billed that were reported for any prior year.

The amount listed in Box 5 of your 1098-T reflects the amount of scholarships, sponsorships, and grants applied to your account during the calendar year.

Your 1098-T

Your 1098-T is available on the ECSI website with the login and password information located on your 1098-T received in the mail. If you did not receive your 1098-T in the mail, please call ECSI at 1-866-428-1098 to obtain your login and password information.

Additional Information

Qualified tuition and fees are charges a student must pay to be enrolled at or attend an eligible educational institution.

Refer to IRS  Publication 970 for all other qualified tuition and related fees that may not be included on your 1098-T.

If you received tax-free funds for educational expenses—these will reduce your total qualified education deduction. Tax-free educational assistance includes the tax-free portion of scholarships and fellowships, Pell grants, employer-provided educational assistance, veteran’s assistance, and any other nontaxable payments other than gifts or inheritance provided to you as educational assistance. For more information, see IRS Publication 970.

Please Note: Loans are not tax-free funds for educational expenses.

National Guard Federal and State assistance, Vocational Rehab, Vets Voc, and WIA are a few examples of sponsored payments.

  • Box 1: Your qualified tuition and fees paid for in the calendar year. It is calculated as your payments, less refunds, up to the amount of qualified tuition and fees incurred during the calendar year. Payments include all financial aid, sponsored payments, and personal payments.
  • Box 2: no longer used after 2017, according to IRS regulations.
  • Box 3: no longer used after 2017, according to IRS regulations.
  • Box 4: Adjustments made for prior year payments received and/or amounts billed.
  • Box 5: Scholarships, grants, and sponsored payments.
  • Box 6: Adjustments made to scholarships or grants for a prior year.
  • Box 7: Checked if the amount in Box 1 includes amounts for an academic period beginning January-March of the following calendar year.
  • Box 8: Checked if the individual status was at least half-time.
  • Box 9: Checked for graduate students.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The 1098-T tax forms are mailed and postmarked to students by January 31st. Online access is currently available for previous tax years, where applicable. You can view your 1098-T by clicking here.

See exceptions listed on the IRS website providing information on Form 1098-T.

Click here to access your 1098-T from a prior year if you were eligible to receive a form.

Through 2017, the South Dakota Board of Regents reported amounts billed for qualified tuition and related expenses, which were reported in Box 2.  Payments you made were not reported on the Form 1098-T.  Starting in tax year 2018, due to IRS legislation that changed Form 1098-T reporting requirements, the South Dakota Board of Regents will report payments received for qualified tuition and related expenses in Box 1.

You must provide consent by January 1st. If consent is given after January 1st, you will receive your 1098-T electronically in the following tax year.

If you would like electronic access to your 1098-T statement, please provide your consent with Hartland ECSI.

  • Enter South Dakota Board of Regents for the school.
  • First Name
  • Last Name
  • Social Security Number is optional
  • Student id
  • Email address – primary
  • Email address – secondary is optional

By signing up for an electronic version of the tax document, NO paper form will be mailed to you.  When your tax document is ready, an email will be sent containing a link to the Heartland ECSI website where you may view your document. You must provide consent by January 1st. If consent is given after January 1st, you will receive your 1098-T electronically in the following tax year.

  • Online delivery provides access to the form earlier than the traditional mailing process.
  • It eliminates the chance that the 1098-T will get lost, misdirected or delayed during delivery, or misplaced once you receive it.
  • It is easy and secure, and you can withdraw from online delivery at any time.
  • You can retrieve your 1098-T Form even while you are away from home.
  • Parents/guardians can also retrieve a copy of the 1098-T form.

The South Dakota Public Universities have contracted with Heartland ECSI to print, mail, and store your 1098-T online. Since 1972, Heartland ECSI has provided clients with intuitive, user-friendly software and solutions. Heartland ECSI provides customer service through a 1-800 phone service and offers live chat to assist in answering any questions. Heartland ECSI will be mailing you a copy of your 1098-T before January 31.