I didn't get a 1098-T from my school this year. I contacted them about it, and they said it wasn't required in my case, but they went ahead and issued it anyway since I asked. They also told me they could cancel that (and not send it to the IRS), if I would prefer, and said something about how that might be better because of coordination with other benefits or some such.
Given the choice, why might I want or not want the 1098-T reported?
I'm ok with general responses that may be helpful to others. I can figure out how to apply them to my specific case.
However, if you want to know the details in my case: I receive living stipend payments from an independent fellowship (subject of another post here). That fellowship also pays tuition directly to the school. In addition to that, my university gives me a 'graduate assistance award' which is unofficially to help me pay for health insurance. It is just over $1000 a year. So, reporting the 1098-T would make my income about $5000 more, but $4000 or so goes to tuition, and I'm left with the $1000 in extra taxable income. Without them reporting the 1098-T, presumably I still have to report the $1000, but I don't report the tuition as income, or claim it as a deduction. Is there any gain to claim an extra $4000, and then deducting it?
