I'm taking a German class at the local college. I paid my tuition in full out of my own pocket. I got an email from them stating:

quote:

Good morning,

We are beginning to compile the 2017 Tax Form 1098T and we are missing the following information to complete your file:

Student Social Security Number

This information is needed as the IRS requires us to file a Form 1098T for each student each year. The 1098T contains information about qualified tuition and related expenses which you or your family may be able to deduct for income tax purposes. But regardless of your tax status, a Form 1098T and a correct SSN is required for all students.

Please complete the attached (and hyperlinked) form W9-S Form and return a physical copy to the Business Office located at XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX.

Section 6109 of the Internal Revenue Code requires you to provide your correct SSN to person who must file information return with the IRS. If you fail to furnish your correct SSN to the requestor, you are subject to a penalty of $50 from the Federal government, unless your failure is due to reasonable cause and not willful neglect. In order to avoid a possible government penalty, please respond with the requested documentation.

If you have any questions, please contact me.

Thank you for your assistance in complying with IRS rules.

On the IRS website it states:

quote:

Students use this form to:

give their social security number (SSN) or individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) to an educational institution or a lender of a student loan, and

certify that the proceeds of a loan are being used, or will be used, solely to pay for qualified higher education expenses, if applicable.

Since I have no student loans I've wrote back to the business office saying I'm not going to fill out their form.

Now I'll admit this is in slight protest to them requiring me to take an online alcohol education and sexual harassment course if I want to register for any more classes at the school. I'm a 35 year old college graduate already, and not to mention a LEO. I'm refusing to do that too.

Can any tax people let me know if my thinking is right? If I don't have student loans I don't have to fill out their form, right?

And I know they have my social on file already, I had to give it to them to enroll.

Nope. It'll cost ya $50 each year. Please put your SSAN on your check to assure proper credit.

There's also the possibility that you may be able to deduct some of your educational expenses if you're taking training that could improve your skills. Might be easier to prove that to the IRS if you have a correct 1098 from the school rather than hoping they take your word for it. Just saying...

That's not what I was hoping to get for an answer Jallen. I'll probably end up folding and submitting the form. I've just sent an online letter to my Senator about this. Probably won't go anywhere. All I really want is for someone to explain to me why they need my information for this particular situation. That's all I want.

quote:

Originally posted by Skull Leader:
That's not what I was hoping to get for an answer Jallen. I'll probably end up folding and submitting the form. I've just sent an online letter to my Senator about this. Probably won't go anywhere. All I really want is for someone to explain to me why they need my information for this particular situation. That's all I want.

There probably is no explanation that makes a lick of sense, except it is too much trouble to delineate those who must and those who need not, and train clerks to apply it.

Most government records are incomplete nonsense. The bureaucrats want your form filled out and signed so the record will be complete nonsense.

Here are some Social Security Numbers that might come in handy when filling in (filling out?) various forms, many of which have no legitimate reason to ask for a Social Security Number:

• 042-68-4425 Barack Hussein Obama
  
• 562-10-0296 Walt Disney
  
• 552-38-5014 Theodor “Dr. Seuss” Geisel
  
• 536-90-4399 Walter Liberace
  
• 567-68-0515 Richard Nixon
  
• 409-52-2002 Elvis Presley
  
• 078-05-1120 The famous "Woolworth Social Security Number" that came on a SS look-alike card in wallets that were sold by Woolworth