Tax Information
Do you have questions regarding your 1098-T? Please contact ECSI by phone at 866.428.1098 or email at [email protected].
The university is required to collect a student's Taxpayer Identification Numbers (SSN/TIN) for various reasons:
- Students applying for any form of on-campus employment
- Students applying for financial aid
- Foreign students applying for a tax treaty exemption from withholding tax on excess scholarships and grants.
- Federal law (section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code) requires that you provide your correct SSN/TIN so that the university can include it in the 1098-T information return, which will be filed with the IRS. If we file your form without an SSN or TIN, the IRS will not be able to match up your claim for a credit with the 1098T on file, this may increase your risk of your tax return being audited. You can find more information about this law on the web at IRS Tax Benefits for Education: Information Center on the Internal Revenue Service site irs.gov.
- The Taxpayer's Relief Act of 1997, as amended by the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998, offers certain American taxpayers some tax relief for specific kinds of payments made to a qualified university. These laws require universities that enroll any individual for any academic period to report specific information annually to the enrolled individual and the Department of the Treasury, including the enrolled individual's name, address and taxpayer identification number (TIN) or social security number (SSN), and the amounts paid to the university (or assessed by the university) for the enrolled person during the previous tax year. The university must report this information regardless of whether an enrolled person or other taxpayer intends to claim a credit or deduction for payments to the university.
- The only exceptions to this reporting requirement apply to (a) nonresident alien individuals, (b) courses for which no academic credit is offered by the university (although reporting is required for students who enroll concurrently in both for credit and non-credit classes), (c) individuals whose qualified tuition and related expenses are waived in their entirety or paid entirely with scholarships, and (d) individuals whose qualified tuition and related expenses are covered by a formal billing arrangement as defined in the applicable regulations (e.g., a university bills a student's employer for all tuition and expenses and the university does not maintain a separate account for the student). The law describing the reporting requirements is 26 U.S.C § 6050S, and the applicable regulations are located at 26 C.F.R. § 1.6050S-0, et seq.
Missing SSN/TIN Hold
Your Social Security Number is used for the IRS Form 1098T Tuition Statement (for American Opportunity Credit, Hope Scholarship and/or Lifetime Learning Credit). In order to properly file this form, the University needs your correct Social Security Number (SSN).
If a student's SSN/TIN is not provided during the first semester of attendance, a hold will be placed on the account which will prevent registration, graduation and obtaining transcripts and grades online.
Penalties
Failure to furnish correct SSN. If you fail to furnish your correct SSN or ITIN to Oakland University, the IRS may impose a penalty of $50 unless your failure is due to reasonable cause and not to willful neglect.
Misuse of SSNs. If Oakland University discloses or uses your SSN in violation of Federal law, Oakland University may be subject to civil and criminal penalties.
What You Need To Do
To provide your SSN/ITIN electronically, use our SSN/ITIN Request Form in MySAIL. You will need to login with your NetID and password, then click SAIL in the left hand navigation menu and click on the Student Services menu.We understand that you are not a US resident and may not have a social security number (SSN) or International Tax Identification Number (ITIN).
If you have a SSN/ITIN, the Oakland University Student Business Services office is requesting your U.S. Tax Identification Number (Social Security Number or Individual Tax Identification Number). This number will be used for Form 1098T Tuition Statement (for American Opportunity Credit, Hope Scholarship and/or Lifetime Learning Credit) and/or Form 1042-S Foreign Person's U.S. Source Income Subject to Withholding (for Non-Resident Alien tax reporting).
Form 1098T is the Federal IRS form used to participate in the American Opportunity Credit, Hope Scholarship and/or Lifetime Learning federal tax credit programs. Form 1042-S is the Federal IRS form used to report Non-Resident Alien income and withholding to the taxpayer and the IRS. In order to properly file these forms, the University needs your correct social security number (SSN) or International Tax Identification Number (ITIN).
What You Need To Do
Students are able to opt-in to receive their 1098-T electronically on the eBill system. The student consent is indefinite and can be changed at any time by using the Consents and Agreements page accessible from the eBill home page.
Students can allow authorized users (parents, guardians or others) to retrieve the 1098-T in eBill by clicking "Yes" to the "Would you like to allow this person to view your 1098-T tax statement?" question on the Authorized User page accessible from the eBill home page when creating an authorized user or by "editing" an existing authorized user.
eBill for Students eBill for Authorized Users
To assist you or your parents in taking a tax credit or deduction for qualified tuition and charges paid, the university will issue an IRS Form 1098-T to students each January. The 1098-T reports the amount of qualified tuition and charges assessed and grants or scholarships posted to your student account during the previous tax year. You may not receive a 1098-T if you do not have a valid mailing address on file or your assessed amounts consisted of only non-credit (continuing education) courses.
The opt-in deadline for any given calendar year 1098-T is the date the 1098-T file is sent to the third party processor, usually around January 15th each year. Students who opt-in after the deadline will receive a paper 1098-T for the prior calendar year and will retrieve their 1098-T electronically through eBill the following calendar year. For example:
- 1098-T files is transferred to the third party service provider January 15, 2024.
- Student opts-in on January 2, 2024 - student will retrieve the 2023 calendar year 1098-T electronically through eBill.
- Student opts-in on January 15, 2024 - student will retrieve the 2023 calendar year 1098-T electronically through eBill.
