1098T Information

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1098T Information

The South Dakota Public Universities 1098-T federal tax tuition statement will be available on January 31 online at https://heartland.ecsi.net/.

South Dakota Board of Regents 1098T Access through Heartland ECSI Directions

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 whom 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.

Note on 1098-T Information

Beginning in 2018 – We are required by the IRS to use Box 1 (Payments) for reporting purposes, and we are no longer allowed to use Box 2. The following are instructions to aid you in this calculation.

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 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.

Qualified Tuition and Related Fees

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. See Publication 970

Scholarship and Grants

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 at http://www.irs.gov/.

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

Sponsored Billing

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

1098-Ts are prepared each year in January for the entire student population.

The 1098-T tax forms are mailed and postmarked by Heartland ECSI to students by January 31st. The tax forms provided include the following:

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 payment, 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 a 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.

Neither the South Dakota Board of Regents, nor its colleges can provide tax advice. A tax professional should be consulted for such advice. Below is some helpful information regarding tax benefits and accessing the Form 1098-T.

How do I access my 1098-T?

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.

Additional Information

Why did I not receive a 1098-T?

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

How can I get a copy of my 1098-T from a prior year?

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

Why is there nothing in Box 1 of my 1098-T?

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, South Dakota Board of Regents will report payments received for qualified tuition and related expenses in Box 1.

How do I give consent to receive my 1098-T Electronically?

You must provide consent by January 1^st. If consent is given after January 1^st, 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 at https://heartland.ecsi.net/index.main.html#/access/eConsent

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

What are the benefits of receiving my 1098-T electronically?

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.
Go Green and save the environment.

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.

If you do not receive your 1098-T in the mail shortly after January 31, please call ECSI at 1-866-428-1098 or login at https://heartland.ecsi.net/. Heartland ECSI will provide you with your login information so you can view and print a copy of your statement. The universities will not be able to provide copies of your 1098-T.

University personnel cannot determine which students are eligible for Education Tax Credits nor provide assistance in calculating the amount of credit to which you may be entitled. Please consult your personal tax preparer or visit the IRS website at http://www.irs.gov for more information.

University Contact Information

BHSU-- Black Hills State University

Email: BHSU1098T@bhsu.edu

Phone: (605) 642-6512

DSU-- Dakota State University

Email: cashier@dsu.edu

Phone (605) 256-5271

NSU-- Northern State University:

Email: nsustudentaccounts@northern.edu

Phone (605) 626-2566

SDSMT-- South Dakota School of Mines & Technology

Email: cashier@sdsmt.edu