5. Student Access Prduct Handbk The Student Infrmatin Website (http://www.ecsi.net/taxinf.html) is available 24/7. This prtal allws students t view valuable infrmatin related t their 1098-T statements including hw t access their statements nline, steps t take t crrect their SSN, what t d if the amunts n the frm are incrrect and verviews f available tax credits. a. Retrieve Lgin Credentials Students can retrieve their lgin credentials nline by clicking n the Click here t retrieve yur lgin credentials link. Students will be authenticated using their first name, last name, last 4 digits f their scial security number, date f birth and zip cde. Upn authenticatin, students will be presented with their schl cde and PIN/passwrd. b. Tax Infrmatin This user interface allws a student t view an electrnic cpy f any 1098-T statement that was been prduced n its behalf. 14 P a g e
Prduct Handbk T view a 1098-T statement, a user must: Select the radi buttn next t the student s infrmatin: Select the radi buttn next t the specific tax year Click [VIEW] c. Signup Fr Electrnic Tax Dcuments This feature allws a student t pt-in t receive their 1098-T statement electrnically. T pt-in t receive a 1098-T statement electrnically, a user must: 15 P a g e
Prduct Handbk Check the bx authrizing cnsent t receive the 1098-T statement electrnically. Enter an email address int the Email Address: field and click the SUMBIT buttn. d. Live Custmer Supprt This feature allws a student t cmmunicate with a ECSI custmer service representative using live chat via their nline web brwser. 6. Frequently Asked Questins Wh shuld receive a 1098-T statement? A: Per the IRS, yu need t furnish a 1098-T statement t any eligible student (even if they d nt have a SSN/TIN). Eligible student requirements can be fund nline at http://www.irs.gv/instructins/i1098et/index.html. Q: What des ECSI d with 1098-T recrds that are prvided withut a scial security number ( SSN )? A: When a 1098-T recrd is prvided t ECSI withut a SSN/TIN, an ECSI Accunt Number ("EAN") is created fr that recrd within ur system. When that recrd is submitted t the IRS, it is dne s withut the EAN. Per IRS regulatins, if a 1098-T statement is furnished t a student, the 1098-T data must be submitted t the IRS, regardless f whether they have a SSN/TIN n file. Q: Des ECSI prvide tax advice? A: ECSI cannt ffer tax advice regarding yur tax frms. If yu have any questins abut if r hw much interest yu can deduct, yu shuld cnsult with a qualified tax prfessinal r cntact the IRS Taxpayer Assistance line at 1-800-829-1040. The IRS web site has many dcuments cncerning TRA-97, including sme self-help tpics fr tax filers. Q: What is ECSI s preferred timeline f events fr 1098-T Seasn? 16 P a g e
Prduct Handbk A: Our desired timeline is as fllws, but exceptins can be made, if applicable: September 20th ECSI will begin implementing new TaxSelect 1098-T clients by sending ut the ECSI Implementatins Welcme email. TaxSelect implementatins generally run fr 20 t 28 business days based upn the client s availability. Implementatins need t be cmpleted n later than January 15th. September 25th ECSI will fficially begin the events timeline by sending all returning TaxSelect 1098-T clients the ECSI Welcme Back email. Octber1st ECSI will frmally annunce the events timeline t all TaxSelect 1098-T clients. Octber 10th ECSI will prvide all TaxSelect 1098-T clients with the Student Electrnic Opt-In Slicitatin email template. This email shuld be sent t all f students encuraging them t pt-in t receive their 1098-T statements electrnically. Students wh have pted-in t receive their statements electrnically will receive a ntificatin frm ECSI infrming them that they can access their statements nline the same day they have been apprved by the client. Octber 15th ECSI will distribute the TaxSelect 1098-T Pstage Invice t clients. This invice is due Nvember 15th. The Pstage Invice will reflect the estimated cunt f yur statements multiplied by the standard First Class pstal rate. Octber 20th ECSI will prvide clients a cpy f the Instructins fr Frms 1098-T. Nvember 25th t December 20th ECSI will pen the 1098-T data file testing perid. During this time, clients can prvide ECSI with a 1098-T test data file and ECSI will prcess the file and pst the results nline. Clients are nly permitted t prvide ECSI a test file if their data file layut has changed frm prir years. January 2nd t January 15th ECSI will pen the 1098-T data file prductin perid. During this time, clients must prvide ECSI a 1098-T prductin data file. Clients are encuraged t prvide their prductin data as sn as pssible. Clients that cannt meet the prductin file deadline are required t email taxdcs@ecsi.net t discuss an extensin. January 21st 17 P a g e
Prduct Handbk ECSI requires that all prcessed 1098-T prductin files be reviewed and apprved by this date. This will guarantee that all statements will be printed and mailed by the IRS deadline (January 31st). Clients that cannt meet the apprval deadline are required t email taxdcs@ecsi.net t discuss an extensin. January 31st This is the deadline fr all 1098-T statements t be printed and mailed. ECSI will distribute the TaxSelect 1098-T Final Invice t clients. This invice is due February 28th. The 1098-T Final Invice will reflect the ttal cunt f yur statements multiplied by the cntracted rate minus any paid amunt frm the 1098-T Pstage Invice. February 1st t March 25th ECSI will pen the 1098-T crrectin perid. During this time, clients can create, edit r delete 1098-T statements nline using the Create/Edit Tax Dcuments feature. All created and edited statements will be included in the IRS data submissin (there is n need t cntact ECSI when a crrectin is made). March 31st ECSI will submit yur 1098-T statement data t the IRS n later than this date. All statements created/edited after this perid will be autmatically submitted t the IRS at the end f each mnth (there is n need t cntact ECSI when a crrectin is made). August 1st ECSI must submit all crrectins t the IRS by this date. Q: Hw des ECSI s call center handle student specific questins abut financial infrmatin n a 1098-T statement? A: ECSI is respnsible fr the prcessing, presentment, issuance and submissin f the 1098-T statements. ECSI will prvide Tier 1 call center supprt regarding questins abut statement delivery, general statement questins and accessing electrnic statements. Questins regarding specific financial infrmatin n the 1098-T frm must be referred back t the client. Q: Can ECSI generate 1098-T statements fr a prir tax year? A: ECSI allws a client t generate 1098-T statements fr a prir tax year manually nline r via a data file in ne f ur accepted frmats. 1098-T statement data generated fr a prir tax year are nt submitted t the IRS. Q: Hw is a new client Administrative user accunt created? 18 P a g e
Prduct Handbk A: A request fr a new 1098T client administrative user accunt needs t be sent t peratins@ecsi.net. Please include the client cde and request fr 1098T access in yur email, as well as the requested user s name, email address and phne number. An email will be sent t the user with their lgin instructins nce the accunt has been generated. Q: Des ECSI truncate the scial security number ( SSN ) n the 1098-T statements? A: As f tax year 2013, ECSI truncates the SSN n paper and electrnic statements pursuant t prpsed regulatins 1.6042-4(b) and 301.6109-4 (REG-148873-09). Q: Hw des a student pt-in t receive an electrnic statement? A: The student will receive an email frm their institutin with a client specific link. They student will visit the link and prvide their student ID #, name and cnsent t receive their 1098-T statement electrnically. ECSI maintains the cnsent within ur database until the student changes their preference. Students wh have pted t receive their 1098-T statement electrnically will receive an email ntificatin frm ECSI with instructins n hw t access their statement nline. Student s need their scial security number t lg in and view their statement. Students wh have nt pted-in will receive a paper 1098-T statement mailed t the address prvided by the client.