Claim child's tuition payment if they are not a dependent?

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
February 6, 2022
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Can I still claim my child's college tuition payments if I paid them but she is not a dependent?

RaifH

No, you can only claim Education Credits for yourself, a spouse, or dependents. Your child would claim it if no one is claiming her as a dependent. For more information on that, see this TurboTax article.

Hal_Al

Employee

Your child (or the person who does claim her as a dependent) can claim the tuition credit, even though they didn't make the payments. Although the general rule, in taxes, is that you must be the one making the payment, to get the deduction, there is an exception for education.

There is a caveat, in the case of a student claiming the tuition credit. A full time unmarried student, under age 24, even if they don't qualify as a dependent, is only eligible for the refundable portion of the American Opportunity Credit if he supports himself by working. They cannot be supporting themselves on parental support, 529 plans or student loans & grants. . It is usually best if the parent claims that credit.

You cannot claim a credit if you are, or can be, claimed as a dependent by someone else.