You can ask the college to correct the 1098-T, but they will most likely decline.
If the school reported Box 2 on the 2017 1098-T, that reports what was billed, not what was paid. The IRS is concerned with, and bases the credits on, what was paid in the tax year.
If the school billed in 2017, but you paid in 2018, you can use that expense.
Use your school account statement and keep a copy with your tax file to prove you paid in 2018.
Prepaid expenses.
“Qualified
education expenses paid in 2018 for an academic period that begins in the first
3 months of 2019 can be used in figuring an education credit for 2018 only. See
Academic period, earlier. For
example, if you pay $2,000 in December 2018 for qualified tuition for the 2019
winter quarter that begins in January 2019, you can use that $2,000 in figuring
an education credit for 2018 only (if you meet all the other requirements).
You can't use any
amount you paid in 2017 or 2019 to figure the qualified education expenses you
use to figure your 2018 education credit(s).”
CLICK HERE for IRS Pub 970 Education Credits
