UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the
                         Securities Exchange Act of 1934

       Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): January 18, 2004
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                                 CIT GROUP INC.
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             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

    Delaware                       001-31369                     65-1051192
(State or other                   (Commission                  (IRS Employer
jurisdiction of                   File Number)               Identification No.)
incorporation)

                                   1 CIT Drive
                          Livingston, New Jersey 07039
              (Address of registrant's principal executive office)

       Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (973) 740-5000

                                 Not Applicable
          -------------------------------------------------------------
          (Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

                                -----------------

Check  the  appropriate  box  below  if the  Form  8-K  filing  is  intended  to
simultaneously  satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the
following provisions (see General Instruction A.2. below):

[_]   Written  communications  pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17
      CFR 230.425)

[_]   Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR
      240.14a-12)

[_]   Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant  to  Rule  14d-2(b)  under  the
      Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[_]   Pre-commencement  communications  pursuant  to  Rule  13e-4(c)  under  the
      Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

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Item 8.01. Other Events.

      CIT Group Inc. maintains the CIT Group Inc. Long-Term Equity Compensation
Plan (the "ECP"), which provides for the granting of incentive stock options,
non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock,
performance shares, and performance units to employees and directors of CIT and
its subsidiaries. In connection with individual award grants under the ECP, CIT
issues an Award Agreement to each recipient. Attached as Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2
are two forms of Award Agreement used in connection with the award of stock
options to executive officers and directors.

Item 9.01. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(c) Exhibits.

      99.1  Form of CIT Group Inc. Long-Term Equity Compensation Plan Award
            Agreement.

      99.2  Form of CIT Group Inc. Long-Term Equity Compensation Plan Award
            Agreement.

      This document contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All forward-looking
statements (including statements regarding future financial and operating
results) involve risks, uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are
beyond CIT's control, which may cause actual results, performance, or
achievements to differ materially from anticipated results, performance, or
achievements. All statements contained in this document that are not clearly
historical in nature are forward-looking, and the words "anticipate," "believe,"
"expect," "estimate," "plan," and similar expressions are generally intended to
identify forward-looking statements. Economic, business, funding market,
competitive and/or regulatory factors, among others, affecting CIT's businesses
are examples of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially
from those described in the forward-looking statements. More detailed
information about these factors are described in CIT's filings with the
Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for
the year ended December 31, 2003 and its Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the
quarter ended September 30, 2004. CIT is under no obligation to (and expressly
disclaims any such obligation to) update or alter its forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.


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                                   SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                                       CIT GROUP INC.
                                       (Registrant)

                                       By: /s/ William J. Taylor
                                       -----------------------------------------

                                           William J. Taylor
                                           Executive Vice President & Controller
                                           (Chief Accounting Officer)

Dated: January 18, 2005


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