My wife received a 1098t with only box 4 filled. She hasn't been in college since 2009. What does 1098t mean?

[DawnC0 · Accepted solution]

A 1098-T is a Tuition Statement.  Box 4 is an adjustment made for a prior year.   It shows any adjustment made for a prior year for qualified tuition and related expenses that were reported on a prior year Form 1098-T.  This amount may reduce any allowable education credit that you claimed for the prior year (may result in an increase in tax liability for the year of the refund).

If you took a tax deduction in previous years for this amount, you may need to amend your tax return.  The IRS can only go back 6 years, so if this truly is an adjustment from 2009 or before, I wouldn't be too alarmed.  However, you can contact the issuer of the 1098-T and get more information as to why you received it.  It may be an error.  

It is not going to do anything if you enter into TurboTax, except tell you that you are 'ineligible' for a tuition credit, which you already know.  The program won't do anything with an amount in box 4 unless you are claiming tuition credits.