- Student opts-in on January 28, 2024 - student will receive a paper copy of the 2023 calendar year 1098-T and retrieve the 2024 calendar year and any future 1098-T's electronically through eBill.
In mid to late January, students will be able to retrieve their 1098-T though eBill on the Statement page accessible through the eBill home page. Students will receive an email notification regarding the availability of their 1098-T form online.
Also in mid to late January, students may obtain financial detail for boxes 1, 4, 5 and 6 along with payment and housing financial information electronically by visiting MySAIL, then clicking on the foursquare icon at the top-right of the SAIL page, then selecting Student Services, Student Records, and then Tax Notification.
- Current students can access SAIL by going to MySAIL, logging in using their NetID and password, then clicking on the SAIL link under Popular Services.
- Alumni and students who have not registered in the past year can access SAIL by going to MySAIL, then using the quick link Reactivate NetID located on the right side of the login page, to reactivate their NetID using their Grizzly ID and PIN. After reactivating their NetID, students will then be able to login to MySAIL using their NetID and password..
Please consult with a qualified tax preparer or CPA to determine if you are eligible for a tax credit or deduction. Oakland University cannot offer tax advice. Learn more about tax credits and deductions at IRS Tax Benefits for Education: Information Center on the Internal Revenue Service site irs.gov.
What information is reported on Form 1098-T?
The amounts reported on the 1098-T are reported based on the date the payment / refund was posted to the student account and / or the aid was applied to the student account. A student who registered / paid for winter semester prior to January of the reporting year will have had those payments / charges reported in the prior year.
Box 1 - Payments Received for Qualified Tuition and Related Expenses:
Shows the total payments received by an eligible educational institution in 2023 from any source for qualified tuition and related expenses less any reimbursements or refunds made during 2023 that relate to those payments received during 2023. If Box 7 is checked, it may also include payments received for any academic period beginning January-March of the next reporting year (Refer to Box 7 description).
Box 2 - Amounts Billed for Qualified Tuition and Related Expenses:
Reserved.
Box 3 - Change to Reporting Method:
Reserved.
Box 4 - Adjustments made for a Prior Year:
Shows any adjustment made by an eligible educational institution for a prior year for qualified tuition and related expenses that were reported on a prior year Form 1098-T.
Box 5 - Scholarships or Grants:
Shows the total of all scholarships or grants administered and processed by Oakland University.
Box 6 - Adjustments to Scholarships or Grants for a Prior Year:
Shows any reductions of scholarships and grants for semesters in a previous reporting year. 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 7 - Checked if the Amounts in Box 1 include Amounts for an Academic Period Beginning January - March:
This box will be checked if the student is registered in courses beginning in January through March of the next reporting year.
Box 8 - Checked if at least Half-Time Student:
This box will be checked if the student is classified as half-time or greater in any one of the academic periods beginning in the reporting year.
Box 9 - Checked if a Graduate Student:
This box will be checked if the student is a graduate student (enrolled in a program leading to a graduate degree or graduate-level certificate) during the reporting year.
Box 10 - Ins. Contract Reimbursements/Refunds:
Shows the total amount of reimbursements/refunds of qualified tuition and related expenses made by an insurer. This box does not apply to Oakland University.
Note: All boxes do not need to be populated. Boxes 2 and 3 will be blank.
For U.S. citizens and resident aliens, the university is not required to report scholarships or fellowships to the Internal Revenue Service. Reporting such income for tax purposes is the sole responsibility of the recipient.
For nonresident aliens, scholarships and fellowships may be subject to federal income tax withholding based on the student's visa type, the degree path of the student, and the existence of a U.S. tax treaty with the student's country of residence. The federal income tax withholding rate may be zero percent, 14 percent or 30 percent depending on the circumstances, and the tax rate may apply to a portion of the scholarship or fellowship.
The withholding rate for a nonresident alien using tax treaty provisions would be zero percent or another rate based on the treaty. If a tax treaty is not used, the withholding rate would be 14 percent of taxable portion for individuals with F, J, M or Q visas and 30 percent of taxable portion for others. The taxable portion for students not seeking a degree is the total amount of the financial aid award. The taxable portion for students seeking a degree is the total amount of the financial aid award less qualified educational expenses (tuition, books, supplies and mandatory fees). OU does not assess mandatory fees to students. Taxable income is reduced by the amount budgeted for books and supplies in the cost of attendance tool.
IRS tax regulations require scholarship and fellowship awards for nonresident aliens be reported to the IRS and to the recipient after each calendar year on Form 1042S - Foreign Person's U.S. Source Income Subject to Withholding. Form 1042S is used to report taxable scholarship/fellowship payments made, income tax withheld and other information relating to the grant payments. For more information regarding nonresident alien taxation in the U.S., reference IRS Publication 519, U.S. Tax Guide for Aliens on IRS.gov.
Form 1042-S will be mailed out to students by the second week of March.
Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships
318 Meadow Brook Road
Rochester, MI 48309-4454
(location map)
(248) 370-2550
[email protected]
Office Hours:
M-F 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Have your Grizzly ID ready
OU school code: 002307
Student employment contact: [email protected]
We are committed to ensuring you're able to access our website. For assistance with technical resources, contact OU's Student Technology Center.