Students who took nine credits are actually considered full-time on their Concordia tax receipts — this issue affects less than five students each year, who need to maintain their part-time status
Tax season is upon us, and Concordia students can now obtain their tax receipts for 2020.
While many students know that nine credits per semester constitutes part-time academic status at Concordia, students may not know that it is actually considered full-time taxation status, according to the university.
As tax receipts were released to Concordia students for the 2020 taxation year, some may have noticed that their nine-credit semester is listed as “full-time” taxation status.
Certain students may find that it is beneficial to maintain part-time status for taxation purposes on an individual basis.
Not to worry — the Student Accounts department is available to directly resolve any issues that may arise. Students may reach out directly to the department and ask for an adjustment of their tax receipt to reflect “part-time,” should they need.
Concordia spokesperson Vannina Maestracci released a statement to The Concordian that the difference in taxation and academic status for nine-credit students in a semester is “to the benefit” of “an overwhelming majority of students.”
Maestracci said there are “some rare instances” where the full-time taxation status does not benefit students, but they are minimal: “Only two such cases this year,” and “a maximum of three cases a year.”
“These rare cases — this year and in previous years — have been addressed directly with students: when they do not wish to be designated as a full-time student when taking nine credits on their federal tuition tax receipt, their designation on the tuition tax receipt is changed to part-time and the form re-submitted,” said Maestracci.
Additionally, Concordia emphasizes that “This only concerns the federal tuition tax receipt, not the provincial one and that designation or status for tax purposes differ from the academic status of a student in a university.”
When in doubt, contact Student Accounts should you have any questions about your taxation status.
Photo collage by Kit Mergaert
