1098-T Box 2 Blank

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
June 6, 2019
1 reply
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On my husband’s 1098-T, box 1 has the amount he paid for school in 2017 and box 5 has the amount he received in financial aid, but box 2 is completely blank. Do we need to get this corrected before we file our taxes?

Best answer by AnthonyC

No, box 2 is supposed to be blank. In the past, schools were able to report either amounts actually paid or received in box 1 or amounts billed in box 2 (but not in both). Recently, the IRS has issued new guidance that is requiring schools to use box 1 amounts only. Schools are no longer even suppose to use box 2 reporting at all.

AnthonyCAnswer

Level 12

Mike56

Level 2

@TurboTaxAnthony - I am so glad to hear this. The box 2 thing has been driving me nuts these last few years. My school claimed that state legislation forced them to use box 2, though everything I can see, even in the IRS publication states that the school can choose which one to use. Do you have a link to the new IRS guidelines you speak of? And if they are truly just guidelines, I am assuming that schools can continue to use box 2 if they want? What possible reason do they have? Thanks!