The education credit or deduction is for tuition
paid for on behalf of the taxpayer, their spouse, or their dependents. So if a parent claims the child as a
dependent, only the parent may claim the credit or deduction. Check out my blog article titled Client Question: Who Can I Claim as a Dependent? (http://bit.ly/TCSdZd), which
details the rules on claiming a dependent.
If a parent claims a child as a dependent, only the
parent may claim the education credit for the child. If the parent is eligible to claim the
education credit but chooses not to,
only the student is allowed to claim the credit.
Like any good CPA, I need to add a
disclaimer: Unfortunately, it is
impossible to offer comprehensive tax info over the Internet, no matter how
well researched or written. And
remember, I love my readers, but having me bookmarked on your computer doesn’t
make you a client: Before relying on any
information given on this site, contact a tax professional to discuss your
particular situation.