Q: What is included in box #1?
A: The total amount of payments from all sources (i.e. personal payments, grants, scholarships, tuition waivers, and loans) less any reimbursements and/or refunds made during the calendar year that relate to the payments received for qualified tuition and related expenses (QTRE). Related expenses do not include room or dining plans. Payments and waivers for FlashBooks* are included in box #1 because FlashBooks are considered a qualified expense. The amount listed in box #1 will be equal to or less than the amount charged for QTRE. The amount reported is not reduced by the scholarships and grants reported in box #5. Payments for past due tuition and qualified expenses may be included in this total as long as the items were previously billed.
Q: Why is box #2 blank?
A: Beginning with tax year 2018, Kent State is required by the IRS to report the amount paid during the year in box #1 so box #2 will no longer be populated.
Q: What is included in box #4?
A: Due to the change in reporting methods, Box #4 is blank for tax year 2018. Therefore, starting with tax year 2019 and thereafter, any adjustments previously reported to payments related to QTRE will be listed in box #4.
Q: What is included in box #5?
A: The total amount of scholarships, tuition waivers, and grants are listed in box #5. Please note that scholarships and grants for spring terms disburse to the student account in January. Therefore, they are listed on the 1098-T tax form in the year that they disbursed.
Q: What does a “check mark” indicate in box #7?
A: Box #7 will be checked if any payments received for qualified tuition and related expenses reported for the current tax year relate to an academic period that begins in a future tax year.
Q: Why don’t the numbers on the 1098-T Tax Form equal the amounts I paid to Kent State University during the year?
A: There could be two reasons for this. First, Box 1 only represents amounts paid for qualified tuition and related expenses (QTRE). It does not include payments made towards your nonqualified related expenses such as room and board, parking which, though important, are not considered mandatory education expenses for tax purposes. Secondly, your 1098-T only include amounts you paid in a calendar year which runs from January 1 to December 31. For example, we typically bill spring semester tuition in December. So, if you registered for Spring 2022 courses by the end of December, 2021 and paid your tuition on/by December 31, your tuition payment will appear in box 1 on your 2021 1098-T. However, if you paid your Spring 2022 tuition after January 1, 2022 then your payment will appear in Box 1 on your 2022 1098-T. You can access your payment history via the payment portal:
a. Log in to FlashLine by visiting https://login.kent.edu
b. Select Student>Finances>Tuition and Payments
c. Select View My Ebill
d. Select Transactions to view your payments history
*FlashBooks are specific to certain courses for more information please visit https://www.kent.edu/studentaffairs/flashbooks