Can grandparents deduct college tuition paid for a grandchild?

Question

Can grandparents deduct college tuition paid for a grandchild?

Answer 1

Jo Helen:

The answer is probably "no".

Utilizng the HOPE credit requires that the taxpayer be eligible to (and actually) claim the student as a dependent on their tax return (unless the credit is for yourself or a spouse). The HOPE credit is also only available for the first 2 years of undergraduate education.

The Lifetime Learning Tax Credit has the same dependency requirement, as does the Tuition and Fees Tax Credit.

You can find out more about all of these credits by reviewing the IRS tax document that I linked below.