No, you will not report the 1098-T from 2016, but you might need it.
It sounds like the 2016 1098-T reported amounts billed for classes that started in Jan 2017. If they were paid for in 2017, then that 2016 1098-T is significant.
The reason is this:
Let's say the school billed you 5,000 for Jan 2017 classes in 2016.
Let's say you get a scholarship and it pays the school in Jan 2017.
Your 2017 1098-T will show 5,000 more in money received then amount billed.
Report the 2017 1098-T and also use your school account records as a guide. Make sure your billed amounts and payments do not overlap between 2016 and 2017. If they do, you may need that 2016 1098-T to make sense of it all.
Read IRS Pub 970 for help.
No, you will not report the 1098-T from 2016, but you might need it.
It sounds like the 2016 1098-T reported amounts billed for classes that started in Jan 2017. If they were paid for in 2017, then that 2016 1098-T is significant.
The reason is this:
Let's say the school billed you 5,000 for Jan 2017 classes in 2016.
Let's say you get a scholarship and it pays the school in Jan 2017.
Your 2017 1098-T will show 5,000 more in money received then amount billed.
Report the 2017 1098-T and also use your school account records as a guide. Make sure your billed amounts and payments do not overlap between 2016 and 2017. If they do, you may need that 2016 1098-T to make sense of it all.
Read IRS Pub 970 for help.