1098-T Form:

• What is a 1098-T form?
• When will the 1098-T be mailed?
• To which address is the 1098-T mailed?
• How can I get a second copy of 1098-T form?
• Detailed Fee Receipt Information and Explanation of the Charges:
• Steps for accessing the detailed fee receipt information:
• Information reported on form 1098-T:
• Amounts included in Box 2 are, “Amounts billed for qualified tuition and related expenses:”
• Amounts included in Box 4 are, “Adjustments made for a prior year:”
• Amounts included in Box 5 are, “Scholarship and grants for a prior year:”
• What can you do if you do not receive the 1098-T form?
• 1098-T forms for International Students:
• Can I get help from PVAMU in determining if I am eligible for the educational tax credits?
• Why doesn't my 1098-T match what I paid/received?
• Can parents/guardians have access to the student's 1098-T?
• How can I claim the Hope/Lifetime Learning Credit when Box 2 does not match what I paid?

The 1098-T form:

The 1098-T is an IRS form entitled “Tuition Statement” that assists the student in determining if he/she qualifies for certain education related tax credits under the Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997(TRA97). The IRS requires eligible educational institutions such as Prairie View A&M University to file a 1098-T form each year for each student (excluding non-resident alien students) enrolled for whom a reportable transaction is made during the calendar year.  To find out how and what information Prairie View A&M University reports on the 1098-T form, please click on “Information Reported on Form 1098-T” link above.

Mailing Date:

The Forms will be mailed by January 31st of the following year. You should receive your 1098-T form within two weeks of this date.

Mailing Address:

The 1098-T form will be mailed to the mailing address listed in PANTHERTRACKS. If your address has changed recently, please go to www.panthertracks.pvamu.edu and enter the correct address information.

Second Copy of the 1098-T form:

You can print copies of your 1098-T statements by following the steps below. Please read the instructions carefully:

Step 1: Go to www.tra.vangent.com

Step 2: Click on the “Student Services Button”

Step 3: Enter 00363000 for School Code and hit “Submit”

Step 4: On the Student Log on page enter:
First Name
Last Name
Pin Number - If you have forgotten your PIN or don’t have a PIN, there is a button “Don’t have a PIN” that you can use. Enter your First and Last name, and click “Don’t have a PIN”, you will be brought to a page where you need to enter the last 4 digits of your SSN along with your mailing address listed on Panthertracks. If the search successfully finds you in the system, you will be required to change your PIN and then complete the login.

Detailed Fee Receipt Information and Explanation of the Charges:

Prairie View A&M University posts a detailed breakdown of the qualified and unqualified charges on the student portal/Panthertracks of the university website (http://panthertracks.pvamu.edu/). This detailed information is supplemental and is not reported to the IRS. All financial information that is posted on the web is summarized by type and academic term. In addition to the financial information, explanation of the charges is also provided there.

You can access this information by taking the following steps:

1. Log in to Panthertracks at http://panthertracks.pvamu.edu/
2. Click on “Register for classes, view and pay fees and view financial aid status and tracking documents”
3. Click on “Enter Secure Area”
4. Enter User ID and Pin and click on “Login”
5. Select the term and click “Submit”
6. Verify address information and click continue.  (If address information is incorrect please click on “correct my address” and update your information.)
7. Click on “Student and Financial Aid”
8. Click on “Student Account”
9. Click on “Select tax year”  Enter “2009” for the tax year and click “submit”  
10. Click on “Tax Notification”.  The tax notification information that was reported to the IRS should be displayed.  (This information was not reported for International Students.  If you are an international student and you are requesting a 1098-T form, please contact Treasury Services at 936-261-1890 for assistance)

Information reported on form 1098-T:

On the 1098-T form, Prairie View A&M University reports student’s name, SSN, address and indicates if the student was a graduate student or at least half-time during the calendar year. The university reports the amount billed for qualified tuition and related expenses and not the actual amount that the student paid to the university during the calendar year. Since Prairie View A&M University does not identify payments on student account with specific charges, it is impossible to determine which payment is made towards the qualified expenses and which is made towards the unqualified expenses. Therefore, the university has elected to report amounts billed in Box 2 instead of payment received in Box 1 . Students should use their personal records and university fee receipts to determine the actual amount paid towards the charges reported on the 1098-T statement. 

Amounts included in Box 2 , “Amounts billed for qualified tuition and related expense”:

This represents the amounts billed during the calendar year for qualified tuition and related expenses. The amount reported is the total amount billed less any reductions in charges made during the calendar year that relate to the amounts billed.

Amounts included in Box 4 , “Adjustments made for a prior year”:

This represents any reduction in charges made for qualified tuition and related expenses processed during the calendar year that relate to amounts billed that were reported for a prior year.

Amounts included in Box 5 , Scholarship and grants for a prior year”:

This represents any reduction to the amount of scholarship or grants that were reported for prior year.

What to do if you do not receive the1098-T Form:

Prairie View A&M University sends a 1098-T form to every student except foreign students, from whom the university received payment for qualified tuition and related expenses. If you were enrolled at least half time in any semesters during the previous calendar year, did not receive your 1098-T, and it is not available on the TRA Services website www.tra.vangent.com , contact the University at 936-261-1890.

International Students:

1098-T forms will be produced for international students as requested.  Presentation of a valid social security card or tax identification card is required for this purpose. Please contact Treasury Services at 936-261-1890 for more information.

Determining the eligibility for the educational tax credits:

Prairie View A&M University cannot determine if you qualify for a tax credit and is not allowed to give you tax advice. Please read the instructions on the 1098-T statement and obtain IRS publication 970 and Form 8863 or contact a tax professional about your personal income tax situation. The IRS website for the above form and publication is www.irs.gov/formspubs/index.html, and the IRS can be reached at 1-800-829-1040.

Why doesn't my 1098-T match what I paid/received?

This is the most common misunderstanding each year. For 1098-T purposes, Prairie View A&M University reports qualified transactions in the calendar year when amounts were billed and not when amounts were paid, received or posted. For example, undergraduate students were billed during the Fall semester 2009 (usually around mid-December) for classes being taken during the Spring semester 2010, so those amounts are included on your 2009 1098-T even though the actual payment may have been made or applied or posted during 2010.  Spring semester 2009 was billed in Fall 2008 and was included in the 2008 1098-T Form.   

Amounts of qualified tuition and required fees reported on your 1098-T are defined by the IRS as "tuition and fees required for enrollment or attendance at an eligible educational institution". The IRS does not consider student health fees, transportation fees, recreational sports fees, insurance fees, or room and board of any kind* as qualified tuition and related fees, therefore, these fees are excluded from amounts reported on the 1098-T.

Amounts of scholarships reported on your 1098-T are for determining eligibility for the Hope credit and lifetime learning credit only, NOT for determining taxability of such scholarships. Your scholarships may or may not be taxable, refer to IRS Publication 970 http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p970.pdf for details on determining the taxability of different types of scholarships. 

Can Parent/Guardian have access to student's 1089-T?

Yes, but only with their direct consent and permission. Prairie View A&M University is prohibited from discussing or disclosing any student information over the telephone or to anyone other than the student themselves. Only the student can grant a parent or guardian access to their online 1098-T by going to www.tra.vangent.com.

How can I claim the Hope/Lifetime Learning Credit when Box 2 does not match what I paid?

IRS Publication 970 has information on how to figure the Hope or Lifetime Learning Credit when the amounts reported in Box 2 does not match what was actually paid.